As children of the 1980s, the threat of an apocalyptic event was always lurking somewhere in the background of conversations. Safety adverts with ominous undertones played on TV, the news was full of the latest developments and I’m pretty sure we had some sort of training at primary school.
Flip forward 35 years and the threat comes from the pandemic (nukes are still around and a threat but we’ve kind of got used to that) and climate change. This song spends some time in the world of a prepper, getting ready for a world ending event and stocking up their basement for that eventuality.
They are trying to convince someone to join them and extolling the benefits of life under the house. They’ve stocked up on supplies and gone off grid so they can survive independently. It’s an invitation filled with ego, ‘if you come with me we can save the world, start fresh’. Who wouldn’t want to accept?
We had great fun finding prepper terminology to sprinkle into the song - grab bag, doomer, bug out location. We liked the idea of having the fear around the y2k computer bug be the catalyst for their descent into madness… or at least a start of an interest that grew as time went on.
It wasn’t specifically a nuclear-based event but when we had almost finished decided to play around with some samples from old warning messages and it worked so we stuck it in, chopping it up to emphasise the characters point of view. It’s also nice that the song is Bromley-based.
We’ve popped some harmonies around and about but didn’t spend too long on it so there may be opportunities for more… or maybe less is more. I don’t know, it’s late.
The bridge took a bit of getting together, we misrecorded the guitars and had to do them again. Added some outrageously optimistic synth lines for the lolz and then got busy with vibrato and delay for texture. Then chopped and changed it further - still needs work, but ain’t got time to worry about that now. Suggestions welcome.
So, do you want to come to the basement?
v1
On the mean streets of Bromley
I can sense catastrophe
For us all soon
But Not in my room
Got lucky in y2k
Turned me on to the doomer way
This is no fad
(so) Bring your grab bag
When it all goes dark
Like the sun has lost its heart/spark
Time to go home…
chorus
To the basement
Never gonna face it
While (all) around us
Chaos, fury, murder and more
Forget the old world
We’re trying to erase it
To the basement
Someones got to remake the world
v2
Self sufficient independently
Gone off grid successfully
So if you like it…
Why don’t you try it?
So I counted 1,2,3
As the bombs fell down on me
I need to bring her
Nuclear Winter
And it falls like snow
But we’re safe and warm below
Time to come home
chorus
To the basement
Never gonna face it
While all around us
Chaos, fury, murder and more
Forget the old world
We’re trying to erase it
To the basement
Someone's got to remake the world
chorus
To the basement
Never gonna face it
While all around us
Chaos, fury, murder and more
Forget the old world
We’re trying to erase it
To the basement
Someone's got to remake the world
To the basement
Where we can escape it
All around us
Chaos, fury, murder and more
Bug out location
It’s our safe haven
To the basement
Someone's got to remake the world
Outro
Come to the basement
You're a replacement for my mum
(for my mum)
We can have children
Repopulate the world
My preparation against the contagion of the world
We can have children
Repopulate the world
@kvnwoodruff Feb 2022
Has such a fun vibe for being about prepping for the next Armageddon-like event. Damn that line “to the basement” is so hooky!
@max Feb 2022
Yes! .......... just Yes!
Makes me wonder how many preppers spent their time underground during the pandamic.
Living in a country mostly under sea level, the last place I want to be during an attack is in a basement. :-) So thank you, but no.
Great work as always!
@cblack Feb 2022
This was great! Loved the whole vibe, upbeat sound with negative lyrics... It just works. :)
Nice work!
@kajati Feb 2022
Man this is some awesome song writing, The vocal melodies just make the song man, well done !!
@karlsburg25 Feb 2022
Yeah i can't quite remember all the 80s threats but i was defo aware as i grew up. Really great topic to write a song about and that minor chord at the end of the chorus really brings it all together from the lovely melodic style of the verse. I love the harmonies and call and response in this as well. Brilliant.
@nadine Feb 2022
I'm too young to feel the 80s catastrophes but I feel exactly like this right now. Just turn off the TV and escape into my parallel universe.... in hope somebody hits the reboot switch for this universe.
I loved the instrumental and the hook is so catchy. This should be part of the collapse challenge. With a glimpse of hope.
@sync Feb 2022
Awesome poppy/grungy yumminess! Very well put together - must b nice doing fawm with a band. This sounds like it could be a piece of a larger story. But I'm a concept album guy. Thx for sharing!
@thedutchwidows Feb 2022
I absolutely love this - that chorus hook is just sublime. Not sure there's much I'd change in it, and to be honest, you shouldn't take advice from me anyway!
Do I take it that the narrator would have repopulated the world with his mum, had he (and I'm assuming it's a 'he') not found a replacement for her? That's a bit wrong. Not lyrically, just morally. Lyrically, it's absolutely fine!
@vomvorton Feb 2022
Loved a bit of apocalyptic pop! Great lyrics here, catchy melodies and I love the newscast section so much! Harmonies seem just right to me.