087 – Science Songs

Chemistry, biology, physics, climate change – the list of science topics are too numerous for me to mention them all here. And each subject has someone singing about it in some fashion. That’s right – the episode that a lot of you have been waiting for – the show on science songs. Marc West, from the Mr Science Show joins me as we discuss songs related to science, and the many suggestions provided by listeners. We talk about science topics and songs that relate to them – from maths to health, from astronomy to climate change – there’s even a song about hybrid cars!

The Quadrant hoax mentioned in the episode can be found here:
http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20090106-How-Quadrant-swallowed-a-giant-hoax-.html

The songs featured in this episode:

Ben lee – “I love pop music”

Barenaked Ladies – “The Big Bang”
David Bowie – “Life on mars”
David Bowie – “Starman”
Muse – “Supermassive black hole”
Liquido – “Mercury”
Shocking Blue – “Venus”
Jackson Mendoza – “Venus or Mars”
Duran Duran – “Planet Earth”
Liquido – “Way to Mars”
Thomas Dolby – “The Flat Earth”
The Beatles – “Across the Universe”
Kraftwerk – “Spacelab”

Tom Lehrer – “That’s Mathematics”
Smashing Pumpkins – “Zero”
Tom Lehrer – “New Math”
Johnny Cash – “One”

Peter Weatherall – “DNA Song”
Girls Aloud – “Biology”
Mental As Anything – “Brain Brain”
Bloodhound Gang – “The Bad Touch”
Weird Al Yankovic – “I think I’m a clone now”

Mondo Rock – “Chemistry”
Tom Lehrer – “The Elements”
Luke Koteras – “Glycerine”
Evanescance – “Lithium”
The Cat Empire – “Protons Neutrons Electrons”

The Futureheads – “Robot”
Kraftwerk – “Die Roboter”

Snow Patrol – “Warmer Climate”
Tom Lehrer – “Pollution”
The Socknockers – “Hybrid Car”
Crowded House – “Four Seasons in One Day”

Thompson Twins – “Doctor! Doctor!”
Ben Lee – “Cigarettes will kill you”
The Avalanches – “Frontier Psychiatry”
Madness – “Cardiac Arrest”
Ladyhawke – “My Delirium”

Orchestral Manoevres in the Dark – “Electricity”
Joy Division – “Transmission”
Neil Finn – “Faster than Light”
Cut Copy – “Time Stands Still”
Daniel Caine – “Quantum Leap Theme”
Rebecca’s Empire – “Atomic Electric”

Thomas Dolby – “She Blinded Me With Science”
Oingo Boingo – “Weird Science”
Aimee Mann – “The Scientist”
Counting Crows – “Einstein on the Beach”
Liquido – “Game Boy”
The Socknockers – “Five Minutes Into the Future”

Apoptygma Berzerk – “Apollo”

If you’re a big fan of science type songs, check out the kings in this area – the folks at Geek Pop

Download MP3 of Ep 87

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The following are the full list of songs that we came up with – including suggestions by listeners


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Category
Song
Artist Suggested By




Astronomy
Third Planet
Modest Mouse

Astronomy
A Spaceman Came Travelling
Chris de Burgh

Astronomy
Across the Universe
The Beatles

Astronomy
Astro
Neil Finn

Astronomy
Astronomy Domine
Pink Floyd

Astronomy
Aurora
Foo Fighters

Astronomy
Big Bang Theory
Barenaked Ladies

Astronomy
Black Hole Sun
Soundgarden
Anna
Astronomy
Blue Moon
Cowboy Junkies

Astronomy
Champagne Supernova
Oasis

Astronomy
Climbing to the moon
The Eels

Astronomy
Dark side of the moon
Ernesto v Bastian

Astronomy
Distant Sun
Crowded House

Astronomy
Distant Sun
Brooke Fraser

Astronomy
Distant Sun
Lacuna Coil

Astronomy
Eclipse
Apoptygma Berzerk

Astronomy
Eclipse
Pink Floyd

Astronomy
Galaxy
Pulsedriver

Astronomy
Galaxy Song
Monty Python
Alan
Astronomy
Gravity Rides Everything
Modest Mouse

Astronomy
I Feel the Earth Move
Carole King

Astronomy
Into the Galaxy
Midnight Juggernauts

Astronomy
Lonely Moon
The Cat Empire

Astronomy
Mercury
Liquido

Astronomy
Mercury
Ayria

Astronomy
Planet Earth
Duran Duran

Astronomy
Planet Song
Animaniacs
Lionel L
Astronomy
Private Universe
Crowded House

Astronomy
Rocket Boy
Liz Phair

Astronomy
Rocket Man
Elton John

Astronomy
Rocket Man
Kate Bush

Astronomy
Satellite
The Hooters

Astronomy
Satellite of Love
Lou Reed

Astronomy
Saturn 5
Kubik

Astronomy
Solar System
Beach Boys
Ken
Astronomy
Space Oddity
David Bowie
Roger
Astronomy
Spacelab
Kraftwerk

Astronomy
Spaceman
Babylon Zoo

Astronomy
Star Trekkin’
The Firm
Anna
Astronomy
Starman
David Bowie
Roger
Astronomy
Stars
The Cranberries

Astronomy
The Flat Earth
Thomas Dolby

Astronomy
The Sun
The Cat Empire

Astronomy
The sun is a mass of incandescent gas
TMBG
Alan
Astronomy
The Universe is Collapsing
The Socknockers

Astronomy
The Universe is You
Sophie Ellis-Bexter

Astronomy
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Nursery Rhyme
Roger
Astronomy
Under the Milky Way
The Church
Paisley
Astronomy
Under the Yellow Sun
Sara Noxx

Astronomy
Uranus
Scared Weird Little Guys
Ian N
Astronomy
Venus
Air

Astronomy
Venus
Bananarama

Astronomy
Venus
Shocking Blue

Astronomy
Venus or Mars
Jackson Mendoza

Astronomy
Way to Mars
Liquido

Biology
Biological
Air

Biology
Brain Brain
Mental As Anything

Biology
Brains Body Both
George Hrab
Derek Colanduno
Biology
Clones
Ash

Biology
Dr Worm
TMBG

Biology
Electrolite
REM

Biology
Evolution
Ayu Trance

Biology
Evolution
John Steele Singers
Christopher
Biology
Heartbeat
Africanism

Biology
I think I’m a clone now
Weird Al Yankovic

Biology
Mammal
TMBG
Alan
Biology
More Serotonin Please
Apoptygma Berzerk

Biology
Muscle Museum
Muse

Biology
The Bad Touch
Bloodhound Gang
Adam W
Chemistry
Atomised
The Hampdens

Chemistry
Chemical
New Order

Chemistry
Chemical Beats
Chemical Brothers

Chemistry
Chemical Calisthenics
Blackalicious
David Bernstein
Chemistry
Chemical Dreams
George

Chemistry
Chemical Smile
Everclear

Chemistry
Chemistry
Mondo Rock
Paisley
Chemistry
Glycerine
Bush

Chemistry
Glycerine
Luke Koteras

Chemistry
Helium
Bypass Unit

Chemistry
Lithium
Evanescence

Che
mistry
Lithium
Nirvana

Chemistry
Protons, Neutrons, Electrons
The Cat Empire

Chemistry
The elements
Tom Lehrer
Dave Sharpe, Alia801
Climate
Electrical Storm
U2

Climate
Four Seasons In One Day
Crowded House

Climate
Hybrid Car
The Socknockers

Climate
Pollution
Tom Lehrer

Climate
Warmer Climate
Snow Patrol

Health
Cardiac Arrest
Madness

Health
Cigarettes Will Kill You
Ben Lee

Health
Doctor Jeep
The Sisters of Mercy

Health
Doctor! Doctor!
The Thompson Twins

Health
Don’t Mess With Doctor Dream
The Thompson Twins

Health
Frontier Psychiatry
The Avalanches
Hunter, Anna
Health
Spontaneous Human Combustion
The Bobs
Ken
Maths
Arithmetic
Brooke Fraser

Maths
New Math
Tom Lehrer

Maths
One
U2

Maths
One
Johnny Cash

Maths
One is the Loneliest Number
Johnny Farnham

Maths
Pi R Squared
Clint Mansell
Fab
Maths
Schwatzield Radius

Spectrum
Maths
Secrets from the future (cryptography)
MC Frontalot
Karaksindru
Maths
That’s Mathematics
Tom Lehrer

Maths
Zero
Smashing Pumpkins

Physics
Atomic Electric
Rebecca’s Empire

Physics
Chain Reaction
Diana Ross

Physics
Dynamite
Jamiroquai

Physics
Electric
Lisa Scott Lee

Physics
Electricity
Apoptygma Berzerk

Physics
Electricity
OMD

Physics
Faster than Light
Neil Finn

Physics
First and Second Law
Flanders & Swann
Paisley
Physics
Gravity Rides
Modest Mouse

Physics
Here’s to the Atomic Bomb
Smashing Pumpkins

Physics
Hydoelectric
MDFMK

Physics
Ohm Sweet Ohm
Apoptygma Berzerk

Physics
Radio
The Corrs

Physics
Radiology
Lovedrug

Physics
Tesla Girls
OMD

Physics
The Speed of Sound
Coldplay

Physics
Time Stands Still
Cut/Copy

Physics
Transmission
Joy Division

Physics
UV Ray
Jesus & Mary Chain

Physics
What is the light?
The Flaming Lips

Robotics
Android
Icon of Coil

Robotics
Die Roboter
Kraftwerk

Robotics
My Bionic Eyes
Liz Phair

Robotics
Paranoid Android
Radiohead

Robotics
Robot
The Futureheads
Robotics
We Are The Robots
Kraftwerk

Robotics
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips

Other
Computer Games
Mi-Sex
Roger
Other
Einstein on the Beach
Counting Crows

Other
Electric Deams
Giorio Moroder / Phil Oakey
Roger
Other
Five Minutes Into the Future
The Socknockers

Other
Game Boy
Liquido

Other
I am a Scientist
Dandy Warhols
Hunter
Other
Laptop Jam
Spiderbait

Other
Lots of sciency songs
Roisin Murphy
Christopher
Other
March the Mad Scientist
Jethro Tull

Other
Pop Science
Devin Anderson

Other
Professor Frink’s Autobiographical Song
Professor Frink
Sophia
Other
Science Fiction
Divinyls
Ozzmosis
Other
Scince is Golden
The Grates
Ozzmosis, Hunter
Other
She Blinded Me With Science
Thomas Dolby
Ken
Other
Technology
The Whigs

Other
The Future’s So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades)
Timbuk 3
Ozzmosis
Other
The Science of the Two
Edan
Hunter
Other
The Scientist
Aimee Mann
Spectrum
Other
The Scientist
Coldplay
Ozzmosis
Other
Theorem
Kineto
Spectrum
Other
Weird Science
Oingo Boingo


13 Comments to “087 – Science Songs”

  1. SCIENCEPODCASTERS.ORG » Brains Matter Episode 87 - Science Songs Says:

    […] Listen in and hear the answers join in the fun. […]

  2. OrangeSam Says:

    Well, how about

    Math Math Sucks Jimmy Buffett
    Physics Gravity Mayer (a forceful choice)
    Chemistry Room for Squares CD John Mayer (Periodic table featured in cover design and also imprinted on CD itself)

    Note on Room for Squares CD: Yes, it does feature the periodic table, but falls for superstition with the number 13. The CD docs jump from track number 12 to 14. The actual thirteenth track on the CD is a a one second silent track.

  3. Dan Says:

    Hang on a second, im not sure a whole lot of these songs qualify as science songs, they just have a song title that suggests science but the song content has nothing science related at all. Dont want to be a killjoy here. I spend a lot of time properly tagging my itunes tracks to make cool subject related themes. I pay close attention that i dont just add songs for example about weather if the song is about a cloudy disposition.

    Just my two cents, perhaps a shorter version of just science songs would be interesting?

  4. OG Says:

    OrangeSam: Good ones

    Dan: Some are a bit like that, but are you sure you actually listened to the lyrics? There are definitely ones with science content on there (how could one not consider The Elements song to be “nothing science related” ?)

    OG

  5. Dan Says:

    Well i didnt say all of the songs. I was talking about the ones that are only science by name and not content (i said on facebook i felt a bit like scrooge) – Chain reaction, One, Paranoid Android (what IS that song about), Glycerine, chemistry etc

    I love She Blinded Me With Science the best i think. We need more genetics songs i reckon. I might write a song called ‘I feel like your allele’.

  6. OG Says:

    You should write a song! You might become famous! (Submit it to the guys at Geek Pop!)

    SBMWS is a classic science nerd song – as for science content, my favourites are the Tom Lehrer songs, and despite the fact that it’s a satire – even Weird Al! (-:

  7. Neuroscience 101 Says:

    Lithium is not about chemistry: It’s about pharmacology or psychiatry. (sorry, I had to mention this)

    Otherwise: great idea!

  8. OG Says:

    It’s actually a chemical element:

    http://www.atomseek.com/Chemistry/Elements/Lithium/Wikipedia:_Lithium_L95249/

    It’s the third element in the periodic table of elements, after Hydrogen and Helium.

    Have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium for lots more info (-:

  9. j Says:

    “Carl Sagan” by: Loch Lommond

  10. Shawno Says:

    Fun show. When I first saw your post about this on Facebook, I thought you were specifically looking for podsafe songs. And I couldn’t really think of any. Had I know it was ALL songs, then I would’ve contributed.

    And that song you played by Evanescence is not a cover of the Nirvana song “Lithium.”

  11. OG Says:

    Shawno,

    We stand corrected – you’re right, Lithium by Evanescance is a totally different song!

    OG

  12. daynoir Says:

    how about Jonathan Coulton?
    he’s lots of fun and i fell in love with Skullcrusher Mountain when i heard it live:
    http://www.jonathancoulton.com/songdetails/Skullcrusher%20Mountain
    (okay, maybe not the most positive of science songs – unless we’re all evil scientists like everyone thinks)

  13. Pseudonym Says:

    I just got around to this podcast.

    One glaring omission is ’39 by Queen. Unlike most of the rest on this list, it really is a science song.

    Brian May (now Professor Brian May), as you may recall, completed his PhD in astrophysics a few years ago after taking a many-year hiatus to be a rock star. ’39 is a folk-style song about a group of travellers who leave Earth to colonise another planet. Apparently they travel at relativistic speeds, because when they return, everyone they knew has died of old age.

    One more thing. “Why Does The Sun Shine?” by They Might Be Giants is actually a cover. It was originally on an obscure album of called “Singing Science”. Details here: http://acme.com/jef/singing_science/

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