Hunter’s Pandemic Playlist
Hunter Peters
It’s The End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)- R.E.M
I think this one is pretty self-explanatory. This entire year has both been one of the quickest and slowest years I’ve ever experienced. With all the news of death and illness, it’s really hard not to occasionally think of it as the end of the world. I also chose the song because despite it being the end of the world, the song is really high energy and that’s what we all need to be in this current situation.
We Didn’t Start The Fire- Billy Joel
Within the crazy, mostly negative things that have transpired this year there’s been some good in the form of social movements. Throughout the pandemic, there’s been a variety of protests and people coming together to fight for their beliefs. While some of the protests were purely pandemic based, many were about social injustice, which I think fits the song well. They’re long-burning issues that have spanned generations.
Safe and Sound (Feat. The Civil Wars)- Taylor Swift
A song about being safe inside while the world outside is crazy and dangerous. It fits fairly well considering everyone should have been staying inside as much as possible and avoiding contact with the outside. It also has a strong semblance of staying close with your family, which is who will get you through the pandemic.
Bad Day- Daniel Powter
We’ve all had some bad days in quarantine. Especially with how many people lost their jobs because of it. So many people’s lives were literally knocked off track and many people have felt a perpetual sense of low.
Stay Inside- Palmertrees
We’re supposed to stay inside due to the circumstances outside. It also references giving up control, which reminds me of the feeling of losing control when we lost access to so many things in lockdown. Overall the song really explains well the feelings that occurred when we were locked down and finishes with a hopeful new start.
(Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult
It felt right to add this song considering how many people experienced death in these times. I think the message of not letting fear rule is important. Many people will fear death and let that fear affect them even more than the pandemic itself. It also spreads the message to find support in those you love.
Message in a Bottle- The Police
Our homes all feel like little islands that we’re stranded on. So many of us have also reached out to the world virtually in order to stay sane. The whole story of the song fits well with the sense of isolated unity that we get from only having connections through a screen. Especially during the height of it, I think we all needed an S.O.S.
Don’t Go Outside- Poppy
Outside of how fitting the name is, it brings up the fear we get from the T.V. Much of what was shown while being informative was also scary to see how the world started to fall apart around us. The lyrics often mimicked the average person trying to convince themselves it’s alright. It also represents the darker thoughts that accepted the world starting to go crazy.
Stay In Bed (And Do Nothing)- Chromeo
This song was written during the whole situation and it really encapsulated the general mood during it. Once you’ve accepted that you can’t safely go outside motivation starts to fade. The song also shows respect to those essential workers, which is who we really need to thank.
Livin’ On a Prayer- Bon Jovi
We’re all struggling and having to live mostly on the hope this will all be over soon. A big part of the song is how people are down on their luck, which is more true than ever. It talks about appreciating what we still have and recognizing the worth of our things before they’re gone.
