# Recommend some songs about death **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699 "2003-07-24T19:44:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![InquisitiveIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3ec8ea/32.png) [@InquisitiveIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InquisitiveIdiot)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/1 "2003-07-24T19:44:15Z")
I’m in a morbid mood right now, and I’m getting a lot of enjoyment out of “death” songs. These are songs where death has a large role to play. I’d like to know if any of you out there have any suggestions. I’d like good songs that treat death in an almost humorous fashion, but certainly not serious. Something along the lines of “I used to love her” or Neon Genesis Evangelion’s “Kom, suesser todd.” I’d prefer to avoid sappy, tear-jerking crap like “tears in heaven.” I’m feeling morbid, not depressed. Have fun. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/2 "2003-07-24T19:55:30Z")
Tom Lehrer’s _We Will All Go Together When We Go_ comes to mind. The Stone’s _Paint it Black_ is not humorous but still a song about death. ---
**Author:** ![BlackLabel1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@BlackLabel1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackLabel1)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/3 "2003-07-24T20:17:32Z")
Metallica - Fade To Black. That song kicks more ass then can be told! ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/4 "2003-07-24T20:23:10Z")
Well, “Country Death Song” by Violent Femmes surely fits the bill! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/5 "2003-07-24T20:27:03Z")
“Last Kiss”, Wayne Cochran, covered by Pearl Jam ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/6 "2003-07-24T20:36:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BlackLabel1 \* > \*\*Metallica - Fade To Black. That song kicks more ass then can be told! \*\* Damn you, \*\*BlackLabel[/b/! I was gonna say that one! Okay, well how’s about Metallica’s One? Not necessarily about death, but probably pretty close to the mood you’re looking for if I’m reading you right. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/7 "2003-07-24T20:39:47Z")
Oh, I just saw in your OP that I didn’t read your mood right after all. My fault for not reading more carefully. ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/8 "2003-07-24T20:48:03Z")
Suicide is Painless – from M_A_S\*H Tom Leher along with “We will all go together when we go” Also offers the Irish Folk Song, I’ll Hold Your Hand in Mine" and “My Home Town” All of which are really funny and twisted. ---
**Author:** ![TeaRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@TeaRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaRoses)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/9 "2003-07-24T20:54:19Z")
Warm Leatheretthe? By the Normal, apparently also covered by Grace Jones? (I don’t know, I just googled it) ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/10 "2003-07-24T20:55:00Z")
My very favorite death song-- “Anyway” by Genesis from “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” A couple lyrics: _All the pumping’s nearly over for my sweet heart This is the one for me Time to meet the Chef Oh boy! running man is out of death Feel cold and old, it’s getting hard to catch my breath It’s back to ash-- now you’ve had your flash, boy The rocks in time compress your Blood to oil Your flesh to coal, Enrich the soil Not everybody’s goal_ That’s one of my favorite lyrics ever: _“Time to meet the Chef”_ as a euphemism for death ---
**Author:** ![Rib\_Eye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Rib\_Eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rib_Eye)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/11 "2003-07-24T21:08:39Z")
Just about anything from Iron Maiden is about death, but “Die With Your Boots On” might be the best to fit your mood. My fave though is “Hallowed Be Thy Name.” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/12 "2003-07-24T21:29:17Z")
“Don’t Fear the Reaper” - Blue Oyster Cult ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/13 "2003-07-24T22:18:30Z")
Damn. **Mr. Blue Sky** beat me to it. Well, at least there’s still “Nosferatu”, also by Blue Oyster Cult. From a rather different genre: “Irish Rover”–Only the singer and a dog survive an outbreak of measles. Then the dog drowns. “The Mermaid”–A jolly, sometimes bawdy song about a ship sinking with all hands. “The Ship that Never Returned”–A rollicking tune about a ship that, well, never returned. “Yo Ho Ho”–I’m sure you’ve heard parts of this one. “Twas a cutlass swipe or an ounce of lead/Or a yawing hole in a battered head”…yeah, plenty of death. All of the above are traditional/trad-style sea songs. I favor the Corsairs renditions. You may even be able to hear some of them on their site. ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/14 "2003-07-24T22:28:59Z")
Judy Garland’s “Get Happy” ---
**Author:** ![Merseybeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Merseybeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merseybeat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/15 "2003-07-24T22:42:15Z")
“I Want My Baby Back” by Jimmy Cross is a good funny one. A guy takes his girl to a Beatles’ concert, and crashes his car on the way back. A wonderful spoken bit in the middle:- _And when I awoke, over there was my baby. And over THERE was my baby And WAAAY over there was my baby._ I won’t spoil the ending. ---
**Author:** ![TeaRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@TeaRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaRoses)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/16 "2003-07-24T22:45:59Z")
Oh, I can’t believe I forgot this one: People Who’ve Died by the Jim Caroll Band. ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/17 "2003-07-24T23:04:38Z")
“Feel Like I’m Fixin’ To Die” by Country Joe and the Fish. About half of Bob Dylan’s self-titled debut album from 1962 is old blues standards about dying. “In My Time Of Dyin’” and “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean” are two that come to mind. The Grateful Dead do a good cover of “Death Don’t Have No Mercy,” which was originally by an old bluesman whose name escapes me right now. Plus, they have the word “Dead” in their name! Oh, they also have any number of recorded versions of “Morning Dew,” which is about the aftermath of nuclear war. Among their original tunes are “Black Peter” and “New Speedway Boogie,” the latter of which is about the Rolling Stones’ concert at Altamont where the Hell’s Angels killed someone. Phil Ochs has several anti-war songs that deal with the death that comes with war, including “Song of A Soldier,” “We Seek No Wider War,” and “White Boots Marching In A Yellow Land.” He also wrote and recorded a song called “The Crucifixion,” which is sort of about Jesus Christ but is more generally about any person (John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi) who, like Jesus Christ, ends up being killed for his or her beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/18 "2003-07-24T23:23:27Z")
“You All Look Alike” by The Byrds is a sardonic song written from the viewpoint of a dying man who has been shot over a case of mistaken identity: _Lyin’ here and dyin’ here I’m tryin’ to get my strength It’s so hard to get on back when you’re lyin’ at full length All the crowds and all the dogs from miles around just stare They look at me and shed a tear I’m glad those people care_ Kinky Friedman wrote “Something Wrong With The Beaver” about Beaver Cleaver dying of a drug overdose and being found by by his parents the next morning in his room. You might try his song “The Ballad Of Charles Whitman” as well. Lots of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins songs deal with death, murder, and cannibalism in rather cartoonish and funny way ways. In “She Put The Whamee On Me” he points a shotgun at the woman in question and threatens to “put the moonlight clean through your bald head”. “Feast Of The Mau Mau” has touches like “pull the skin from your friend with a razor blade”. “Clockwork Chartreuse” by Loudon Wainwright III is a jaunty little number about a guy dreaming of a murderous rampage with his buddy: _God I hate women They mess up your life I’ll kill your mother If you kill my wife_ ::snip:: _I know a rooftop Don’t you say nope Let’s try out that rifle The one with the scope_ Tom T. Hall’s “Ballad Of Forty Dollars” is a funny take on a funeral from the viewpoint a man drafted into digging the grave since he’s in jail. Check 'em out. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/19 "2003-07-25T00:43:32Z")
_Pepper_ by the Butthole Surfers is about people who are “all in love with dying.” Also, if you’re feeling a bit goth, there’s _Bela Lugosi’ Dead_ by Bauhaus. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699/20 "2003-07-25T01:16:48Z")
Absolutely anything off of Nick Cave’s _Murder Ballads_, but especially “The Curse of Milhaven”: \*There were all the others, all our sisters and brothers You assumed were accidents, best forgotten Recall the children who broke through the ice on Lake Tahoo? Everyone assumed the “Warning” signs had followed them to the bottom Well, they’re underneath the house where I do quite a bit of stowing La la la la La la la lie Even twenty little children, they had to die And the fire of '91 that razed the Bella Vista slum There was the biggest shit-fight this country’s ever seen Insurance companies ruined, land lords getting sued All cause of wee girl with a can of gasoline Those flames really roared when the wind started blowing La la la la La la la lie Rich man, poor man, all got to die \* Priceless. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-songs-about-death/190699.md?page=2)