Martin Tower implosion soundtrack: A playlist for Sunday’s destruction of an iconic building

Every big occasion needs a soundtrack.And since Sunday’s implosion of Bethlehem Steel’s former Martin Tower is shaping up to be one of the biggest media events in the Lehigh Valley in a long time, it certainly deserves its own playlist.So we came up with one.The guide here was that the songs should have some reference to destruction, but also must be relevant. Sure, you could make a case for including Savage Garden’s “Crash and Burn,” but it would be weak. The implosion isn’t going to be incendiary, and even as a metaphor, the message is a stretch.Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” comes closer – it captures the whole release nature of the event, but there’s still a disconnect in what’s actually going to happen. Petty’s “You Wreck Me” just missed the list, with its lyrics “Should I go down/If I stay too long in trouble town/Oh, yeah, you wreck me, baby.”But we found 10 songs that we think work. Let us know what you think – and which songs we missed.Toad the Wet Sprocket (Handout/)10. “Fall Down,” Toad the Wet SprocketOK, Toad the Wet Sprocket’s 1994 No. 1 Modern Rock chart hit might be a bit of a lyrical stretch. But it’s definitely about a collapse (more likely a relationship). And with its ominous melody line and desperate singing with lines such as “Jump back/gotta get out of here … When will we fall down?” it’s worthy of this list.9. “Eve of Destruction,” Barry McGuireFor all you youngsters, this song in 1965 became the fastest-selling single of all time – in an era when you had to hear new music on vinyl, it vaulted to No. 1 after it got leaked to radio. Yes, the destruction it speaks about is the end of the world, but it can fit a smaller cataclysm, for sure. It’s big, chanty chorus “I can’t believe/we’re on the eve of destruction” is perfect for waiting for a building to crumble.R.E.M.8. “Fall on Me,” R.E.M.R.E.M. is well known for its cryptic lyrics, but there are enough indicators in this song to suggest it has something to do with the collapse of the high and mighty. And there are lines directly applicable to the destruction of a building: “There’s a problem/feathers, iron/Bargain buildings … There’s the progress we have found/A way to talk around the problem/Building towered foresight/Isn’t anything at all (melt the statues in the park).” Plus, R.E.M. is simply a great band.7. “Implode,” SlayerWe chose this song because of its title. (How many songs are out there with the word “implode” actually in the title?) But it may be one of the better-fitting songs on the list. Its lyrics are spot on – “Humanity’s decline, dismantled over time … Deception and the greed that germinates the seeds/Of dissent growing all around … I can’t wait to see it all go down/Standing room only all the world will attend/Front row center to the ultimate end.” And its loud, aggressive music fits perfectly.6. “Crumbling Down,” John MellencampThe connection here is entirely metaphorical. Mellencamp’s song is talking about a person’s crash in his life, or career, or whatever. But a literal reading of its words fits Martin Tower’s demise: “Time respects no person — what you lift up must fall … When the walls come tumblin’ down/When the walls come crumblin’ crumblin’/When the walls come tumblin’ tumblin’ down.” Plus, it’s a rocker – perfect for a big implosion.Miley Cyrus – “Wrecking Ball” (Fair Use/)5. “Wrecking Ball,” Miley CyrusMiley Cyrus’ only No. 1 hit is another bit of a stretch. You have anthropomorphize its lyrics to make it really work. But hey, “I came in like a wrecking ball/I never hit so hard in love/All I wanted was to break your walls/All you ever did was break me/Yeah, you wreck me” kinda works, doesn’t it? At least enough to include a five-times-platinum hit on the list.4. “TNT,” AC/DCAgain, the lyrics don’t fit perfectly. But imagine Martin Tower as a person, and it gets you a lot closer. “See me ride out of the sunset/On your color TV screen … I’m T.N.T. I’m dynamite/T.N.T. I’m a power load/T.N.T. watch me explode.” Plus, it’s all about explosive force. Oi! Oi!3. “The Walls Came Down,” The CallThis song came out in 1983, amid all the fear about Reaganomics and corporate greed, and uses the biblical Battle of Jericho as a metaphor of how corporate greed would collapse. But darned if it wasn’t a prescient tale of what would happen to Bethlehem Steel. With the song’s lyrics about “corporate criminals,” it said, “They’d all been warned/And the walls came down/They stood there laughing/They’re not laughing anymore/The walls came down.” Plus, The Call was truly one of the under-appreciated bands ever – every bit as good as U2.Bruce Springsteen (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times/)2. “Wrecking Ball,” Bruce SpringsteenA far, far better fit than Miley Cyrus’ song of the same name (see No. 5), this 2012 song actually was written to commemorate the destruction of a structure: Giants Stadium. (Springsteen also sang it at the Philadelphia Spectrum before it was demolished in 2009). It’s a much more positive take on such demolitions, preferring to focus on the enduring spirit that inhabited the structure: “Because tonight all the dead are here, so bring on your wrecking ball … Come on and take your best shot, let me see what you’ve got/Bring on your wrecking ball.” And its big, bold presentation is perfect.The cover of Billy Joel’s single “Allentown.”
(Contributed photo / TMC/)1. “Allentown,” Billy JoelHow could this song not be No. 1? It literally is about the decline of Bethlehem Steel, with its lyrics of “They’re closing all the factories down/Out in Bethlehem they’re killing time/Filling out forms/Standing in line … they’ve taken all the coal from the ground/And the union people crawled away.” This song should be blaring as Martin Tower crumbles away on Sunday.Music critic and entertainment writer John J. Moser can be reached at jmoser@mcall.com or 610-820-6722.
Source: Morningcall