aNewDomain — It came out recently that former chairman of Turner Broadcasting and CNN, Ted Turner, had a prepared video to run should the end of the world near. The video Turner selected — a recording of “Nearer My God To Thee” — was reportedly stored at CNN’s MRIA archive system under the name “TURNER DOOMSDAY VIDEO.” Find that video below.
It’s not ours to judge whether this is a hoax — so far Turner hasn’t confirmed or denied the report — but whatever. It’s a great idea. What’s your choice for an end of the world YouTube video? Send us a YouTube link with your selection to gina@anewdomain.net or +Gina Smith on Google. Now you know what to do with your three day weekend!
First, here’s the video Turner reportedly selected to run last on the 24 hour news network he founded. So far identified as the US Army Forces Command band playing in front of the Turner Mansion in the early 1980s, the musicians are playing “Nearer My God To Thee,” the same tune the doomed RMS Titanic’s band supposedly played as the ship went down. Scroll below the fold for more of your end of the world YouTube ideas — and ours.
Video: Marjorie Hamilton YouTube Channel
I chose the famous 1938 Carnegie Hall performance where Benny Goodman and his band play “Sing, Sing, Sing!” I love that the video opens with a short explainer of the importance of this so-called “most important concert ever,” useful for all those witnessing the end of the world who are getting a better-late-than-never introduction to the great Goodman. But I wish I’d thought of Eric Searleman’s pick, Joey Ramone’s version of “What a Wonderful World.” Scroll below the fold to see that.
Video: John Hancock YouTube Channel
This one’s from our San Francisco based editor Eric Searleman. He chooses two songs. The first was “The Last Chord” by the Gears for his end of the world YouTube video. Rocking.
Video: Havoc2665
Here’s his other choice. Joey Ramone’s recording of the jazz standard Louis Armstrong made famous, “It’s a Wonderful world.” “It makes me teary eyed,” Eric says. Us, too!
Video: Joey Ramone YouTube Channel
This recommendation came from reader +Kevin O’Brien, from Ypsilanti, MI. It’s Jefferson Airplane’s House at Pooneil Corners.
Video: James YouTube Channel: Entertainment Purposes Only
New Jersey-based podcaster and tech author Craig Johnston put forth “Frankie Goes to Hollywood” 12-inch mix by Two Tribes. Classic.
Video:12inch45s YouTube Channel
New Jersey-based aNewDomain music ed Brant David wants you to know he is no U2 fan. But as the end of the world YouTube video, U2’s “Until the End of the World,” he says, hits the spot.
Video:Nebjamin95 YouTube Channel
Would you really want to hear an end-of-the-world song as your last ever song at the end of the world, counters Tom Ewing in Tulsa, OK. Instead of end of the world themed music, good music — make that great music — should be the choice, he says. Ewing’s suggestion? Bryan Ferry’s “More Than This.”
Video: EMI Music YouTube Channel
A San Jose tech attorney — he asked not to be named — was the first reader to send us an end of the world YouTube suggestion, a second or two after we posted the question on Google+. He immediately put forth Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again,” the eerily romantic song that plays over the end of the world in the film, “Dr. Strangelove,” as a replacement for CNN’s world ending video.
Video: a495 YouTube Channel
Here’s Brant David’s second suggestion, this time without an end of the world theme, was sent in response to Ewing’s end-of-the-world comment above. The end of the year YouTube video should be Rush’s “Anagram,” he says. Check it out.
Video: RushLyricsOnScreenChannel: RushLyricsOnScreen
Our roving reporter and senior correspondent Terry Gardner, based in Los Angeles, says she wants her end of the world YouTube video “to say goodbye to the world. A “goodbye, life” song. That’s why I picked “Let It Be” by the Beatles,” she says.
Video:SkYiStHeLiMiTnOw YouTube Channel
Our New York City based senior commentator Ted Rall had an immediate choice for his end of the world YouTube pick. It’s Nico’s version of the Jim Morrison classic “The End.” Nice was one of the original members of Lou Reed’s The Velvet Underground. Writes Ted: “The original (Doors song) is apocalyptic enough, but her Teutonic vocals really take it to that next level. It’s absolutely chilling. Knowing she was on a personal psychological and drug-fueled death trip herself makes it even more amazing.”
Video: Nico Naki YouTube Channel
Our senior editor Becket Morgan — and also my old colleague Fred Davis on Google+ — recommended R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (I Feel Fine).”
Video: emi YouTube Channel
Our Atlanta-based executive producer here at aNewDomain, aNewDomainTV and BreakingModern’s Marc Klempf, put down Nat King Cole’s “Smile” as his end day choice.
Video: Fonrims32 YouTube Channel
Our director of special projects, Dino Londis, offered up “Praying for Time,” performed here for American Idol by George Michael.
Video:Dblakester YouTube Channel
Some of our staff and reader choices, not surprisingly, offered songs tinged with irony. Ann Arbor, MI-based editor +Michael Olsen came in with Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
Video: ElektraMSK YouTube Channel
Some folks in our community got really inspired by our last YouTube video ever request. “Can’t Love Every Cat” was a hilarious choice from +Daniel Panichelli on Google +. Hysterical.
Video: Lolmasterz535’s YouTube Channel
BJ Lewis of Denver suggested a piece outside the rock and pop genres. The end of the world seems like it might be a bit emotional, she said, and few things show human emotion better than opera.
Video Pythoniasty YouTube Channel.
Wugnet’s Howard Sobel, based in Boston, thought the Trammps’s disco classic “Disco Inferno” would be a fine end of the world song. Here it is.
Video:CooolVerstukas YouTube Channel
Fred Scott of Phoenix nominated Atomic Rooster’s Death Walks Behind You for the honor of the last YouTube video ever played.
Video: Thoomate YouTube Channel
Got one to add? Email me at Gina@aNewDomain.net
For aNewDomain, I’m Gina Smith.
Below: Animated atomic bomb explosion. Sequence showing mushroom cloud formation from a U.S. nuclear weapon test at the Nevada Test Site … screen captures taken and formatted from the hi-res version of the end of this US government video: [1]. Arranged by User:Fastfission
“Bomba atomica” by Marcin n® ?, recreated from scratch by Quibik – Own work from: Image:Mushroom cloud sequence.jpg. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.
NONE!
Can’t leave out John Lydon & Afrika Bambaataa’s team up, Time Zone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VgLkk_drx4