We lost a true genius yesterday. And I don't mean Jim Bowen. (Still, RIP, Jim. Any other day, I might have done a Bullseye Top Ten.)
I don't pretend to understand most of what Professor Stephen Hawkings wrote... but I'm glad he was writing it. Here are ten songs to mark his passing...
Special mentions to MC Hawking, Pink Floyd's Talkin' Hawkin' and Carl Sagan featuring Stephen Hawkings - A Glorious Dawn.
10. Barenaked Ladies - A History Of Everything
The theme tune to the sitcom The Big Bang Theory seems an appropriate track to begin with... especially since Stephen Hawking was a guest star on that show.
Our whole universe was in a hot, dense state
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started, wait
The earth began to cool, the autotrophs began to drool
Neanderthals developed tools
We built a wall (we built the pyramids)
Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries
That all started with the big bang! Hey!
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started, wait
The earth began to cool, the autotrophs began to drool
Neanderthals developed tools
We built a wall (we built the pyramids)
Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries
That all started with the big bang! Hey!
9. Yes - Real Love
Pretentious, portentous prog has never seemed so appropriate...
Get the fire, as the flame it burns,
Get the wind as it slowly turns.
Get the earth...
Get the sky...
Far away, in the depths of Hawking's mind
To the animal, primalistic grind,
You bring me reason, a simple fact of life.
Get the wind as it slowly turns.
Get the earth...
Get the sky...
Far away, in the depths of Hawking's mind
To the animal, primalistic grind,
You bring me reason, a simple fact of life.
8. Misty's Big Adventure - Black Hole
Excuse the ropey live version on youtube: I had to find room for this despite that.
7. Weezer - Da Vinci
Forget A Brief History of Time - if you get a mention in a Weezer song, you'll live forever!
Even Da Vinci couldn't paint you
Stephen Hawking can't explain you
Rosetta Stone could not translate you
I'm at a loss for words...
Stephen Hawking can't explain you
Rosetta Stone could not translate you
I'm at a loss for words...
6. Chris Bell - I Am The Cosmos
Let's face it: he was the cosmos.
5. Manic Street Preachers - Me & Stephen Hawking
Personally, I think this is as close as the Manics ever got to writing a nonsense song. Professor Hawking was renowned for his sense of humour though, so he'd probably appreciate that.
Overjoyed, me and Stephen Hawking, we laugh
We missed the sex revolution
When we failed the physical
We missed the sex revolution
When we failed the physical
4. Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
Probably my favourite Muse song... and there aren't many.
3. Cake - Frank Sinatra
This Cake classic begins with a reference to Cosmic Background Radiation...
We know of an ancient radiation
That haunts dismembered constellations
That haunts dismembered constellations
...wherein, according to New Scientist, Stephen Hawking's initials can be found... along with a phoenix, a donkey, a parrot and a deer.
Whether you believe that or not, the radiation emitted by black holes has apparently been christened Hawking Radiation.
2. Radiohead - Fitter, Happier
For a time, some people believed that the robotic vocals on this track from OK Computer(scientifically proven to be Radiohead's best album) were delivered by Stephen Hawking himself. Others believed it was just Thom Yorke speaking through a voice synthesizer to make him sound a little warmer and more human than usual. Turns out the former is closer to the truth: the vocals were actually delivered by Fred Cooper, the man who gave voice to Apple's voice synthesizing programme... the one that became most famous as the voice of Professor Hawking.
1. Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
The first song that occurred to me when I thought about doing this Top Ten is probably the one that has least to do with Professor Stephen Hawking... but it's still a tremendous noise.
Provide A Brief History of Your Suggestions in the comments, please.