WASHINGTON 鈥� 鈥淭he Final Countdown,鈥� by Europe, came out almost 30 years ago, so your opinion of the Top 10 hit with the unstoppable keyboard riff is probably pretty well cemented. But a new version may change that.
Husband-and-wife banjoists Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn recently recorded a version for The A.V. Club that brings new dimension to the apocalyptic space-travel classic. You wouldn鈥檛 think the main riff would work without the grand, icy pomp of the very-鈥�80s keyboard sound Europe used, but you鈥檇 be wrong.
You also probably haven鈥檛 heard the rest of the song in at least 25 years, so that鈥檚 worth checking out as well. As are the wigs 鈥� reports that Fleck kept his, and the two are playing 鈥淭he Final Countdown鈥� in their shows.
It鈥檚 all part of the A.V. Club鈥檚 excellent series, in which performers play seemingly incongruous and/or untouchable songs. It鈥檚 all worth a look.
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