The End of the World – Sharon Van Etten

“The End of the World” by Sharon Van Etten is a haunting and emotionally raw cover of the classic song originally written by Skeeter Davis and Arthur Kent in 1962. Van Etten’s version preserves the melancholic essence of the original, yet she infuses it with her signature atmospheric and introspective style. Her rendition is slow, minimalistic, and deeply vulnerable, emphasizing the lyrical weight of heartbreak and isolation in a way that resonates with contemporary listeners. The simplicity of her arrangement—often just soft piano chords or ambient textures—amplifies the emotional gravity, making it feel intimate and quietly devastating.

What makes Van Etten’s take so powerful is how she leans into the existential ache of the lyrics. Lines like “Why does the sun go on shining?” and “Don’t they know it’s the end of the world?” take on new resonance in her voice—aching, almost resigned. She transforms the song into not just a lament over lost love, but a meditation on despair itself. Her delivery suggests a kind of quiet collapse, as if the world is indeed ending not in fire or fury, but in a soft, personal unraveling.

Van Etten’s version gained wider attention when it was featured in the trailer for the final season of The Man in the High Castle, which added a cinematic layer to its interpretation. In that context, her cover evoked a sense of desolate beauty—hope slipping away, yet still lingering in the air. This use underscores the timeless appeal of the song and Van Etten’s talent in reimagining classics through a deeply personal, emotionally resonant lens.

Ultimately, Sharon Van Etten’s “The End of the World” is not just a cover—it’s a reinvention. It captures the universality of sorrow and the dissonance between inner grief and an indifferent world. It’s a song for anyone who’s ever felt like their personal heartbreak is at odds with the world’s ongoing march—a gentle, haunting reminder that even in endings, there’s an eerie kind of beauty.