# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/41 "2007-06-19T12:11:46Z")
Tom Paxton’s “Jimmy Newman” about a Vietnam Solider Get up Jimmy Newman, the morning has come The engines are rumbling, the coffee’s all brewed Get up Jimmy Newman, there’s work to be done And why do you lie there still sleeping? \ It’s stateside for us, Jim, the folks may not know. We’ll let it be such a surprise They’ll loading us next, Jim, we’re ready to go And why do you lie there still sleeping? \ A joke is a joke, but there’s nothing to gain Jim, I’d slap you but I’m too weak to rise. Get up, dammit Jimmy, you’re missing the plane And you’d only to open your eyes. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/42 "2007-06-19T13:05:14Z")
_Asleep_ by The Smiths: ```auto Dont feel bad for me I want you to know Deep in the cell of my heart I really want to go ``` ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/43 "2007-06-19T13:10:44Z")
What?!!? No mention of **Don’t Fear the Reaper**? Heresy! ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/44 "2007-06-19T13:19:27Z")
With the Grateful Dead mentions, you guys missed _Black Peter_, which never fails to choke me up. Especially this part: \* Just want to have a little peace to die and a friend or two I love at hand \* ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/45 "2007-06-19T13:28:03Z")
Stan Rogers [**The Watch**](http://www.lyricsdownload.com/rogers-stan-the-watch-lyrics.html) So here’s to useless superannuation And us old relics of the days of steam. In the morning, Lord, I would prefer When men with torches come for her, Let angels come for me. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/46 "2007-06-19T13:54:14Z")
Because no one has mentioned it- and someone has to - groan- no pitting please- _Seasons in The Sun_- Terry Jacks. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/47 "2007-06-19T13:57:44Z")
[QUOTE=Cicero] Because no one has mentioned it- and someone has to - groan- no pitting please- _Seasons in The Sun_- Terry Jacks. [/QUOTE] Psst…see post #11. A pox on you for mentioning it again ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/48 "2007-06-19T13:58:45Z")
Another fitting song about death and dying is _Seasons in the Sun_ by Terry Jacks. ---
**Author:** ![Ferd\_Burfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@Ferd\_Burfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferd_Burfel)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/49 "2007-06-19T14:00:52Z")
[QUOTE=Cicero] Because no one has mentioned it- and someone has to - groan- no pitting please- _Seasons in The Sun_- Terry Jacks. [/QUOTE] See post # 11 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/50 "2007-06-19T14:09:21Z")
You know which one always got to me? \*\*Seasons in the Sun \*\* by Terry Jacks. That poor little boy. Oh, and to give this post some validity, \*\*Streets of Heaven \*\* by Sherrie Austin. And \*\*Bang the Drum Slowly \*\* by Emmylou Harris. The McGarrigle Hour album features **Dig My Grave**. Go and dig my grave Both long and narrow Make my coffin Neat and strong It’s two two to my head And it’s two two to my feet It’s two two to carry me lord Whenever I die And the pre-finale of Les Miserables, with Jean Valjean, Fontine and Epinine: Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to your glory/ To love another person is to see the face of God ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/51 "2007-06-19T14:12:32Z")
Asie from some song with “Seasons” in the title by a guy (Jackson?) whose name I can’t remember, I love Leonard Cohen’s “Joan of Arc” “And who are you?” she sterly spoke To the one beneath the smoke. “Why, I’m Fire” he replied “And I love your solitude, I love your pride.” “Then Fire, make your body cold. I’m gonna give you mine to hold.” Saying ths, she climbed inside To be his one, to be his only bride. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/52 "2007-06-19T14:43:47Z")
From the death-haunted world of country music: The Stanley Brothers, “Angel Band”: _Oh come, angel band Come and around me stand Oh bear me away on your snow-white wings To my immortal home_ … and about a hundred other Stanley Brothers songs. And a thousand other bluegrass songs. “One Dyin’ and A Buryin’,” Roger Miller: _One dyin’ and a buryin’, Some cryin’, six carryin’ me. I want to be free._ & “Sing Me Back Home,” Merle Haggard “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” George Jones “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive,” Hank Williams Trivia: the lyrics to all these songs were written by notable bearded poet Rod McKuen! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/53 "2007-06-19T14:43:50Z")
[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead] One that I would not call “the best,” but is currently one of my favorites, is My Chemical Romance **Welcome to the Black Parade**. Not so much the lyrics or the sentiment, **which are pretty hollow** , but the surprisingly textured music itself. Starts slow, somewhat mournful, then kicks into the very energetic second half of the song, which is very much for the living. That, and the guitarist has transcendent moments where it sounds like Brian May sat down a session with a pop-punk band. [/QUOTE] I agree with the sound, that of a pop-punk-meets-70s-semiprog, but I sort of disagree with the hollowness. Sure, each individual song on the album seems hollow, but each of them seems to be written from the perspective of a _different_ person who died. So not each of them will fully explore the concept of death and dying, but overall, the album does. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/54 "2007-06-19T14:45:32Z")
[QUOTE=Ichbin Dubist] From the death-haunted world of country music: [/QUOTE] Speaking of which: **Country Death Song** by the Violent Femmes. It’s very over-the-top until the solo, but the solo and the last two verses are actually sort of powerful and sad. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/55 "2007-06-19T14:59:15Z")
Natalie Merchant’s version of [“When They Ring The Golden Bells”](http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Natalie-Merchant/When-They-Ring-The-Golden-Bells.html). ---
**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 19, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/56 "2007-06-19T15:03:02Z")
I remembered another one, which was a war protest song by a really unlikely group: _ **Requiem for the Masses** _ by the **Association**. ---
**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, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/57 "2007-06-19T15:29:38Z")
[QUOTE=Ichbin Dubist] From the death-haunted world of country music: The Stanley Brothers, “Angel Band”: _Oh come, angel band Come and around me stand Oh bear me away on your snow-white wings To my immortal home_ [/QUOTE] Speaking of death and the Stanley Brothers, **Ralph Stanley** ’s _a cappella_ version of [“O Death”](http://www.lyricsondemand.com/soundtracks/o/obrotherwhereartthoulyrics/odeathlyrics.html) on the _O Brother Where Art Thou_ soundtrack is really haunting. _O, Death O, Death Won’t you spare me over til another year Well what is this that I can’t see With ice cold hands takin’ hold of me_ ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/58 "2007-06-19T16:27:06Z")
Bruce Springsteen, **Cadillac Ranch.** James Dean in that Mercury ‘49 Junior Johnson (?) through the woods of Carolin’ Even Burt Reynolds in that black Trans-Am All gonna meet up at the Cadillac Ranch. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/59 "2007-06-19T16:50:17Z")
I think Paul Simon’s **Quiet** is absolutely lovely: > [@](#): > > I am heading for a time of quiet > When my restlessness is past > And I can lie down on my blanket > And release my fists at last > > I am heading for a time of solitude > Of peace without illusions > When the perfect circle > Marries all beginnings and conclusions I’d also nominate The Weaskerthans’ **Past Due** , which is the third and final piece of a series that build to this contemplation of death. Great stuff. I’ve put in line breaks to mimic how it’s sung: > [@](#): > > February always finds you folding > local papers open to the faces “passed away,” > to wonder what they’re holding > in those hands we’re never shown. > The places formal photographs refuse to mention. > His tiny feet, that birthmark on her knee. > The tyranny of framing our attention > with all the eyes their eyes no longer see. > > And darkness comes too early, you won’t find > the many things you owe these latest dead: > a borrowed book, that cheque you didn’t sign. > The tools to be believed with, beloved. > Give what you can: to keep, > to comfort this plain fear you can’t extinguish or dismiss. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515/60 "2007-06-19T17:34:59Z")
Mercy Seat - Nick Cave He’s Walking Spanish down the hall - Tom Waits Cemetary Polka - Tom Waits Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix The I’m fixing to die Rag “The worms crawl in the worms crawl out the worms play pinnchole on your snout” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-song-about-death-and-dying/408515.md?page=4)