The Torture Playlist
Mother Jones magazine has published a list of songs used during torture sessions at American military prisons.
- Here’s the list (in no particular order):
“F*** Your God” - Deicide
“Die MF Die” - Dope
“Take Your Best Shot” - Dope
“White America” - Eminem
“Kim” - Eminem
“Barney Theme Song” - Barney
“Bodies” - Drowning Pool
“Enter Sandman” - Metallica
Meow Mix TV commercial
Sesame Street theme song
“Babylon” - David Gray
“Born in the USA” - Bruce Springsteen
“Shoot to Thrill” - AC/DC
“Stayin’ Alive” - Bee Gees
“All Eyes on Me” - Tupac
“Dirrty” - Christina Aguilera
“America” - Neil Diamond
“Bulls on Parade” - Rage Against the Machine
“American Pie” - Don McLean
“Click Click Boom” - Saliva
“Cold” - Matchbox Twenty
“Swan Dive” - Head P.E.
“Raspberry Beret” - Prince
Some of the tunes are simply on the list because of their references to the U.S.A. Others are there because they are macho and scary. And then there are the songs that, if played once never mind repeatedly, could certainly drive you around the bend. As much a I loved Sesame Street growing up, hearing that theme song over and over and over again could probably make me sell out my grandmother! Ditto for the Meow Mix commercial. The best way to torture me, though, would be to play Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel”. Never a fan of the cheesy lyrics to begin with, I have heard that tune way too often.
What songs are like nails on a chalboard to you? Share your list via the No Comments/Comments link below. Today’s Jack Nation bonus code is TORTURE. Enter it by March 2nd and it will make your pain worthwhile.
February 29th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
This one scares me because I’m a Canadian soldier’s mother, and he’s awaiting his 2nd tour in Afghanistan. Green Day’s “American Idiot” comes to the forefront of my mind. U2’s “One” for some reason touches me about war/peace (probably because they’re Irish), and definitely “Sunday Bloody Sunday”and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”. These are all from a Canadian perspective naturally. I wonder why we are even involved. They’re not necessarily Torture songs. Oh yeah–we’re there because we have to stay allies with the U.S. They have bigger weapons of mass destruction, as well as a larger military. “Eve of Destruction”, now there’s an insightful oldie, probably referring to Vietnam at the time. Has there ever been world peace? I think we hop on the “train to pain” with our allies. They seem to like to get involved in other peoples’ problems–of course, they have to show off the “Stealth Bombers” that they have spent billions on, while people are living in the streets, and some poor dudes are still institutionalized from Vietnam. But as far as TORTURE SONGS, well I think the ultimate one would be the “McDonald’s” commercial, because–”You deserve a break today”! P.S. They actually have McDonald’s chains at the American bases in Afghanistan - I wonder if “Ronald McDonald” is there too - NOW THAT’S TORTURE!
Carly’s Note: Barry McGuire’s Eve of Destruction is over 40 years old and sadly, it’s still as relevant today as it was back then. We have learned nothing. It’s a great tune, though. Thanks for bringing it up.
February 29th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Lips of an angel for sure…I have to change the channel when that comes on. Anything that Shania Twain sings. God, I hate that woman’s voice. Or Celine Dion. That’s why I like Jack. NO chance of hearing that.
Carly’s Note: I don’t mind Shania, but I’m with you on Celine. Never a fan of nasal-sounding voices, hers drives me particularly mad.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
I’m totally with you on the Lips of an Angel. Anything by Hinder -*shudder* !
Carly’s Note: Glad I’m not alone, Ronda!
February 29th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
“we salute you” drives me crazy. Listening to Jack all day long, you just hear it to often when they do the work day salutes… sorry!!!
Carly’s Note: It’s funny how people hear things differently. I never get tired of AC/DC, even popular tunes like You Shook Me All Night Long and For Those About to Rock (We Salute You). Ozzy’s Crazy Train is another one that is always “music to my ears”. You can try to torture me all you like, Rock ‘n Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution.
March 1st, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I don’t have anything specific but it is torture for me to listen to rap, hip-hop, wailing music like Mariah Carey, phoney-baloney ‘new’ country and anything by Bruce Springsteen.
Carly’s Note: Not a fan of the Boss, huh? Don’t tell Jeff!
March 1st, 2008 at 8:53 pm
As a former Q107 listener… Anything by Led Zeppelin still drives me crazy
Carly’s Note:
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:03 am
I think any songs from the Lawrence Welk show are what I call torture. Good thing the show is only on for an hour or two a week, so at least it’s tolerable.
Carly’s Note: Is that show still on? (In re-runs, obviously) I remember my brother and I didn’t like going to my grandparents’ place for Sunday dinner because Opa watched Lawrence Welk, which meant we would miss Disney. We liked going at all other times, though, because we were spoiled.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Barney’s Theme Song makes me want to jump in front of a bus, and the meow mix commercial would certainly get very annoying very fast.
Carly’s Note: If you listen to the Meow Mix commercial too often, soon you’re meowing to everything. Just ask Sam Stevens. She frequently meows along to songs.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I can’t remember which group it was, but it was out about 2 1/2 years ago. It was one of those whiny ‘I’m not worthy’ type songs. I think it started ‘I’m not a perfect person’ or something like that. I used to change the station as soon as I heard the first note but it would still manage to crawl inside my brain and nest there. Arrgh! It was nicely forgotten and then I heard it in the grocery store about a week ago; I’m proud of myself for not tearing out of the store screaming with my hands over my ears…or maybe that’s what I should have done.
Carly’s Note: The song is called The Reason by Hoobastank. I know it well because it annoys me, too. Thanks for sharing your pain.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:15 pm
p.s. What’s funny about those torture songs is that a couple of them (such as Born in the U.S.A. and Bulls on Parade) protest the whole U.S. war/arms industry experience.
Carly’s Note: Yeah, kind of like John McCain using Pink Houses for his campaign before John Mellencamp asked him to stop. CCR’s Fortunate Son is another song that is often misinterpreted and as a result, misused.