# Songs where narrator dies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748 "2019-05-30T01:51:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/101 "2019-06-03T00:55:02Z")
Grand Funk Railroad’s [I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8MYsii4DZY). Always felt the narrator has died and become a Flying Dutchman type, doomed to forever be at sea, always getting closer to home, but never making it. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/102 "2019-06-03T07:15:45Z")
Damn, I want to include _Keep Me in Your Heart_ on _The Wind_, Warren Zevon’s last album, because it is brutal to listen to, but I am not sure if you can count the narrator as quite dead yet. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2019, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/103 "2019-06-03T10:43:27Z")
“The Highwayman” by The Highwaymen (Willie, Johnny, Waylon, and Kris) tells of the singer’s previous incarnations and deaths, and current life and expected death. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/104 "2019-06-04T05:20:54Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > “The Highwayman” by The Highwaymen (Willie, Johnny, Waylon, and Kris) tells of the singer’s previous incarnations and deaths, and current life and expected death. I wish I posted that. Oh wait … [I did](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21674549&postcount=92) ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/105 "2019-06-04T06:30:26Z")
Not the narrator, but [30,000 Pounds of Bananas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30,000_Pounds_of_Bananas) is a Harry Chapin song that is all about a truck driver who dies when he loses control of his truck during a steep descent into Scranton, Pennsylvania. ---
**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:** [June 4, 2019, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/106 "2019-06-04T10:25:06Z")
[Phil Harris - The Thing 1950](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1tKZ3flZZY) ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/107 "2019-06-04T15:12:21Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I wish I posted that. > > Oh wait … [I did](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21674549&postcount=92) And nobody can take away your achievement of being the third person to mention it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/108 "2019-06-04T17:16:06Z")
[Porcupine Tree - Heartattack in a Layby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDdv0ItSefk) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/109 "2019-06-04T17:33:23Z")
New Order, [Love Vigilantes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlHQSIMHqjA) _When I walked through the door My wife she lay upon the floor And with tears her eyes were sore I did not know why Then I looked into her hand And then I saw the telegram Said that I was a brave, brave man But that I was dead_ ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/110 "2019-06-04T17:37:53Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Dang, I came here to share this one, so I’ll have to go with Al’s “Melanie”: > _You weren’t impressed when I tattooed > Your name across my forehead > You wouldn’t listen when I promised to be true_ > _I couldn’t stand it, so I jumped out > From the sixteenth story window right above you > Now I may be dead but I still love you_ And how about “Constipated,” his Avril Lavigne parody? _Why’d I have to go and get myself decapitated? This really is a major inconvenience, oh man, I really hate it Such a drag, now can’t eat, I can’t breathe, I can’t snore I can’t belch or yodel anymore Can’t spit or blow my nose or even read Sports Illustrated_ ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/111 "2019-06-04T17:40:25Z")
[Blue October - The End](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuTxkDBZnaY) _I cocked the pistol pulled the trigger and all I saw was red I gently stroke her arm as she lies lifeless on her back Then placed the barrel in my mouth, all I saw was black_ ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/112 "2019-06-04T17:43:22Z")
Johnny Cash and Sting both came close: \*Early one morning With time to kill I see the gallows Up on a hill And out in the distance A trick of the brain I see a lone rider Crossing the plain And he’d come to fetch me To see what they’d done And we’ll ride together To kingdom come I prayed for God’s mercy 'Cause soon I’d be dead I hung my head I hung my head\* ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/113 "2019-06-04T18:20:35Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > New Order, [Love Vigilantes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlHQSIMHqjA) > > _When I walked through the door > My wife she lay upon the floor > And with tears her eyes were sore > I did not know why > Then I looked into her hand > And then I saw the telegram > Said that I was a brave, brave man > But that I was dead_ Also 1963. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/114 "2019-06-04T18:37:55Z")
From the folk music side: Cindy Mangsen does an eerie song called Little River about a drowned sailor. “Spring comes warm to little river, Storm comes black, I was heading home when the indian giver, Took me back.” ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/115 "2019-06-04T20:15:26Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > Can’t stand losing you - The Police Nothing in the song says the singer has actually died. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/116 "2019-06-13T16:02:23Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > And how about “Constipated,” his Avril Lavigne parody? > > _Why’d I have to go and get myself decapitated? > This really is a major inconvenience, oh man, I really hate it > Such a drag, now can’t eat, I can’t breathe, I can’t snore > I can’t belch or yodel anymore > Can’t spit or blow my nose or even read Sports Illustrated_ While the first verse is about constipation, the name of the song is A Complicated Song, a parody of Complicated. ---
**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 13, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/117 "2019-06-13T16:12:21Z")
I always thought that [Come Sail Away](https://genius.com/Styx-come-sail-away-lyrics) by Styx was such a song: The singer is sailing away, thinking about his life, seeing angels. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2019, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748/118 "2019-06-13T16:19:46Z")
Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising”, from the album of the same name, is narrated by a New York fireman climbing the World Trade Center stairs and arriving in heaven. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-where-narrator-dies/834748.md?page=5)