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I thought the song was great, and relevant to the film.
"Time runs out so fast on love, too good to last so young."

The reason that the song was added was that not one of the many artist and\or bands were from the MGM label. Roy Obison was from the MGM label.
Michelangelo Antonioni found out about the addition at the opening night premiere. He thought that was it, 'his' movie was over, then he heard that song playing.

Indeed. It's a real disservice to Antonioni and to Orbison, for that matter! It's just completely clueless, it and makes both the visual and music seem "off." I often notice that soundtracks and scores are out of sync with the tone of films, but that example is particularly egregious.

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Yes, I found Roy Orbison's song a strange choice for the ending also, and I'm not surprised it was tacked on without Antonioni's approval. Roy's music had fallen out of favor during the period in which this film was released, but he'd later find his audience in the '80s with David Lynch films (just before Roy died, unfortunately). As included here, it just seems ironic, but this film was made before irony was a popular sentiment in films.

This is exactly how I feel about this "new" ending: Grrrr.

Agreed! Just watched the DVD (after having seen several screenings at my local cinematheque over the years) and was surprised at and dismayed by the inclusion of the Orbison song which, in this context, seems reductive and mocking If it was against Antonioni's wishes, why has it been included in the new DVD? Grrrr. Ruins one of the best endings in film history.

I just got the DVD and Orbison's So Young is played at the end. First time I've heard it. I remember the VHS version and a theatrical print of the movie which I saw ended with the Pink Floyd song. I think the Pink Floyd one is more appropriate than the Orbison track.

I saw the movie on video years ago, and "So Young" wasn't in there. Were there two versions of the movie released, or was that song just cut out of the video release? "So Young" was released as a single on MGM records in the spring of 1970, but failed to chart.

Actually the song at the very end of the film, as Daria drives off after the explosion sequence is Roy Orbison's "So Young". It was added by MGM in post-production behind Antonioni's back. The song only appears in the movie, and not on the soundtrack.

thanks!

Ending song is by Pink Floyd, a reworked version of "Careful With That Axe Eugene" (from Relics, 1971) called "Come Up Number 51, Your Time Is Up". The only album I've been able to find this on is the original soundtrack for the film, it is the eleventh and last track. I have it and it is certainly something to be cherished by Floyd fans and everyone else who can find it.