Neal Schon Shares His End Of The World Song

Guitarist for the band Journey, Neal Schon, recently talked about the song he would choose to play at the end of the world. As he talked to fans on the social media site X, he was asked: “If a nuclear event were imminent, which song would you choose as your final soundtrack?” Schon replied by choosing Sting’s “Russians” from The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985), stressing the song’s powerful message with the quote, “Hope you love your children too.”

The Deep Message of “Russians”

Released during the height of the Cold War, “Russians” is about the very high nuclear tensions between the world’s leaders. Sting’s words show how people all over the world are the same, especially in their desire to protect the next generation. The line Schon mentioned sums up this feeling by asking leaders to think about the health and safety of their children during times of political unrest.

Inspiration Behind the Song

“Russians” was inspired by something Sting didn’t expect. He watched Soviet children’s TV shows through an illegal Russian TV feed. This made him understand that people on both sides of the Iron Curtain had the same hopes and fears, even though their political views were different. This new revelation added to the song’s theme of how people are connected everywhere.

In addition to being a popular song, “Russians” had an impact on other types of work. Notably, director James Cameron said that the themes of the song helped him come up with the ideas for “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” The track’s negative views on nuclear power and focus on our shared humanity have stuck with both listeners and artists.

Schon’s Appreciation of The Track

Neal Schon’s choice of “Russians” as his possible last song shows how important its message is even today. Schon draws attention to the timeless call for peace and understanding by highlighting this track. This is a message that is just as important now as it was during the Cold War.