# Best Song About Death and Dying **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515 "2007-06-18T22:12:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/1 "2007-06-18T22:12:12Z")
Well this might go off on an odd tangent. My submission: **The Weight** by _the Band_. Line: “My bag / back is sinking low and I do believe it’s time.” The whole song is a set up to this and it is my wife who witnessed several animals dying -who wanted to go off some place alone and wait (weight -get it?) for the end to come- who sensed and accepted the finality of the moment and chose to accept it with quiet dignity. Well that’s how I want to go and this song always brings me to this. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/2 "2007-06-18T22:18:41Z")
[QUOTE=minlokwat] Well this might go off on an odd tangent. My submission: **The Weight** by _the Band_. Line: “My bag / back is sinking low and I do believe it’s time.” **The whole song is a set up to this** and it is my wife who witnessed several animals dying -who wanted to go off some place alone and wait (weight -get it?) for the end to come- who sensed and accepted the finality of the moment and chose to accept it with quiet dignity. Well that’s how I want to go and this song always brings me to this. [/QUOTE] My example might not be in the Top 10, altho it is up there, but the part I bolded reminded me of it. In _Marian_ by the Sisters of Mercy, there is a verse that describes the process of drowning. And at the _end_ of the verse, it mentions “Marian, I think I’m drowning/this sea is killing me.” I think it was genius to put the thesis of the verse at the end, rather than the beginning, sort of an inverted structure. [hijack]Of course, the first and only time I heard their “Temple of Love”, I didn’t know who it was or what it was called, but by the singing and the beat and the fact it was one of their more “popular” songs caused me to think thusly: > [@myself](#): > > If this _is_ ToL, I bet the second verse will describe a temple, and end with the phrase “love is a temple”. Yeah, so the trick can be overused, but The Weight, which I also haven’t heard, seems like a good example from your description. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/3 "2007-06-18T22:22:49Z")
For those who believe in some sort of immortal soul leaving their body at death: “I … ain’t got no body, NO BODY!” ---
**Author:** ![Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/4 "2007-06-18T22:27:16Z")
_Nature’s Way_ by **Spirit**. Not particularly deep lyrics, but sung very movingly. It seemed to be on the radio a lot when my first wife passed away, so I’ve always made that connection. ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/5 "2007-06-18T22:35:25Z")
Jackson Browne, “For a Dancer.” ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/6 "2007-06-18T22:35:30Z")
Nothing can be more poignant or evocative of the realization that a loved one is dying than the old song “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen”, a song about an old Irishman telling his dying wife that someday he will take her back to the Ireland they emigrated from 50 years ago when they were a spry, young couple in love, even if it is only to bury her. ---
**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/7 "2007-06-18T23:09:00Z")
Warren Zevon, _Keep Me In Your Heart For Awhile_ . ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/8 "2007-06-18T23:11:41Z")
Warren Zevon - _Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door_ ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/9 "2007-06-18T23:14:05Z")
Kansas - _Dust in the Wind_ ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/10 "2007-06-18T23:19:37Z")
[Try Not to Breathe](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rem/try+not+to+breathe_20115203.html) by R.E.M. blows me away: _I will try not to burden you. I can hold these inside. I will hold my breath Until all these shivers subside, Just look in my eyes._ Actually, several songs on Auotomatic for the People by R.E.M. are contemplations on death. [Sweetness Follows](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rem/sweetness+follows_20115201.html) and [Man in the Moon](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rem/man+in+the+moon_20259827.html) also qualify. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/11 "2007-06-18T23:39:03Z")
I suppose I can expect a rotten-tomato shower if I bring up “Seasons in the Sun”? (I seriously hate that song.) Robin ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Fun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@Mike\_Fun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Fun)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/12 "2007-06-18T23:40:45Z")
“Do you Realize?” by the Flaming Lips. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/13 "2007-06-18T23:44:39Z")
[QUOTE=MsRobyn] I suppose I can expect a rotten-tomato shower if I bring up “Seasons in the Sun”? (I seriously hate that song.) Robin [/QUOTE] I cast thee out, Spawn of Satan! why? Why did you do it? I’ve never pitted another member but this might just be cause. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/14 "2007-06-19T00:06:42Z")
Oh, and if we’re including songs about death of a loved one, let’s not forget [Paint It, Black](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rolling+stones/paint+it+black_20117875.html) by **The Rolling Stones**. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/15 "2007-06-19T00:08:42Z")
[Winter Born](http://www.cruxshadows.com/lyricfinder.htm#1-1-67) by Cruxshadows Read the entire lyrics to get the full flavor of the song, but quoting the last lines > [@](#): > > Within this moment now > I am for you, though better men have failed > I will give my life for love > For I am Winter born > > And in my dying I’m more alive, than I have ever been > I will make this sacrifice for I am Winter born ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/16 "2007-06-19T00:11:32Z")
**Rick** , you have been reading John Ringo’s _Paladin of Shadows_ books, right? ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/17 "2007-06-19T00:27:58Z")
the Microphones - “I can’t believe you actually died” ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/18 "2007-06-19T01:39:02Z")
“Chemo Limo”, by Regina Spektor. It’s about a woman who decides to end her chemotherapy treatments so she can live her final days in luxury. Most of my grandparents died after lengthy bouts of cancer so I can really empathize with the song. It captures the feeling of helplessness and cynicism that you have toward the doctors (“the doctor went and had a talk with my boss/something about insurance policies/they kept the door closed at all times…they said ‘you’ll be ok anyway’ and I smiled because I’d known it all the while”. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/19 "2007-06-19T01:44:25Z")
The Eels, “Last Stop: This Town”. It’s about a person who died, but stays around a while to visit “the dearly bereft.” Beautiful song. Oh yeah. [Links to lyrics](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eels/laststopthistown.html) can be a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/20 "2007-06-19T02:01:02Z")
Poi Dog Pondering has a couple of good songs about death. There’s [Bury Me Deep](http://www.metrolyrics.com/lyrics/84296/Poi_Dog_Pondering/Bury_Me_Deep): _A lifetime of accomplishments of which the dirt knows none, only in death can one truly return Return the carrots, the apples and potatoes, The chickens, the cows, the fish and tomatoes. In one glorious swoop, let the deed be done and bury me deep so that I can be one…_ And then their song [U Li La Lu](http://www.lyrics007.com/Poi%20Dog%20Pondering%20Lyrics/U%20Li%20La%20Lu%20Lyrics.html) has this (pretty funny) verse: _There’s a friend of mine who once said: She said “If you’re ever around when someone dies Look up and wave they’ll get a big kick out of it!”_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515.md?page=2)