Looking Back On Ten "Future" Songs Essay

Whatever hand was dealt to either of them, the odds are those cards could not be nearly as valuable as the friendship that held them. Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox, the stars of Back To the Future, reunited once again last week.

They met at the annual poker tournament benefiting research for Parkinsons, which Fox has suffered with since 1991. Before his diagnosis, the two actors appeared together in three Back To the Future films between 1985 and 1990.

Since I cannot attend the poker tournament, due to lack of invitation as well as lack of skill, I will celebrate the reunion with music. Here are ten well-known songs that all have “future” in their titles, including two by a glam rock legend.

1. Bright Future In Sales by Fountains of Wayne
Power pop’s most congenial quartet welcomed in the New Century with the excellent Welcome Interstate Managers, featuring “Hackensack,” ” Stacy’s Mom” and this catchy slice of sarcasm.

2. Future Management by Roger Taylor
Drummer Taylor was the first of the Queen members to make a solo album, Fun in Space, an electronic-based collection of songs like this one.

3. Old Future’s Gone by John Gorka
Quoting poetry from William Blake was quite appropriate for this title track, for it is a very solemn tune.

4. The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades by Timbuk2
Destined to become one-hit wonders, the band landed on the charts with this clever title.

5. The Future Is Now by Offspring
This single open Days Go By, a sort of comeback album from a group that had not been heard from in almost five years.

6. A Better Future by David Bowie
You had to figure that a guy who had scored hits with science fiction titles as “Space Oddity” and “Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” would find his way into this list at least once.

7. In a Future Age by Wilco
Summerteeth, which boasted fan favorites such as “Can’Stand It,” ” Via Chicago” and “Shot in the Arm,” also contains this lesser-known gem.

8. Future Days by Pearl Jam
In an ironic arranging, this look ahead track actually ends the Lightning Bolt album.

9. Future Legend by David Bowie
Corpses lay rotting on the thoroughfare and fleas the size of rats feed on rats the size of rats in this image-provoking classic, which also warns of red mutant eyes watching over a town.

10. Future Games by Fleetwood Mac
Bob Welch made his debut with the Mac on this album, whose title track showcases the different direction in which Welch would lead them for the next four albums before he gave way to Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.