Holocaust Tunes By Sarah Johnson

Content 1. Holland, 1945 by Neutral Milk Hotel 2. Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day 3. Big Bad World by Plain White T’s 4. Poprocks & Coke by Green Day 5. Full Moon by The Black Ghosts 6. We Are Nowhere, And It’s Now by Bright Eyes & Emmylou Harris 7. The Pretender by the Foo Fighters 8. For Reasons Unknown by The Killers 9. Wonderwall by Oasis 10. Parachutes by Pearl Jam 11. Believe by Yellowcard

This song was written specifically about Anne Frank, and her experiences during the Holocaust. The lyrics: “But now we must pack up every piece of the life we used to love… Just to keep ourselves at least enough to carry on” talks about the lives of Holocaust victims after the war is over, and how even though they had nothing left, they had to carry on. Holland, 1945 by Neutral Milk Hotel “The only girl I've ever loved Was born with roses in her eyes But then they buried her alive One evening 1945”

Big Bad World by Plain White T’s The lyrics inspire you to keep going even when it gets tough. Sometimes fighting for what is right is all that you can do, and sometimes you can change the future for the better. This song also talks about how life is never fair, and can sometimes be a nightmare, but hopefully it’ll work out in the end. “It's a big bad life All that we can do is try to make it right Tomorrow’s something new So if a big rain cloud follows you around Don’t let it get you down”

“If you should fall You know I’ll be there To catch the call You know I’ll be there I’ll go anywhere So I’ll see you there”

Full Moon by The Black Ghosts “And I don't know where I'll go And I don't know what I'll see But I'll try not to bring it back home with me”

This song is about how life can be strange, and unfair, and difficult. It tells you that you should always keep faith in yourself despite the odds, and that life will keep on going. The lyrics “You see stars that clear that have been dead for years, but the idea just lives on...” tells you that even when you’re gone, things will move on. Having these values during the Holocaust would make it easier to focus on just surviving. “And if you swear that there's no truth and who cares How come you say it like you're right? Why are you scared to dream of God When it's salvation that you want? And like a ten minute dream in the passenger's seat While the world was flying by I haven't been gone very long But it feels like a lifetime”

The Pretender by the Foo Fighters The lyrics like “What if I say I’m not like the others, what if I say I’m not just another one” is all about not conforming to the vast majority. It makes me think of people in the Holocaust, like Dr. Korzack, who helped hundreds of orphans survive.. He was a positive figure that gave hope to many children during the war. “I'm finished making sense Done pleading ignorance That whole defense Spinning infinity, but The wheel is spinning me It's never ending, never ending Same old story”

For Reasons Unknown by The Killers In this song, it’s about not comprehending the actions of others, and how life can be so unpredictable. For some people, it is still hard to believe that that many innocent people were killed during the Holocaust. This song shows that sometimes we will never know exactly why something happened, because sometimes there really is no explanation. “I know if destiny’s kind, I’ve got the rest of my mind. But my heart, it don’t beat, it don’t beat the way it used to. And my eyes, they don’t see you no more.”

This song is about your life’s journey, and how even though you may believe you know your path in life, there will always be obstacles. The lyrics: “And all the roads we have to walk are winding, and all the lights that lead us there are blinding” tell how life can be challenging, but having a positive outlook can change your perspective dramatically. I think that being optimistic during the Holocaust saved lives, and that staying strong was essential to surviving. “Today is gonna be the day That they're gonna throw it back to you By now you should've somehow Realized what you gotta do I don't believe that anybody Feels the way I do about you now”

Parachutes by Pearl Jam Lyrics such as “One can't seem to have enough, and war--break the sky and tell me what it's for” tells how war can break people, and dreams, and lives. It talks about how greed can change the course of history forever. “And love Wish the world could glow again with love One can't seem to have enough And war Break the sky and tell me what it's for I'll travel there on my own”

Believe by Yellowcard This song was originally written about 9/11, but I think that it can also apply to the Holocaust. The main lyrics, “Everything is gonna be alright. Be strong, believe” inspire courage, hope, and strength in a time of devastation. During the Holocaust, the reality was sometimes hard to face, and looking towards the future with strength and courage could save you. “Think about the love inside the strength of heart Think about the heroes saving life in the dark Climbing higher through the fire, time was running out Never knowing you weren't going to be coming down alive But you still came back for me You were strong and you believed”