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“11 Captivating Songs That Reference Aliens” features songs from artists including Coldplay, Katy Perry, and MGMT among others.

Merriam-Webster defines an alien as “belonging or relating to another person, place, or thing,” “a person of another family, race, or nation,” “a foreign-born citizen,” or “differing in nature or character typically to the point of incompatibility.” There are many definitions of the word, all of which play a role in compiling this particular playlist. After dropping 17 Songs Inspired by Outer Space…to an Extent at the end of May 2018, and 15 Songs That Reference Stars on June 13, 2018, we return with another ‘loosely-based, ‘outer space-oriented playlist, 11 Other-Worldly Songs That Reference Aliens. Musicians dropping songs on this particular list include Coldplay, Katy Perry, and MGMT among others.

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1. Sabrina Carpenter & Jonas Blue, “Alien”

Alien – Single • Hollywood • 2018

American actress-singer Sabrina Carpenter and English DJ-producer Jonas Blue joined forces in 2018 for an enjoyable dance-pop record, “Alien”. Sigh, the duo keeps things relatively “short and sweet” on “Alien,” which clocks in at under three minutes. There’s a vibe from the jump, with finger snaps, falsetto by Carpenter, and an inviting, cool backdrop courtesy of Blue.  Though initially light, the intensity of “Alien” picks up, particularly on the record’s centerpiece, the chorus.

“Don’t let me leave when I’m standing at your door
Don’t make me stop when you’re really wanting more
When you’re really wanting more
If you show me what you were thinking of
Let me get inside your mind
If you show me love it’ll be enough
It’ll be a better night.”

All in all, “Alien” is sound throughout its course.  The record could’ve used a tad more oomph to achieve indisputable greatness, but it’s certainly a worthwhile spin.

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2. The Voidz, “ALieNNatioN”

Virtue • RCA • 2018

“I’ve been sipping the blood of sweet success / Before history punishes us for it / You wanna see what people are really like? / Watch them light a torch / Understanding ends this game.” Wow. According to Steven Edelstone (Consequence of Sound), “The Voidz don’t give a fuck what you think.” Judging by the aforementioned lyrical excerpt from the cleverly-titled “ALieNNatioN,” that certainly seems to be the case. The Voidz are an alternative rock band led by The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas.  The alluring sound of “ALieNNatioN” itself, including the funky groove, is triumphant enough to make this a gem from their debut album, Virtue.  Still, even if Casablancas’ vocals aren’t always ‘crystal clear’ without the lyrics in front of you, he definitely has something meaningful and worthwhile to say. Of course, this song isn’t about aliens from outer space, but rather the alienation occurring in the United States.  “In the land of the free-er / Evidence, it’s no use.”

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3. Kate Nash, “My Little Alien”

Yesterday Was Forever • Girl Gang • 2018

“My little alien, you picked me up / You put a probe inside, my heart it flies / You light up the sky / Oh you got me high.” Sigh, who would’ve ever thought that aliens could be so appealing? English singer, songwriter, and actress Kate Nash certainly makes ‘her little alien’ sound that way on “My Little Alien,” a highlight from her fourth album, Yesterday Was Forever.  Although “My Little Alien” appears on the LP released in 2018, the song was actually released in 2016.  Clearly, Nash is deeply in love and infatuation.  Is she really in love with an alien? Probably not, but if she is, ‘to each his/her own,’ right?

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4. Lebanon Hanover, “Alien”

Let Them Be Alien • Fabrika • 2018

“And however hard I try to integrate / I’ll always remain alien.” Lebanon Hanover, an alternative duo comprised of Larissa Georgiou and William Maybelline, provides the fourth track of our alien playlist with “Alien.” “Alien” serves as the creepy, unsettling title track off of their 2018 album, Let Them Be Alien.  Clearly, Georgiou and Maybelline feel like foreigners everywhere they go, evidenced by the depressed tone of the lyrics. Maybelline sings chillingly on the first verse, amplified by his distinct, robust singing.

“I like to wander some graveyards alone / And think of all that I’ve become / What kind of box I would go / And would you even notice / My disappearance my impressions / I’m just waiting, waiting…”

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5. Coldplay, “A L I E N S”

Kaleidoscope EP • Parlophone • 2017

“We were hovering without a home / Millions are UFO / Hovering in hope some scope tonight / Sees the light and says…” Coldplay joins the outer space action with “A L I E N S,” a highlight from the Grammy-nominated Kaleidoscope EP.  “A L I E N S” has a number of pros.  The first is the meter. So often, we’re accustomed to everything being in common time.  Here, Coldplay opt for 5/4, naturally stretching the ear more.  Another pro is focusing on the alternative – the ambience! The extraterrestrial vibes!

“Just an alien / Just an alien / Oh, we just want to get home again.”

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6. Manchester Orchestra, “The Alien”

A Black Mile to the Surface • Loma Vista • 2017

“And when you got to Pleasant Hill / You forced the traffic to erase your family demons / And made a pact with you and God / If you don’t move I swear to you I’m gonna make you.” Hmm, sounds a bit morbid… Manchester Orchestra delivers the sixth track on our playlist, “The Alien.” “The Alien” is the fifth track from the band’s 2017 album, A Black Mile to the Surface. As a whole, A Black Mile to the Surface is a bit of a complex album, with each song carrying significance and playing a role to the overall narrative. According to Bob Boilen of NPR,  frontman Andy Hull e-mailed him regarding “The Alien,” saying:

“‘The Alien’ is a narrative about a small slice of time in a man’s life as he faces a lofty decision with a dire consequence. It is ultimately about family and the effects, big and small, that family has on everybody.”

Ultimately, “The Alien” is part of a larger story that centers around death and regret.

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7. Wolf Parade, “Am I an Alien Here”

Cry Cry Cry • Sub Pop • 2017

“And I say, am I an alien here? / Here is the cave of my skull / Crawling around in the dark / Dark to the ones I love.” The feeling of alienation is real on “Am I an Alien Here.”  “Am I an Alien Here” appears as the ninth track from Cry Cry Cry, the fourth studio album from Canadian indie-rock band Wolf Parade.  The song centers around the protagonist’s mind, with frontman Spencer Krug conveying the feeling of being a foreigner or total stranger to everything.

“I had a dream you left me for someone who was mean to me / So I cried and left for Mexico / Well I tried to learn to surf by riding a machine I kept beside the window / It was not a good way to be.”

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8. Die Antwoord, “Alien”

Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid • Zef • 2016

“I am an alien / No matter how hard I try I don’t fit in / Always all on my own, sad and lonely / All I want is for someone to play with me.” South African collective Die Antwoord – comprised of Ninja, Yolandi Visser, and DJ Hi-Tek –  is something else.  Safe to say, their music is quite explicit. Notably, their 2016 LP Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid features the charming record, “Fat Faded F**k Face”.  From that same album is the song at hand, “Alien,” superbly produced by The Black Goat.  The sound is enigmatic and fittingly, extraterrestrial, set in a minor-key. Yolandi reflects on being sad, isolated, and alienated as a child on “Alien.”

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9. MGMT, “Alien Days”

MGMT • Columbia • 2013

“The floodgate alien days / I love those alien days / Mmm…the alien days.” Alt-Rock band MGMT, ‘Stay Trippy’ throughout the course of their third studio album, MGMT.  “Alien Days” serves as a brilliant, tripped-out opener that impresses even more with each successive listen. A child singing at the opening sets up the mysterious, left-field, drugged-out vibe of the cut.  Following the intro, a groove helps “Alien Days” settle into a more traditional sound, anchored by a rich bass line.  The lyrics are incredibly poetic and reflective, including “Numbers can’t decide if the day’s supposed to smile” and “Those days taught me everything I know / How to catch a feeling and when to let it go.” Safe to say, this is a trip!

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10. Katy Perry, “E.T. (Remix)”

Ft. Kanye West

Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection • Capitol • 2012

“E.T. phone home”… A reference from the 1982 Steven Spielberg classic seems appropriate given the appearance of “E.T.” on this playlist.  This Katy Perry song should be innocent enough BUT the ever-colorful Kanye West makes things more interesting:

“I got a dirty mind I got filthy ways / I’m tryna bathe my ape in your Milky Way… / I’ll be so far up / We don’t give a fu-uh-uck…”

Clearly, West comes off as narcissistic to the nth degree, and his lyrics are incredibly troubling.

“Tell me what’s next? Alien sex / I’mma disrobe you / Then I’mma probe you / See I abducted you / So I tell you what to do /I tell you what to do, what to do.”

Alien sex huh? Sort of reminds me of some of the odd happenings in the Academy Award-winning film, The Shape of Water. But going back to West’s lyrics, one has the question, would he do a ‘do-over’ now if he had the chance?  Supplementary listening: Lil Wayne, “Phone Home” (Carter III). Just know, “We are not the same, I am a Martian.”

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11. The Game, “Martians Vs Goblins”

Ft. Lil Wayne & Tyler, the Creator

The R.E.D. Album • Interscope • 2011

“Bitch I’m a motherf**kin’ Martian (I’m a god damn Goblin)” – Great to know, great to know.  “Martians Vs Goblins,” in all honesty, is a highlight from The R.E.D. Album, the 2011 album by West Coast rapper, The Game.  On “Martians Vs Goblins,” he enlists the services of Lil Wayne (the Martian) and Tyler, the Creator (the goblin).  The record features captivating production that serves as ‘fuel for the fire’ for this brilliant concept.  The hook, as aforementioned, is clever. Notably, Tyler, the Creator drops some truly twisted rhymes, specifically surrounding Bruno Mars, Tyler Perry, and Bishop Eddie Long.  You can guess what those rhymes surround…

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Other awesome alien-related songs:

Oliver Tree, “Alien Boy” (Alien Boy EP, 2018) Scorpions, “Alien Nation” (Face the Heat, 1993); Blink-182, “Aliens Exist” (Enema of the State, 1999); Radiohead, “Subterranean Homesick Alien” (OK Computer, 1997); Pennywise, “Alien” (Straight Ahead, 1999); Mac Miller, “Aliens Fighting Robots” (Macadelic [Remastered Edition], 2012); Lifehouse, “Alien” (Out of the Wasteland, 2015)

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Photo Credits: Atlantic, Capitol, Columbia, Fabrika, Girl Gang, Hollywood, Interscope, Loma Vista, Pixabay, RCA, Sub Pop, Zef

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