A playlist from the dead for the living

Bono has famously said, “My heroes are all alive. I have never worshiped at that altar of burnt-out youth.” And despite my love for many of the artists on this playlist (most notably, the inimitable Jeff Buckley), I wholeheartedly agree with him. This is not a playlist dedicated to the burnt-out youth.

I can hear the hedonists now, crying, “But it’s better to burn out than fade away!” Actually, it’s not. I mean, there have to be more options than burning out or fading away, right?

How about enduring?

What I’m trying to say is that this playlist isn’t about worshiping great artists that we lost too soon, but a simple recognition of their enduring contributions to today’s music, and a memento mori that we’re all going to die, so in the meantime we should take care of ourselves (yoga, anyone?) and we should take care of each other. Because still, even after all these years, I can’t hear a Nirvana song, a Jeff Buckley song or a John Lennon song without wondering what kind of impact these extraordinarily talented men would be having on the world today if they were still here in body as much as they are here in spirit.

I can’t help but wish someone would have taken better care of them, or that they would’ve taken better care of themselves.

Let’s hold plank for two minutes straight in their honor today.

Go!

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Follow Bright Antenna Records on Facebook and Twitter to receive a heads up when each week’s playlist hits elephant journal. For our pre-elephant journal yoga playlists, including Bowie Yoga, Grunge Yoga and Disco Yoga, visit Bright Antenna’s Spotify page.

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Editor: Kate Bartolotta

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