1899 Theme Song And Lyrics
Sci Fi

1899 Theme Song And Lyrics

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Song TitleWhite Rabbit
ArtistEliot Sumner (Original by Jefferson Airplane)
Show CreatorsBaran bo Odar & Jantje Friese
Premiere DateNovember 17, 2022
NetworkNetflix
Primary LanguagesMultilingual (English, German, French, etc.)
GenreMystery / Sci-Fi / Period Drama

Theme Song Lyrics

One pill makes you larger And one pill makes you small And the ones your mother gives you Don’t do anything at all Feed your head When logic and proportion Have fallen sloppy dead And the White Knight is talking backwards And the Red Queen’s off with her head Feed your head Feed your head Feed your head

Behind the Tune: Meaning & Story

The theme song for 1899 is a haunting, modern cover of the 1967 psychedelic classic “White Rabbit,” originally by Jefferson Airplane. This version, performed by Eliot Sumner, strips away the upbeat rock tempo of the original, replacing it with a slow, mechanical, and industrial drone that perfectly mirrors the show’s dark, maritime atmosphere.

Using Alice in Wonderland imagery, the lyrics serve as a direct metaphor for the show’s complex narrative. The “pills” and the distortion of “logic and proportion” represent the characters’ shifting perception of reality as they travel aboard the Kerberos. Just as Alice finds herself in a world where nothing makes sense, the passengers of 1899 deal with simulation, memory loss, and a reality that is constantly folding in on itself.

Creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese (the duo behind Dark) chose this track to signal the “rabbit hole” depth of the mystery. The repetitive command to “Feed your head” serves as both a warning and an invitation to the audience to look beyond the surface of the period setting into the technological and psychological puzzle hidden underneath.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the show in so many different languages?
1899 is a multilingual series designed to show the cultural barriers and connections between European immigrants. Characters speak their native tongues (German, Spanish, French, etc.), often leading to miscommunications that heighten the tension.
Who sings the version of “White Rabbit” used in the intro?
The theme is a cover by Eliot Sumner, an English musician (and child of Sting). Ben Frost, the show’s composer, integrated this track into the overall score.
Will there be a second season of 1899?
Despite a cliffhanger ending and a massive global following, Netflix officially canceled the series in January 2023, leaving it as a single-season mystery.
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Editorial Note: Theme history and lyrical interpretations for 1899 have been curated by the ThemeSong.info Editorial Team to ensure accuracy regarding the show’s unique multilingual production.