# Songs About Mortality **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462 "2012-02-10T21:58:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/1 "2012-02-10T21:58:24Z")
I’m looking to create a playlist of songs about mortality – not necessarily about death (although death could certainly be involved), but more about the fleeting nature of life, how it’s all gone in the blink of an eye, about how time waits for no man, etc., etc. You know, cheery stuff like that. 😉 For instance, a good example (and in fact the song that got me thinking about this) is [100 Years](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR-qQcNT_fY&ob=av2n) by Five for Fighting. Any others? All genres of music are welcome. ---
**Author:** ![markm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@markm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/2 "2012-02-10T22:14:42Z")
[Drink to the Dead by Clutch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyZaqZraWWc) Had a bunch more in mind but forgot them by the time I tracked down that link. Maybe back later… ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/3 "2012-02-10T22:15:41Z")
Well, there’s [“Three Bells”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cntAbSREBdM) by the Browns, if you’re willing to include real schlock. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/4 "2012-02-10T22:20:37Z")
I’ve recently started listening to Bone: Thugs-N-Harmony again and the following song is what got me into them into the first place and it kind of fits what you’re asking about. Tha Crossroads [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9IXAJg4Vm0) ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/5 "2012-02-10T22:35:01Z")
[Dust in the Wind](http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/13018/)by Kansas [Afterimage](http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3458764513820550852/)by Rush [Dreamline](http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3458764513820550503/)by Rush [Time Stand Still](http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/53020/)by Rush (Yeah, I like Rush. And yeah, they write a lot of songs about that topic) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![markm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@markm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/6 "2012-02-10T22:36:13Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > [Dust in the Wind](http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/13018/)by Kansas > [Afterimage](http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3458764513820550852/)by Rush > [Dreamline](http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3458764513820550503/)by Rush > [Time Stand Still](http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/53020/)by Rush > > (Yeah, I like Rush. And yeah, they write a lot of songs about that topic) 🙂 Well, I’m done contributing to the thread. You’ve submitted the others I was wanting to add (“Afterimage” and “Time Stand Still”). TSS is one of my all-time favorites. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/7 "2012-02-10T23:18:47Z")
Practically anything by Oingo Boingo! We Close Our Eyes No One Lives Forever Dead Man’s Party (?) …and many others. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/8 "2012-02-10T23:27:46Z")
I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab For Cutie The Luckiest - Ben Folds They’re both kinda love songs with a hey-you’re-mortal twist… ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/9 "2012-02-10T23:32:16Z")
Kurt Weill’s “One Life to Live,” from _Lady in the Dark_: [One Life to Live - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xzrrYNLWT0) ---
**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:** [February 10, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/10 "2012-02-10T23:33:08Z")
[The Ballad of Hollis Brown](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgA7j6zsxfg) - Bob Dylan [Alone Again (Naturally)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eki_PRzNk-Y) - Gilbert O’Sullivan [I’ve Been to Town](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM52fJXnEvA) - Frank Sinatra (I prefer the version by Glenn Yarbrough) [It Was a Very Good Year](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emAe6IClGys) - Sinatra ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/11 "2012-02-10T23:35:44Z")
Don’t Fear the Reaper? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/12 "2012-02-10T23:42:30Z")
“Older” - They Might Be Giants ([lyrics](http://tmbw.net/wiki/Lyrics:Older), [song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2bo_u_YmW8&feature=related)) “The Lament Of Desmond R.G. Underwood-Fredrick IV” - Steve Taylor ([lyrics](http://www.sockheaven.net/discography/taylor/squint/01.html), [song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmvjtMINqZ4)) arguably, “All Things Must Pass” - George Harrison ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/13 "2012-02-10T23:50:07Z")
And my boy Dan W. Quinn, singing the catchy “More Work for the Undertaker!” [More Work for the Undertaker--Dan Quinn 1902 - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VtHBkV2dew) ---
**Author:** ![bytheway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@bytheway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bytheway)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/14 "2012-02-11T00:06:20Z")
Who Wants to Live Forever - Queen Time - Alan Parsons Project Time - Pink Floyd ---
**Author:** ![Meme\_Chose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Meme\_Chose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meme_Chose)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/15 "2012-02-11T00:21:13Z")
The Fire Inside–Bob Seger ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/16 "2012-02-11T00:28:42Z")
What? Nobody’s mentioned ‘Seasons In The Sun’ yet? > **[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/index?app=desktop&desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US)** > > Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/17 "2012-02-11T00:35:03Z")
[Lay Me Low](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt-I6zDx7cU)–Nick Cave ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_Ferguson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@Harvey\_Ferguson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_Ferguson)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/18 "2012-02-11T00:36:48Z")
1952 Vincent Black Lightning [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2Fpwlae4ZYc/maxresdefault.jpg "Del McCoury Band - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fpwlae4ZYc) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/19 "2012-02-11T00:43:03Z")
Old 97s - [You Were Born To Be In Battle](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uxf5Z4_U7c) ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/20 "2012-02-11T00:51:51Z")
[Deteriorata](http://lyrics-keeper.com/en/national-lampoon/deteriorata.html) - National Lampoon Ha Ha You’re Dead - Green Day My Way - Frank Sinatra or Sid Vicious [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462.md?page=2)