Music for Columbine High School

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Over the years since the shooting there has been a lot of music associated with the Columbine shooting, whether the artists wanted it or not. Below is a list of several songs and bands that surfaced in the news following the tragedy. Some were referenced by the shooters in their journals and rants. Some of the music was relevant to the shootings only after the fact.

Along with a list of Columbine-related music this page also hosts links to lyrics for the songs, as well as links where you can purchase copies of albums the music appears on. Links to purchase albums lead off-site and will open in a new window.

Disclaimer: This is not intended to be a complete list of songs that have have to do with school violence. This list does not imply that any band or performer appearing on it had anything to do with the tragedy at Columbine High School.

KMFDM

Eric Harris was an avid fan of KMFDM.

KMFDM publicly distanced themselves from the Columbine shooters, making this press statement on their website at the time (mirrored copy).

SONG TITLE
Dogma

REFERENCE
From the album Xtort. Eric Harris quoted this song in Dylan Klebold's 1998 yearbook.

Pub. Date
1996
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Son of a Gun

REFERENCE
From the album Xtort. Police found a copy of these lyrics on Eric Harris's WBS RebtheJuvey page.

Pub. Date
1996
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Power

REFERENCE
From the album Xtort. Police found a copy of these lyrics on Eric Harris's WBS rebldomkr page.

Pub. Date
1996
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| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Waste

REFERENCE
From the album "Symbols". Police found a copy of these lyrics on Eric Harris's WBS RebtheJuvey page.

Pub. Date
1997
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Stray Bullet

REFERENCE
From the album "Symbols". Police found a copy of these lyrics on Eric Harris's WBS RebtheJuvey page.

Pub. Date
1997
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Anarchy

REFERENCE
From the album "Symbols". Eric Harris quoted this song in his signature in Nate Dykeman's yearbook.

Pub. Date
1997
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

ALBUM TITLE
Adios

REFERENCE
This album debuted April 20, 1999. Eric remarked in his journal that it was fitting.

Pub. Date
1999
| buy album |

Rammstein

Eric Harris was an avid fan of Rammstein.

Eric wore a Rammstein t-shirt in his 11th grade photo; he also wrote the word "Rammstein" in Nate Dykeman's yearbook

SONG TITLE
Wilder Wein

REFERENCE
Originally from the Engel single, later put on the album Live Aus Berlin. Eric Harris wore a t-shirt featuring the name of this song in one of the Basement Tapes.

Pub. Date
1994
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Weisses Fleisch

REFERENCE
From the album Herzeleid. Eric Harris mentioned this song in one of his rants.

Pub. Date
1996
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

Pop Will Eat Itself

SONG TITLE
Ich Bin Ein Auslander

REFERENCE
From the album Dos Dedos Mis Amigos. Found sketched in one of Eric Harris's notebooks.

Pub. Date
1994
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

Nine Inch Nails

Dylan Klebold was an avid fan of Nine Inch Nails.

SONG TITLE
Something I Can Never Have

REFERENCE
From the album Pretty Hate Machine. Referenced in Dylan's journal.

Pub. Date
1989
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| buy album |

SONG TITLE
The Downward Spiral

REFERENCE
From the album The Downward Spiral. Referenced in Dylan's journal.

Pub. Date
1994
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Hurt

REFERENCE
From the album The Downward Spiral. Referenced in Dylan's journal.

Pub. Date
1994
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| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Happiness in Slavery

REFERENCE
From the album Further Down the Spiral. Referenced in Dylan's journal.

Pub. Date
1995
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| buy album |

ALBUM TITLE
Lost Highway

REFERENCE
Soundtrack to the David Lynch film of the same name. Contains songs written and performed by Trent Reznor and by Nine Inch Nails, as well as Rammstein and others. Referenced multiple ways and places in Dylan's journal.

Pub. Date
1997
| buy album |

Marilyn Manson

REFERENCE
News media mentioned this band in association with the shooters, but there's no evidence supporting the idea that they were Marilyn Manson fans. You can read Marilyn's viewpoint in Rolling Stone magazine, published May 1999.

JeffCo Fire Dept. "Training" Video

When this tape was made, it initially used copyrighted music that they did not have permission to use. When the tape was sold to the public, the artists sued to have the music removed - and won.

SONG TITLE
I Will Remember You by Sarah McLachlan

REFERENCE
From the single album I Will Remember You. Originally part of the unauthorized soundtrack of this Jefferson County news footage video tape, which is still available to the public. Lawsuits on behalf of the artists forced JeffCo to remove the music from subsequent copies.

Pub. Date
1995
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

SONG TITLE
If It Were Up To Me by Cheryl Wheeler

REFERENCE
From the album Sylvia Hotel. Originally part of the unauthorized soundtrack of this Jefferson County news footage video tape, which is still available to the public. Lawsuits on behalf of the artists forced JeffCo to remove the music from subsequent copies.

Pub. Date
1999
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

Tribute Songs

Music inspired by the shootings and dedicated to the victims and survivors of the Columbine High tragedy.

SONG TITLE
Friend of Mine by the Cohen Brothers

REFERENCE
Jonathan and Stephen Cohen wrote and performed this song as a tribute to the victims of the shooting. Featured later on Lullaby for Columbine : Love Endures by Various Artists.

Pub. Date
1999
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Angel (Columbine HS Radio Edit) by Sarah McLachlan

REFERENCE
Original song from the album Surfacing. Emotional redux dubbed with audio clips taken from news broadcasts from 4-20-99.

| listen to Columbine edit |

Pub. Date
1997 / 1999
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

ALBUM TITLE
Lullaby for Columbine : Love Endures Compilation project

REFERENCE
17 tracks include Adrian Belew, Rick Altizer, The Cohen Brothers, and students from Littleton and Arapahoe high schools. Proceeds of the compilation CD went to the Friend of Mine Fund to assist the victims and their families.

Pub. Date
1999
| buy album |

ALBUM TITLE
Columbine Tribute Album Compilation project

REFERENCE
Songs dedicated to those who lost their lives as a result of the Columbine High School tragedy

Pub. Date
1999
| out of print |

SONG TITLE
This Is Your Time by Michael W. Smith

REFERENCE
From the album This Is Your Time. Christian fellowship song, tributed to Columbine. The video contains footage of Cassie Bernall.

SONG TITLE
An American Elegy by Frank Ticheli

REFERENCE
Mr. Ticheli wrote the alma mater for Columbine and it is in this song as the climax. It says above the title that it was "composed in memory of those who lost their lives at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, and to honor the survivors."

Pub. Date
2000
| listen |

SONG TITLE
Cassie by Flyleaf

REFERENCE
From the self-titled album. Written in tribute to Cassie Bernall.

Pub. Date
2005
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

Other Songs

Other songs about school shootings.

SONG TITLE
I Don't Like Mondays by The Boomtown Rats

REFERENCE
From the album The Fine Art of Surfacing. Written about the 1979 Cleveland Elementary School shooting in San Diego, California. Name comes from the reason the shooter gave when she was arrested for her killing spree.

Pub. Date
1979
| view lyrics |
| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Rival by Pearl Jam

REFERENCE
From the album Binaural. Guitarist Stone Gossard's reflections on the shootings at Columbine High School.

Pub. Date
2000
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| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Youth of the Nation by POD

REFERENCE
From the album Satellite. Starts from the point of view of a kid being shot during a school shooting.

Pub. Date
2001
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| buy album |

SONG TITLE
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People

REFERENCE
From the album Torches. About a kid with a gun who chases down and shoots other kids.

Pub. Date
2011
| view lyrics |
| buy album|