# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/21 "2012-02-11T00:55:31Z")
[Try Not to Breathe](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RKzpCKexlw) - R.E.M. [Man on the Moon](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTHbyJWXpvM) - R.E.M. (a contemplation on the afterlife from an atheist perspective) [Sweetness Follows](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKTIelUzZEM&feature=related) - R.E.M. [Sunrise Sunset](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLLEBAQLZ3Q) [It Was a Very Good Year](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymRNpTP1aO8) - Frank Sinatra [Night Moves](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mRFWQoXq4c) - Bob Seger (the last verse anyway) [Worms](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAC47w80lSI) - The Pogues ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/22 "2012-02-11T01:23:19Z")
[DOA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O79EN3z6IpU) by Bloodrock [New York Mining Disaster 1941](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz1YihpalAM&feature=related) – the Bee Gees [People Who Died](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bOjc70f4p8) – Jim Carroll Band ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/23 "2012-02-11T01:39:04Z")
[Paint It Black](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Egt1Hq4wpE) - Rolling Stones (about the death of a sweetheart) [There Is a Time](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgzP_hc-MKI) - The Dillards ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/24 "2012-02-11T01:49:58Z")
Through the Living Years - Mike and the Mechanics ---
**Author:** ![pojimba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@pojimba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pojimba)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/25 "2012-02-11T02:16:11Z")
The answer is “Time” by Floyd. ---
**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, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/26 "2012-02-11T02:46:21Z")
Rocky Mountain Tragedy----Crowbar [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ijuwxarg-Go/hqdefault.jpg "Crowbar - Rocky Mountain Tragedy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijuwxarg-Go) Stagger Mountain Tragedy----Kris Kristofferson [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ODGu-2CaIA) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/27 "2012-02-11T03:05:26Z")
Several by Pink Floyd from Obscured By Clouds: _Wots…uh the Deal_,\* Free Four\*, and _Childhood’s End_. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/28 "2012-02-11T03:10:44Z")
[And When I Die](http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unFgFoFebaQ&feature=related)- Blood Sweat and Tears. ---
**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, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/29 "2012-02-11T03:11:27Z")
Billy Austin----Steve Earle [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Xad0Qyu__cE/maxresdefault.jpg "Steve Earle & The Dukes - Billy Austin") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xad0Qyu__cE) ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/30 "2012-02-11T03:15:11Z")
“We Will All Go When We Go” by Tom Lehrer ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/31 "2012-02-11T11:57:08Z")
**John Mellencamp** : [Don’t Need This Body](http://www.songlyrics.com/john-mellencamp/don-t-need-this-body-lyrics/) [Longest Days](http://www.songlyrics.com/john-mellencamp/longest-days-lyrics/) [If I Die Sudden](http://www.songlyrics.com/john-mellencamp/if-i-die-sudden-lyrics/) [A Ride Back Home](http://www.songlyrics.com/john-mellencamp/a-ride-back-home-lyrics/) All from the great album _Life, Death, Love and Freedom_ ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/32 "2012-02-11T16:35:09Z")
“Just a Gigolo” by Louis Prima ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/33 "2012-02-11T16:50:56Z")
[Hazy Shade of Winter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnZdlhUDEJo) - Simon & Garfunkel (or [The Bangles](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG9PVucS9aw) if you’re one of _those_ people) [I Don’t Want to Grow Up](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqOm78Vvg3w) - Tom Waits (Or [Ramones](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU2SRNU955c) or [Holly Cole](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNghazTVVzI)) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/34 "2012-02-11T17:19:30Z")
‘‘[Gone](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDl7ZwEXBSE)’’ - Madonna. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/35 "2012-02-11T17:25:54Z")
Another vote for _Time_ by Pink Floyd. > [@](#): > > And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it’s sinking. > Racing around to come up behind you again. > The sun is the same in a relative way but you’re older. > Shorter of breath and one day closer to death. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/36 "2012-02-11T17:40:54Z")
[The Grim Parade](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU9yrP-5Omw), by Uncle Bonsai, a humorous song about the endless succession of dying pets. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/37 "2012-02-11T18:51:19Z")
Days (the Kinks) ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/38 "2012-02-11T19:16:00Z")
Eric Clapton, [Tears in Heaven.](http://www.lyrics007.com/Eric%20Clapton%20Lyrics/Tears%20In%20Heaven%20Lyrics.html) Particularly these two lines: Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees Time can break your heart, have you begging please, begging please. Pink Floyd, [Shine on You Crazy Diamond](http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pinkfloyd/shineonyoucrazydiamondiv.html). Two Aussie war songs that are much darker than they seem at first: [And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda](http://www.pogues.com/Releases/Lyrics/LPs/RumSodomy/Waltzing.html) and [Two Little Boys.](http://www.pogues.com/Releases/Lyrics/LPs/RumSodomy/Waltzing.html) They’re not only about war, but comparison between old and young. Cats in the Cradle would definitely count for the ‘time passing in a blink’ idea. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/39 "2012-02-11T20:46:59Z")
[One last drink](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK1lXSxZbHw)-Enter the Haggis ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462/40 "2012-02-11T20:58:59Z")
Flowers Never Bend With the Rainfall - Simon & Garfunkel (you’re closer to death than you think) Streets of Laredo - traditional (As I am you shall soon be) Do You Realize? - The Flaming Lips (everyone you know dies) Keep the Car Running - The Arcade Fire (fearing death) Song For Dennis Brown - The Mountain Goats (the world keeps going when you die) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mortality/612462.md?page=3)