Seven Weeks 'till "Are You Ready for Doomsday 2012?"

Are you ready for BIFF? The Countdown Continues . . . Number Seven:

We Will Become Silhouettes (2005) by The Postal Service. A song with a pretty melody and beautifully sung but alarming lyrics - - of impending doom! Nuclear holocaust and being to close to the explosion; the intensity of the flash burning your body's image into whatever is around you. The music sounds happy, but it's not!


Released in February by Sub Pop Records on an album with the same name, We Will Become Silhouettes was the band's most successful recording, reaching number eighty-four on the Billboard charts. The song was used in the trailer for the movie Funny People and was also used in Love Happens, both released in 2009.

I've got a cupboard with cans of food, 
filtered water, and pictures of you 
and i'm not coming out until this is all over

And i'm looking through the glass

where the light bends at the cracks

and i'm screaming at the top of my lungs
pretending the echoes belong to someone

Someone i used to know

And we become
silhouettes when our bodies finally go

Ba, ba, ba, ba . . . ba, ba, ba, ba

I wanted to walk through the empty streets

and feel something constant under my feet,

but all the news reports recommended that I stay indoors

Because the air outside will make
our cells divide at an alarming rate 
until our shells simply cannot hold all our insides in

and that's when we'll explode

(and it won't be a pretty sight)

We will become
silhouettes when our bodies finally go

Ba, ba, ba, ba

We will become, we'll become, we'll become
silhouettes when our bodies finally go

Ba, ba, ba, ba

We will become, we'll become, we'll become
silhouettes when our bodies finally go

Ba, ba, ba, ba

We will become, we'll become, we'll become
silhouettes when our bodies finally go


(Faintly)

Ba, ba, ba, ba
We will become, we will become . . .

Eight - - Count'em, EIGHT Weeks to go . . .

This week's tune for BIFF's musical countdown is Two Suns in the Sunset by the English rock band, Pink Floyd. Written by Roger Waters (1983), the song is about nuclear holocaust. The lyric "the sun is in the east, even though the day is done" refers to a glowing fireball of a massive nuclear explosion. It features a sax solo by Raphael Ravenscroft, who played on several of the songs of the album, The Final Cut. Andy Newmark played drums on this track instead of Nick Mason, the regular drummer of Pink Floyd, who was unable to perform the complex changes needed for the 5/4 time signature.

In my rear view mirror the sun is going down

Sinking behind bridges in the road

I think of all the good things that we have left undone

And I suffer premonitions

Confirm suspicions

Of the holocaust to come

The rusty wire that holds the cork that keeps the anger in

Gives way and suddenly it's day again

The sun is in the east even though the day is done

Two suns in the sunset

Could be the human race is run

Like the moment when the brakes lock

And you slide towards the big truck ("Oh no!")

You stretch the frozen moments with your fear

And you'll never hear their voices ("Daddy, Daddy!")

And you'll never see their faces

You have no recourse to the law anymore

And as the windshield melts and my tears evaporate

Leaving only charcoal to defend

Finally I understand the feelings of the few

Ashes and diamonds

Foe and friend

We were all equal in the end

(Faintly underneath the closing Sax solo)

"...and now the weather. Tomorrow will be cloudy with scattered showers spreading from the east ... with an expected high of 4000 degrees Celsius..."

Nine Weeks till BIFF

Alexie Davis pointed us to this week's pick for the musical countdown: Radioactive by the Imagine Dragons (Off their Continued Silence EP recording).

An Indie rock band, Imagine Dragons first appeared in the local music scene of Provo, Utah. By 2009, they were based in Las Vegas, NV and made their first studio recordings there - - released in the following year. In Nov. 2011, Imagine Dragons signed a contract with Interscope Records leading to their first extended play recording being released on Valentine's Day in 2012 - - it included our current pick, Radioactive.

Waking up to ash and dust,

I wipe my brow but I sweat my rust,

Breathing in, the chemicals. Aahh - ahhhhhh.

Breaking in, shaping up, but I'm checking out on the prison bus.

This is it, the apocalypse. Woa-oh.

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones.

Love to make my systems go.

Welcome to the new age, to the new age.

Welcome to the new age, to the new age.

Whoa-uh-oh. Whoa-uh-oh. Radioactive. Radioactive.

Whoa-uh-oh. Whoa-uh-oh. Radioactive. Radioactive.

Raise my flags, don my clothes,

It's a 'cupolution' I composed.

We'll paint it red, to fit right in. Woa-oh.

Breaking in, shaping up, and I'm checking out on a prison bus.

This is it, the apocalypse. Woa-oh.

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones.

Love to make my systems go.

Welcome to the new age, to a new age.

Welcome to the new age, to the new age.

Whoa-uh-oh. Whoa-uh-oh. Radioactive. Radioactive.

Whoa-uh-oh. Whoa-uh-oh.h. Radioactive. Radioactive.

All systems go, sun hasn't died.

Deep in my bones, straight from inside.

I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones.

Love to make my systems go.

Welcome to the new age, to the new age.

Welcome to the new age, to the new age.

Whoa-uh-oh. Whoa-uh-oh. Radioactive. Radioactive.

Whoa-uh-oh. Whoa-uh-oh. Radioactive. Radioactive.

Ten Weeks to Go - Till BIFF

For sure, you don't want to miss this one. This could be the last BIFF. Erh, that is if the prophesies for 2012 are accurate? Dropping back to 1986 for this week's Countdown tune that was written by Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Michael Rutherford.

The song, Land of Confusion, came out on Genesis's album, Invisible Touch. You may remember its music video on MTV. The video featured bizarre puppets that were caricatures of the band members and included puppet versions of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Collins commissioned Peter Fluck and Roger Law of the British television show Spitting Image to create puppets of the entire band, as well as all the characters in the video. See how many famous, contemporary and historical people you can identify, world leaders, and hang on til the very end of the video clip when then President Reagan awakes from his dream.

I must've dreamed a thousand dreams

Been haunted by a million screams

But I can hear the marching feet

They're moving into the street

Now did you read the news today

They say the danger's gone away

But I can see the fire's still alight

There burning . . into the night

There's too many men, too many people

Making too many problems

And not much love to go round

Can't you see this is a land of confusion?

Well this is the world we live in

And these are the hands we're given

Use them and let's start trying

To make it a place worth living in

Ooh, Superman where are you now

Where everything's gone wrong somehow?

The men of steel, the men of power

Are losing control by the hour

This is the time, this is the place

So we look for the future

But there's not much love to go round

Tell me why this is a land of confusion

This is the world we live in

And these are the hands we're given

Use them and let's start trying

To make it a place worth living in

I remember long ago - - when the sun was shining

Yes and the stars were bright, all through the night

And the sound of your laughter, as I held you tight
So long ago

I won't be coming home tonight

My generation will put it right

We're not just making promises

That we know, we'll never keep

Too many men, there's too many people

Making too many problems

And not much love to go round

Can't you see, this is a land of confusion?

Now this is the world we live in

And these are the hands we're given

Use them and let's start trying

To make it a place worth fighting for

This is the world we live in

This is the world we live in

And these are the names we're given

Stand up and let's start showing

Just where our lives are going to

Week Eleven - Countdown to BIFF

This week's countdown song, London Calling, is by the British punk rock band, The Clash. It was released as a single from the band's 1979 double album London Calling. This apocalyptic, politically charged rant combined the band's famous reggae basslines with punk electric guitar riffs and vocals. The urgent first chorus finds Joe Strummer snarling his way through a grim little warning: "The ice age is coming" . . .  The second chorus adds another cataclysmic possibility to Strummer's list of worries: a nuclear error, perhaps inspired by the recent meltdown at Three Mile Island. The line, "London is drowning and I live by the river" came from the belief in England that if the Thames river ever flooded, all of London would be under water.

Surprised? There you were - - just swinging to the beat, maybe not aware what the lyrics were all about!

Written by Joe Strummer and Mick Jones (1979)

London calling to the faraway towns

Now war is declared and battle come down

London calling to the underworld

Come out of the cupboard, you boys and girls

London calling, now don't look to us

Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust

London calling, see we ain't got no swing

Except for the ring of the truncheon thing

[Chorus]

The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in

Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin

Engines stop running, but I have no fear

Cause London is drowning and I . . . live by the river

London calling to the imitation zone

Forget it brother, you can go it alone

London calling to the zombies of death

Quit holding out - and draw another breath

London calling - and I don't want to shout

But while we were talking - I saw you nodding out

London calling, see we ain't got no highs

Except for that one with the yellowy eyes

[Chorus]

The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in

Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin

A nuclear era, but I have no fear

Cause London is drowning, and I . . .  I live by the river

The ice age is coming, the sun's zooming in

Engines stop running, the wheat is growing thin

A nuclear era, but I have no fear

Cause London is drowning, and I . . . I live by the river

Now get this

London calling, yes I was there too

And you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!

London calling at the top of the dial

After all this, won't you give me a smile?

London calling

I never felt so much a'like, a'like, a'like . . .

Twelve weeks to go . . . .

It's time for another musical edition to be added to the 'Musical Countdown" to the Bicknell International Film Festival (BIFF). Going way back to 1969 and a song written by John Fogerty and performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival. CCR consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty, his brother and rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty, bassist Stu Cook, and drummer Doug Clifford. The music makes this song sound like a happy tune but if you listen to the lyrics - - one hears bleakness and coming events of apocalypse!

“Bad Moon Rising” rose to #2 on the charts, but soon after reports began to surface that the CCR was experiencing serious artistic differences and might breakup. The group officially stayed together, but tension, dissension, and discord prevailed. In 1972, the run ended for the CCR musicians.

People often mishear the phrase "There's a bathroom on the right" (mondegreen) instead of "There's a bad moon on the rise." Fogerty himself has been known to occasionally substitute the "bathroom" version of the lyric as a joke during his live shows, including on his 1998 live album Premonition (Listen for it in this version).

John Fogerty (2010) performing "Bad Moon Rising"

I see the bad moon arisin'

I see trouble on the way

I see earthquakes and lightnin'

I see bad times today

Well don't go around tonight

Well, it's bound to take your life

There's a bad moon on the rise

I hear hurricanes a blowin'

I know the end is comin' soon

I see rivers overflowin'

I hear the voice of rage and ruin

Well don't go around tonight

Well, it's bound to take your life

There's a bad moon on the rise

Hope you got your things together

Hope you are quite prepared to die

Looks like we're in for nasty weather

One eye is taken for an eye

Well, don't go around tonight

It's bound to take your life

There's a bad moon on the rise

Don't go around tonight

Well, it's bound to take your life

There's a bad moon on the rise

Week Thirteen - Knights of Shame by AWOLNation

The musical countdown to BIFF continues: This week's song is by AWOLNation, an Indie electronic, pop, rock band formed by Aaron Bruno in 2010. The band's first single, "Sail" debuted at #30 on the U.S. Billboard chart and was included on their debut 5-song album. Knights of Shame was cut on their first full-length album, Megalithic Symphony in 2011 - - it may be the longest cut selected for the Countdown, coming in at over twelve minutes.

Knights of Shame
(Link to higher quality but edited version with interview segment)

by AWOLNation

Lyrics (Or as close as I could get them):

Dance baby dance like the world is ending

[x3]

Dance baby dance like the world is ending

(x3)

Dance baby dance like the world is ending

(x3)

Dance baby dance like the world is ending

(x3)

This is who you are

[x3]

This is who you are

[x3]

Oh

Sit back and look for the warnings

The futures bright and alarming

Sit back and look for the warnings

Sit back and look for the warnings

The futures bright and alarming

Sit back and look for the warnings

What

Woo

Huh

Cool

They be walking around with your head cut off

They be walking around with your head cut off

Oh

They be walking around with your head cut off

They be walking around with your head cut off

Their power's fear and it surrounds us

Their signs, you can see

One day we will wake the walking zombies

'Til then we pray

Oo

Everybody

The king and his ghost are laughing at me

These signs, you can see

One day well listen for the sirens

'Til then we pray

Skeletons

Marching army

Guns

Drop your feet

I'm scared

I'm duke Ellington

My mother said there'd by days like this

But one of the fires lit made her piss

Calling all zombies

All up inside me

Transforming vampires

Right beside me

And you can't run

'Cause, you did, you'd be dead

And them walls can't run from the side of my head

I beat the ghoul

My beats are cool

But here's last kiss

All suckers

They will cease to exist

I can't entertain with a beat up human

Lay wast to cities

Leave towns i ruin

I am a robot

Whole arsenal stock

Ready to blow

Lastly you see

Me, be three by three

Firing these things called TNT

Fire these things called TNT

These things called TNT

They call me TNT

These things called TNT

Ahh,

We can dance like the world's over

Yeah it's almost 2012 

Call your girls over

Let's kick back

Pop shots

Have a ball

And if the world blow up

Next life, we do it all over

Uh, Yeah

Let's toast to the memory

I wrote my name in the sky

So remember me

Baby forever we

Together mentally

The day I leave my baby over something

Then helll'll freeze

Froze

This world cold like Natalie

So

Let's lose our clothes like Adam Eve

Back to the basics

Step out the matrix

Step out your cool

Baby, get on my spaceship

I seen her face lit

She seen a sign like a Mason

So we ran home like a base hit

Safe

Life is whatever you think it is

Yo,  what you think this is?

Uh

Yeah it's all in your mind baby

You gotta do what you feel, like a blind lady

You gotta spread your wings and just fly, baby

It feel like you're reborn?

That's my baby

She said she feel it in her soul like a vibrator

I got some things for your thoughts we can try later

Let's hit the dance floor

Right before we out of time

And just party like it's 1999

You know what prince said

Girl, you my princess

I got the glass slipper

I hope the thing fits

Your body on fire

Let me extinguish

hop on this white horse

Ride to the sunset

Is anybody really out there breathing?

Is anybody really sick of bleeding

So come out scream to the sky this evening

And 'fore the morning I'm a touch your feeling

Ha,

Let's start today!

Thank you, alright

Let's start today!

Woo, ah, yeah

Let's start today

Ha ha, yeah, wooo, okay

Let's start today

Start today

Start today

Come on down

The queen's heart

The knights of shame

The people's voice

So we pray and we pray

The queens heart

The knights of shame

So we pray and we pray!

The queens heart

The peoples voice

So we pray and we pray

The queens heart

The knights of shame

So we pray, and we pray

Oooooooo

And yeah it's no fun waiting for the fall

And there'll be no more waiting for you all

And there'll be one more chance for the truth

Without you, I would die

And yeah it's no fun waiting for the fall

And there'll be no more waiting for you all

And there'll be one more chance for the truth

Without you, I would die

I would die

Waiting on a heartbeat

Does anybody hear me?

We're waiting on a heart beat

Is anybody listening?