Sharon Van Etten Covers “The End of the World” for Man in the High Castle

Skeeter Davis’ tune “The End of the World” is a lovelorn but still-warm bit of country pop. It’s expertly orchestrated, affecting and appropriately wistful. So, just the right tune to soundtrack a dystopian TV series about the Nazis winning World War II.

Danger Mouse and producer Sam Cohen created a soundtrack titled Resistance Radio for the Amazon series The Man in the High Castle (based off of the Philip K. Dick book) and one of the songs is a cover of the Davis tune by Sharon Van Etten.

Van Etten hems close to Davis’ 1962 effort (the same year in which the show is set) by embracing subtle string arrangements and keeping a waltz-like pace. Some of that same ‘60s-crooner vocal wavering also makes its way into Van Etten’s take. There’s no brief monologue though, which is a shame because the best part of so many melodramatic ‘60s pop tunes is the overly dramatic monologue. Still, it’s a tender cover by Van Etten and a ideal track for a starkly reimagined past.

Listen to Sharon Van Etten’s interpretation, plus Paste Cloud audio from her 2010 Daytrotter Session, below, and head here for our 2014 feature on Van Etten. Beneath all that you’ll find the Resistance Radio tracklist, which features the likes of Beck, Angel Olsen, The Shins and Karen O.

Resistance Radio Tracklist
01. Sharon Van Etten – “The End of the World”
02. Andrew VanWyngarden – “Nature Boy”
03. Beck – “Can’t Help Falling in Love (First ‘Stand-Up’ Show)”
04. Benjamin Booker – “Spoonful”
05. Sam Cohen – “The House of the Rising Sun”
06. The Shins – “A Taste of Honey”
07. Angel Olsen – “Who’s Sorry Now”
08. Waterstrider – “Speaking of Happiness”
09. Michael Kiwanuka – “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child”
10. Grandaddy – “Love Hurts”
11. Big Search – “Lonely Mound of Clay”
12. Kevin Morby – “I Only Have Eyes for You”
13. Kelis – “Who’s Lovin’ You”
14. Norah Jones – “Unchained Melody”
15. Curtis Harding – “Lead Me On”
16. Maybird – “All Alone Am I”
17. Karen O – “Living in a Trance”
18. Sam Cohen – “Get Happy”