James #2:
It's impressive that it took me this long to write a song on this theme, because the idea of humanity being wiped out is something that fascinates me in everything from music to writing and videogames. I think that we see our placement on this planet as far too permanent, when in reality our species have shown a tremendous capacity for destruction (self and otherwise) in the monumentally short time we have been here. But I don't see our inevitable demise as a bad thing (and not only because it would give the Earth a well-needed break). Knowing that we will one die day is what prompts us to consider the meaning of our lives, and how we will be remembered. In this song, I posit that we won't be remembered, and ask what that means for the meaning of our lives. And while it may come across as a very bleak song, it is intended to be thought-provoking in a positive way. Originally the outro was going to have lyrics that explained the crucial moral of this story - that life's meaning is what you make of it, and whether or not you are remembered, it was worth it at the time. But rather than outright explain this koan to you, I decided to leave the question open, in the naive hope that people would ponder it afterwards. Hence the positive tone change at the end of the song, which I hoped would guide and pondering somewhat in the positive direction I intended. It represents the freedom of a life lived for its own sake.
________________________