Remember, Remember The Fifth Of November: Guy Fawkes Night Playlist

Over Halloween, we were inundated with seasonal playlists and spooky musical inspiration but let’s not overlook Guy Fawkes Night. There are already predictions for bad weather across most of the UK so whilst some fireworks may be a wash-out, you can pretend you’re enjoying a catherine wheel and a bonfire by sitting back in the warm indoors listening to these tunes. Alternatively if you don’t celebrate the day or there’s no good displays in your area, you can get a little slice of 1605-tradition anyway – in a modern, online and alternative way. So anyway, check out of these songs now – that is if you can hear them still with all the bangs and booms outside your window.

Kanye West – All Of The Lights

(N.B As I’m sure you know by know “This video has been identified by Epilepsy Action to potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy.”)

So if your fireworks don’t go plan because of the damp weather, you’ll probably end up stopping and starting your light display just like Kanye West did on stage this week. Don’t fret though as you can still spell out words with sparklers, and what’s more fun than that? You could even spell out all the featuring artists on this track – if you’ve got an ulimited amount of time (and patience) that is.

Animal Collective – Fireworks

If you fancy bringing an alternative sound to your own party, play a bit of Animal Collective. It’ll stick out like a sore thumb amongst your pop playlist but allows you to feel super cool for almost seven minutes. But don’t expect everyone to ‘get it’.

Patrick Stump – Explode

On Halloween, Patrick Stump burst onstage singing the Ghostbusters theme (complete with flashing devil horns) and although his Halloween homage was clearly deliberate, it’s a shame that Bonfire Night is his day off from the P!ATD tour so that he can’t accidentally acknowledge a holiday he doesn’t celebrate when he’d play this little number.

Katy Perry – Fireworks

Although this song references the 4th of July not the 5th of November, Katy’s British hubby will surely understand the tradition of Guy Fawkes. Many profressional fireworks displays were set to this song last year, and you can expect many more to be set to it this year too. In fact expect fireworks to be set to this song until somebody else writes a song as damn catchy.

R.Kelly – Fireworks

Rivalling Katy Perry, R. Kelly sings a song that’s just explicit in meaning (and almost as cheesy). With a chorus that says “I can see the fireworks” over and over and over again, it’s certainly lyrically relevant so if it’s “a new day” and you “feel good” stick this one on.

Craig Morgan – Bonfire

The bonfire is an important element of Guy Fawkes but one that’s often lyrically overlooked but fear not because if you just need to burn stuff to music then you can have a sing along to Craig Morgan’s “Bonfire”. I will warn you before watching it that the video (and song) is rather corny. You have been warned.

The Prodigy – Firestarter

Arsonism is bad but then again, this song is a modern classic so I’m waving my morality. Just don’t try firestarting at home (or at anybody else’s home). Oh and don’t run along train tracks and tunnels – it’s not safe. Man, I bet the PTC love this one.

Goldfrapp – Rocket

Finally, make sure that you have Goldfrapp’s super fun and funky Rocket on your mix for the evening. You don’t have to interpret it in a sexual manner, you can also take it literally and enjoy it as being about as actual rockets. However if you want to keep it innocent, the masking-tape bondage outfit in the video may pollute your mind here.

What is your favourite fireworks-themed song?