The Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alt-country band who released their first album back in 1986. They are most known for their 1988 album The Trinity Session, which notably featured their cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane.” The lo-fi classic was recorded in a church for under $250 and it ended up selling over a million copies.
Not necessarily known as a political band, but they have delved into socially conscious material on several occasions. For example, in 2005 they released the anti-war protest album 21st Century Blues, which features mostly covers, along with a couple of originals. Their 2018 album All That Reckoning also heavily explores political themes.
They have recently released their rendition of David Bowie’s “Five Years” which appears on their upcoming covers album Songs of the Recollection which is due out on March 25.
Bowie’s version appeared on his 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The song depicts an impending apocalyptic disaster that will destroy the earth within five years. Lyrics such as News guy wept and told us. Earth was really dying” is even more relevant now.
The Junkies also released a video, with the visuals contemplating the band’s mournful rendering. The earth may not literally have five years left, but it is a reminder that if climate change and other social ills continue to go unchecked, time will eventually run out.