List of songs about the September 11 attacks

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This is a dynamic list of songs and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

This list contains songs which were inspired by or contain lyrics referring to the September 11 attacks.

Artist/composer Title Album Year Description
50 Cent "Patiently Waiting" Get Rich or Die Tryin' 2003 Lyrics include: "Sit and politic with passengers from 9/11." and "Shady Records was eighty seconds away from the towers."[1]
Ryan Adams "My Blue Manhattan" Love Is Hell 2004 [2]
Lily Allen "Him" It's Not Me, It's You 2009 Lyrics include "Ever since we can remember, people have died in his good name, long before that September, long before hijacking planes." The lyrics acknowledge the deaths of many in the name of god during 9/11 due to the terrorist attacks by religious extremists.
Tori Amos "I Can't See New York" Scarlet's Walk 2002 The song describes the experience of an airplane passenger on September 11, 2001, circling over New York City and unable to see the World Trade Center.[3]
Amps for Christ "AFC Tower Song"
And One "Seven" Tanzomat 2011 Lyrics include: "Grey smoke hit the ground; Seven came down without a sound; Rich man company; WTC mystery" (a reference to the September 11 attacks and the mystery third white plane which has caused some speculation)
Automatic Loveletter "Dream With Me"
Autopilot Off "The 12th Day" Make a Sound
Emilie Autumn "By The Sword" n/a (single) 2001 Released as a charity single.[4][5]
Rekha Bhardwaj "Ranaji" Gulaal (movie) 2009 Gulaal Soundtrack album by Piyush Mishra
Beastie Boys "An Open Letter to NYC" To the 5 Boroughs [2]
Beyoncé "I Was Here" 4 2011 [6]
TheBibleCodeSundays "The Boys of Queens" Song about a soldier who is a member of an Irish family from Queens. His family has a long firefighter tradition and lost most of its male members to 9/11. Furthermore, it deals with him suffering from the events and the aftermath and his own death in the Middle East.
Black 47 "Mychal"
Bloc Party "Hunting for Witches" A Weekend in the City [7]
Blue Man Group "Exhibit 13" The Complex 2003
Bon Jovi "Undivided" Bounce
Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora "America The Beautiful"
Box Car Racer "Elevator" Box Car Racer
Box Car Racer "Watch The World" Box Car Racer
Nell Bryden "Sirens" Shake The Tree (album) 2012 This song was written by New York singer Nell Bryden and Patrick Mascall and was later covered by Cher on her Closer to the Truth album
Camel "For Today" A Nod and a Wink 2002
Mary Chapin Carpenter "Grand Central Station" Between Here and Gone 2003
The Charlie Daniels Band "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag" Live! (bonus track) 2001
The Charlie Daniels Band "The Last Fallen Hero" Redneck Fiddlin' Man 2002
Kristin Chenoweth Borrowed Angels As I Am 2005
Cher "Song for the Lonely" Living Proof 2001
The Clarks "Hey You" "Another Happy Ending" 2002
Leonard Cohen "On That Day" Dear Heather 2004 [8]
Coldplay "Politik" A Rush of Blood to the Head 2002 Written the day of the attacks. Chris Martin told NME that it reflects his realization of mortality after 9/11.[9]
CranberriesThe Cranberries "New New York" Stars: The Best of 1992–2002 2002 [10]
Sheryl Crow "God Bless this Mess" Detours 2008 Linked 9-11 with the Gulf War.[8]
Sheryl Crow "Out of Our Heads" Detours 2008 About the courage shown on 9-11; also criticizes Bush as giving a manipulative television address on that day.[11]
Sheryl Crow "Safe and Sound" C'mon, C'mon 2001
CunninLynguists "Appreciation" SouthernUnderground 2003
Curse "Nichts Wird Mehr So Sein Wie Es War" n/a, released as a free download 2001
Dawnstar "Don't Die A Martyr For Me" 2007 Lyrics include: "I wanted to be a suicide bomber but she changed my life, I fell in love with her"[12]
dc Talk "Let's Roll"
Bo Diddley "We Ain't Scared of You" (a.k.a. "My Eagle Is Pissed")
Ani DiFranco "Self Evident"
Disturbed "Prayer" Believe 2002 [13]
DJ Sammy "Heaven" (9/11 Remix)
Dream Theater "Sacrificed Sons" Octavarium 2005 Starts with a Sample from 9/11 (Radio & Television)
The Dresden Dolls "Truce" The Dresden Dolls 2003
Eagles "Hole in the World" The Very Best Of 2003
Linda Eder "If I Had My Way" & "If I Should Loose My Way"
Eminem "My Dad's Gone Crazy" The Eminem Show 2002 Lyrics include: "Inside of a plane, aimed at the World Trade."[14]
The Empire Shall Fall "Choir of Angels" Awaken

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Epica "Façade of Reality" The Phantom Agony
Melissa Etheridge "Tuesday Morning" Lucky
Evanescence "My Last Breath" Fallen
Everclear "The New York Times" Slow Motion Daydream
Lupe Fiasco "Words I Never Said" Lasers 2011
Five for Fighting "Tuesday" 2009 Five for Fighting's "Superman," released in late 2000, also became an unofficial anthem for the first responders in the days following the attacks[15]
Fleetwood Mac "Illume (9-11)" Say You Will 2003
David Francey "Grim Cathedral" Skating Rink 2003 "Grim Cathedral" reflects the jingoism and Nationalism that arose following 9/11.
Sage Francis "Makeshift Patriot" n/a (single) 2001 Lyrics include "Don't waive your rights with your flags"
Goldfinger feat. Mest & Good Charlotte "The Innocent" The Best of Goldfinger 2005
Gorillaz feat. D12 & Terry Hall "911" Bad Company (soundtrack) [2]
Amy Grant "I Don't Know Why" Simple Things
Peter Hammill "Ghosts of planes" Thin Air
Jack Hardy "Ground Zero" Vigil 2002 Released on a benefit album organized by Suzanne Vega, entirely of original songs about 9/11.[16]
Juliana Hatfield "Hole in the Sky" About the gap in the Manhattan skyline left by the destruction of the Twin Towers.[10]
Heems "Flag Shopping" Eat Pray Thug 2015 About backlash racism in the wake of 9/11[17]
John Hiatt "When New York Had Her Heart Broke" Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns
Iced Earth "When the Eagle Cries" The Glorious Burden 2004
Imagine Dragons "America" Night Visions 2011 Lyrics include "From farmers in the fields, to the tallest of the towers that fall and rise, 1-7-7-6, the names upon the list, for all the ones that gave until they died."[18]
Immortal Technique "Bin Laden" n/a (single) 2005 Attributes much of the blame for 9/11 to U.S. foreign policy.[8]
Immortal Technique "The Cause of Death" Revolutionary Vol. 2 2009
Alan Jackson "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" Drive 2002 [19]
Kristy Jackson "Little Did She Know (She'd Kissed a Hero)" n/a Single 2001 Written in response to the 9/11 Tragedy. The song makes reference to a passenger on Flight 93.[20] Responses to the song were later turned into a book.[21]
Michael Jackson "What More Can I Give" n/a (never released) 2001 Performed at an October 2001 benefit concert. Originally intended as a benefit single, but it was never released commercially.[16]
Jackyl "Open Invitation (I Hate You Bin Laden)" [22]
Jadakiss "Why" Kiss of Death 2004 Lyrics include "Why did Bush knock down the Towers?"
James "Hey Ma" Hey Ma 2008 Addresses the price paid for revenge[10]
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind" The Blueprint 3 2009 The song is largely about New York City in general, but includes the line "Long live the World Trade."
Lucy Kaplansky "Land of the Living" The Red Thread 2004
Toby Keith "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" Unleashed 2001 Toby Keith wrote this song in response to his father's death and the 9/11 attacks in 2001. At first, he was reluctant to record the song and decided to only play it live for military personnel. Later however, Corps James L. Jones convinced him to record it saying that it was his, "duty as an American citizen to record the song."[23]
Toby Keith "My list" Pull My Chain 2002 Tells about a firefighter who decides to spend more time with his family after witnessing the 9/11 attacks on TV.
The Oak Ridge Boys "Sacrifice...For Me" It's Only Natural
Killswitch Engage "Life to Lifeless" Alive or Just Breathing
Living Colour "Flying" Collideøscope 2003 From the perspective of a man who gets the nerve to ask out a woman in the World Trade Center moments before the first plane hits, and the couple then jump from the burning building to their deaths.[24]
Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris "If This Is Goodbye" All the Roadrunning 2006 Inspired by Ian McEwan's piece in The Guardian.[25]
Talib Kweli "The Proud" Quality 2002 A 9-11-oriented tribute.[11]
James LaBrie "Smashed" Elements of Persuasion 2005
Christine Lavin "Firehouse" Vigil 2002 Released on a benefit album organized by Suzanne Vega, entirely of original songs about 9/11.[16]
Lonestar "I'm Already There" I'm Already There 2001
The Low Anthem "Boeing 737" Smart Flesh 2011
Rod MacDonald "My Neighbors In Delray" Recognition 2003 A portrait of the hijackers, 13 of whom lived in Delray Beach, FL just prior to September 11, 2001.
John Mayer "Covered in Rain" As/Is 2003
Paul McCartney "Freedom" Driving Rain 2001 [26]
Audra McDonald "I'll Be Here" Go Back Home (album) 2003 From the musical "Ordinary Days"[27]
Sarah McLachlan "World on Fire" Afterglow 2003 [28]
Megaherz "Glas Und Tränen" Herzwerk II 2002 Literally "Glass And Tears" (and originally titled "Blut Und Tränen", "Blood And Tears"), contains an account of the violent atmosphere during and ideologies behind the attacks.[29]
Megaherz "I.M. Rumpelstilzchen" Herzwerk II 2002 From the point of view of a double agent employed by a tyrannical government; about the paranoid global political climate after the attacks.[30]
MellowHype "Decoy" Mellowhypeweek 2013
Misia feat. Erykah Badu "Akai Inochi" (Red Destiny) Mars & Roses 2004 An anti-war song which speaks about how the events of 9/11 turned the "seemingly distant existence of war into the reality of now".[31]
Ministry "Lieslieslies" Rio Grande Blood 2006 [10]
Moby "Harbour" 18 2002 [2]
My Chemical Romance "Skylines and Turnstiles" I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love 2002 Gerard Way wrote this song after witnessing the 9/11 attacks while on his way going to work. He formed the band, My Chemical Romance after witnessing the Twin Towers' fall and this marks as the first ever song written by the band.
Carrie Newcomer "I Heard an Owl" The Gathering of Spirits 2002 Written in response to the 9/11 attacks. Chorus starts "so don't tell me hate is ever right or god's will"
No Use for a Name "Insecurity Alert"
Petey Pablo "Raise Up (USA Flag Remix)"
Paris "What Would You Do?" Sonic Jihad 2003 About 9-11 conspiracy theories.[8]
Tom Paxton "The Bravest" Looking for the Moon
Porcupine Tree "Collapse the Light Into Earth" In Absentia 2002
Jeff Powers "Tall Buildings (9/11)" "JeffPowers"
Renaud and Axelle Red "Manhattan-Kaboul" Boucan d'enfer (Renauld) 2002 "Deals with the 11 September 2001 attacks in New York"[32]
Steve Reich "WTC 9/11" WTC 9/11 2009-2010
Rush "Peaceable Kingdom" Vapor Trails 2002
Scarling. "Alexander The Burn Victim" Sweet Heart Dealer 2004
Slayer "Jihad" Christ Illusion 2006 [11]
Sleater-Kinney "Far Away" One Beat 2002 The song contrast's President George W. Bush's actions on September 11, when he was flown away to a secure location, with those of the emergency responders at the World Trade Center.[3]
Michael W. Smith "There She Stands" Worship Again 2002 [33]
Will Smith feat. Mary J. Blige "Tell Me Why" 2005 [11]
Bruce Springsteen "Countin' on a Miracle" The Rising 2002
Bruce Springsteen "Empty Sky" The Rising 2002 Told from the point of view of a person longing for one last moment with their spouse who was killed in the attacks.
Bruce Springsteen "Into the Fire" The Rising 2002 Told from the point of view of a spouse of a firefighter.
Bruce Springsteen "Lonesome Day" The Rising 2002
Bruce Springsteen "Mary's Place" The Rising 2002 Told from the point of view of a widow who lost their spouse in the attacks. A friend has invited this person to a party at "Mary's Place" to help with moving on.
Bruce Springsteen "Paradise" The Rising 2002
Bruce Springsteen "The Fuse" The Rising 2002 A smoldering blend of lust and loss, having sex as a means to feel anything after tragedy.
Bruce Springsteen "The Rising" The Rising 2002 "A religious-tinged reflection on the events of the day that focuses on a firefighter at Ground Zero."[2][34]
Bruce Springsteen "You're Missing" The Rising About how a family must continue to function after the Father is killed in the attacks.
SR-71 "Truth" Tomorrow 2002
Star Fucking Hipsters "9/11 Was (An Inside Joke)" Until We're Dead 2008
The Stills "Let's Roll" Logic Will Break Your Heart 2003
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros "Ramshackle Day Parade" Streetcore 2003
Taylor Swift "Didn't They?"
Sworn Enemy "Sworn Enemy"
Tactical Sekt "American Me" Syncope 2006
Tesla "Heaven Nine Eleven" Into the Now
Testament "The Evil Has Landed" The Formation of Damnation 2008
Thrice "Broken Lungs" The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV 2008
Thriving Ivory "Angels on the Moon" Thriving Ivory
Twista feat. Faith Evans "Hope" Kamikaze 2004 "Wish God never gave the men power/

To be able to hurt the people inside the Twin Towers"[35]

John Vanderslice "Exodus Damage" Pixel Revolt 2005 The second verse describes the narrator watching the second plane hitting the World Trade Center on television, as well as the lack of immediate military response to the attacks.[10]
Suzanne Vega "Anniversary" 2007
Velvet Revolver "Messages" Libertad (iTunes release) 2007
Scott Walker "Jesse" The Drift 2006 Presents the attack on the Twin Towers as a nightmare had by Elvis Presley and described to his own stillborn twin, Jesse Garon Presley.[36]
Jack Warshaw "United 93" Good Road 2011 Lyrics include "United 93, remember their names

Come tell of the time on that great silver plane The bravest band of travellers that ever flew the sky Said "We’re bound to fight ‘cause we know we’re bound to die." [37]

The Weepies "Safe as Houses"
Wheatus "Hometown" TooSoonMonsoon 2005
Within Temptation "Stand My Ground" The Silent Force and also as additional tracks on some releases of The Heart of Everything 2004
Darryl Worley "Have You Forgotten?" Have You Forgotten? 2003 The song is about the horror of the attacks, with lyrics including "Have you forgotten when those towers fell? / We had neighbors still inside going through a living hell."[3]
Wu-Tang Clan "Rules" Iron Flag 2001 [10]
Yellowcard "Believe" Ocean Avenue 2003 The song is about rescue workers, and integrates news reports.[11]
Neil Young "Let's Roll" Are You Passionate? 2001/2002
Cary Pierce of Jackopierce "I Believe in America" 2001 Released 30 October 2001

See also

References

  1. ^ "50 Cent - Patiently Waiting". RapGenius.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Songs Inspired by 9/11". Spinner. AOL. 9 September 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  3. ^ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Emilie Autumn". Allmusic. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  4. ^ Elliot, Russell W. (October 15, 2003). "Emilie Autumn at Musical Discoveries". Musical Discoveries. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  5. ^ "Beyoncé Talks 'A Star Is Born' And 'I Was Here' With Reuters | The Official Beyoncé Site". Beyoncé Knowles' Official Website. July 22, 2011. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "Bloc Party Grows Up On Sophomore Album". Billboard. 5 May 2007. Archived from the original on February 5, 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2009. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ http://www.thefader.com/2002/05/27/coldplays-9-11-feelings-surface-on-i-a-rush-of-blood-to-the-head-i
  8. ^ a b c d e f Rendon, Alex (11 September 2011). "Ten Best September 11 Songs by Artists You Actually Like". Country Grind. Broward-Palm Beach New Times. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  9. ^ "Don't Die A Martyr For Me - Dawnstar". Antiwarsongs.com. 22 January 2017.
  10. ^ Wiederhorn, Jon (June 13, 2002). "Disturbed conjure fire, earthquakes for "Prayer" video". MTV. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  11. ^ "Eminem - My Dad's Gone Crazy". RapGenius.
  12. ^ The Early Show, 9/10/11
  13. ^ "Review: Heems, 'Eat Pray Thug'". Spin. 2015-03-11. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  14. ^ ""America" by Imagine Dragons".
  15. ^ Mansfield, Brian (November 21, 2001). "Inspiration awakens Jackson to country hit". USA Today. Retrieved June 2, 2007. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ Jackson, Kristy. "Little Did She Know...Song". Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  17. ^ Jackson, Kristy. "Little Did She Know... Book". Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  18. ^ "Jackyl News - Yahoo! Music". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  19. ^ Mansfield, Brian (June 13, 2002). "Singer Toby Keith speaks out on ABC censorship". USA Today. Retrieved February 5, 2011. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ Deeds, Michael (Oct 26, 2003), A Shade Bolder, Living Colour is Back (Final ed.), The Washington Post, p. N.02, retrieved December 2, 2011 {{citation}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help).
  21. ^ Ian McEwan (November 20, 2001). "Only love and then oblivion. Love was all they had to set against their murderers". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  22. ^ "Second McCartney song for New York". BBC News Online. November 5, 2001. Retrieved February 10, 2008.
  23. ^ http://audramcdonald.net/recording/go-back-home/
  24. ^ "Sarah McLachlan, Demystifying Her Muse", NPR.org
  25. ^ Angerer, S. "Megaherz am Scheideweg", EMP3 (article in German)
  26. ^ "Herzwerk II", GermanRock.de (article in German)
  27. ^ "Excite エキサイト : ミュージック (音楽)特集・MISIA" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2012-01-27.
  28. ^ Guillot, Claire (26 May 2005). "Manhattan-Kaboul". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  29. ^ "Michael W. Smith :: News". Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  30. ^ Symynkywicz, Jeffery B. (2008). The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen: Rock and Redemption, from Asbury Park to Magic. Westminster John Knox Press. pp. 150–151. ISBN 0-664-23169-1.
  31. ^ "Rapgenius". Genius Media Group Inc.
  32. ^ Williams, Ben (8 May 2006). "Elvis Dreams of 9/11". New York Magazine. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  33. ^ "Good Road - United 93".
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