MUSIC
9/11 anniversary: 10 songs inspired by the attacks on the Twin Towers
Twenty-three years on from the September 11 terrorist attacks, we reflect on the songs it influenced. Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay...
Today, we commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks. On this day in 2001, the history of the United States, and the world, changed forever. Four flights were hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists. Two of them crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York; the third struck the Pentagon near Washington D.C.; and the last one ended up in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The event claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people and left over 6,000 injured. In the realm of music, these attacks served as inspiration for the creation of various songs by globally renowned artists that have addressed the tragedy from different perspectives.
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9/11 anniversary: 10 songs inspired by the Twin Towers attacks
Michael Jackson - “What More Can I Give”
The song condemns the September 11th attacks as well as the 1992 Los Angeles riots. The main message is to support the world in difficult times.
Although Michael Jackson is the featured artist, the song includes the participation of other prominent musicians such as Beyoncé, Celine Dion, Ricky Martin, Usher, Nick Carter, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, and even Shakira, to name just a few.
It is worth mentioning that this song was never released as part of Jackson’s repertoire due to conflicts between him and Tommy Mottola, who was the director of Sony Music at the time.
Coldplay - “Politik”
Written by Chris Martin on the day of the attacks, the song primarily addresses sincerity. Furthermore, it provides listeners with a contemplation on mortality.
Bruce Springsteen - “The Rising”
Springsteen wrote the song in response to the attacks. Through it, the singer narrates the story of a New York firefighter who is climbing one of the Towers after the plane impacts.
The lyrics offer a surreal and desperate tone, as well as a reflection with religious undertones on the events of that tragic day.
Paul McCartney - “Freedom”
Sir Paul McCartney was at John F. Kennedy International Airport on the day of the attacks. The Beatles legend’s flight was about to take off when the sky filled with black smoke.
His immediate response was to donate the proceeds from his single “From a Lover to a Friend” to aid the families of the victims. Later on, McCartney decided to pay tribute to those who lost their lives through his art, releasing “Freedom,” a song that speaks to the idea of living in freedom.
My Chemical Romance - “Skylines and Turnstiles”
Gerard Way wrote the song and formed My Chemical Romance after witnessing the September 11 attacks.
The lyrics detail the mundane lives of New Yorkers on their way to work and the immediate change they faced after the attacks. This is the first song in the history of the New Jersey band and is responsible for its creation.
Yellowcard - “Believe”
The Florida band wrote this song as a tribute to all the first responders during the September 11 terrorist attacks. Much of the song is written from the perspective of survivors who were trapped in the building and had to be rescued by firefighters and police.
“I wrote a letter, basically an open letter, to all the first responders. We found the addresses of all the police and fire departments in the tri-state area and sent them a copy of the single,” revealed vocalist Ryan Key in an interview.
Toby Keith - “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”
Keith wrote this song in response to the death of his father on 9/11.
Initially, the artist refused to record and release the song, but after performing it live for military personnel, former National Security Advisor James L. Jones convinced him to do so, stating that it was his “duty as an American citizen.”
Taylor Swift - “Didn’t They?”
Taylor Swift wrote this song before securing her first record deal, so it is not part of any of her studio albums and is not commercially known.
With lines like “Where were you?” and “Didn’t they need you enough?” the lyrics are said to reveal the artist’s struggle to believe in God after 9/11.
Gorillaz ft. D12 & Terry Hall - “911″
After the attacks, the band Gorillaz found themselves stranded at a London airport along with D12 and Terry Hall, so Damon Albarn invited them to collaborate. Throughout the song, Middle Eastern sounds are experimented with, while raw rhymes about the events of that day are delivered from the perspective of the victims and their families.
It’s worth noting that the song served as a promotion for a full album featuring Gorillaz and D12; however, the album was ultimately canceled due to D12′s busy schedule.
Lily Allen - “Him”
Similar to what happened with Taylor Swift, through “Him,” Lily Allen questions the existence of a supreme being and whether such a being would approve of the actions of those who claim to act in their name. The chorus repeats the point:
Ever since he can remember, people have died in his good name / Long before that September, long before hijacking planes / He’s lost the will, he can’t decide, He doesn’t know who’s right or wrong / But there’s one thing that he’s sure of, This has been going on too long.