Songs in which the singer dies

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Roy Orbison - Tennessee owns my soul ("everythings going black and i'm dying")

― bulbs (bulbs), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:32 (twenty-one years ago)

"Detroit Rock City" by Kiss

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:36 (twenty-one years ago)

"Disposable Heroes" by Metallica

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:36 (twenty-one years ago)

"the Mercy Seat" by Nick Cave

― autovac (autovac), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:39 (twenty-one years ago)

"Coma" by Guns N' Roses

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

"Love Vigillantes" by New Order

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

the long black veil

― m0stly clean (m0stly clean), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Scarface - I'm Dead

I woke up to a tune on the radio, check it
An old church hymn behind a breakbeat record (yeahhh)
Sounded kinda funky so I pumped it, right
but rudely interrupted by a neighborhood street fight
When will you motherfuckers quit?
Every motherfuckin mornin it's the same ol bullshit
I peeped to see the thrashin
Some nigga runnin with a butcher knife, screamin out "Assassin!"
He ran by a friend of mine, it bugged him
His eyes showed fear, that's the reason why he stuck him
Anyway, that's how I seen it
You rarely see a nigga kill another nigga,
and he doesn't mean it
So that's the way I took it
Anyway the boy is dead, no matter how you look at it
And life goes on..
I was feelin kinda funny - aiyyo something's wrong
I went to take a shower Duke
Bumped into the wall and I smooth went through
Now I'm thinkin I'm in trouble
I reached to touch my face, but I couldn't feel my beard stubble
I screamed, "Oh Lord help!"
Looked into the mirror and I couldn't see myself
I called up my mom's house
and realized somethin was wrong, no doubt
She picked up, said "Hello" in a low tone
I said, "Hey ma!" and she hung up the telephone
Sick and lookin weary
My cousin walks in, I said, "What's up?" but he didn't hear me
Started packin up my shit G
Looked at a picture of me, put it down and said, "Rest in peace"
Realizin what he said man
I can't talk, I don't exist, I'm a dead man
Yeah I guess I'm dead right?
I'm goin to the cemetary to peep out Action's gravesite
And sure enough, there it is
My mom and girl talkin, holdin on to Brad's kids
I look into the box G
Son of a bitch! I don't believe it, that's me!
Momma kissed me on my head
Aww shit.. I'm dead (I'm dead)

― bulbs (bulbs), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"D.O.A.," Bloodrock
"25 Minutes to Go," Johnny Cash
Does Iggy die in "Turn Blue"?

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:43 (twenty-one years ago)

While i'm flying - Cherokee (well, actually - like scarface - she's already dead)

― bulbs (bulbs), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

"Suicidal Thoughts" by Biggie
“In the Kingdom #19,” by Sonic Youth

― autovac (autovac), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Leah by Roy Orbison

― Drew Daniel, Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:45 (twenty-one years ago)

"I Come and Stand at Every Door" by This Mortal Coil (though they didn't write it, and I'm not sure who did).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:46 (twenty-one years ago)

"In my time of dying" Led Zep

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:52 (twenty-one years ago)

"The Living End" by the Jesus and Mary Chain
"Megan" by Smoking Popes

― King Korn Carn, Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

"Stan"

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

"Melanie" by Weird Al

― King Korn Carn, Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

ah i have in my head the phrase "i'm dead, i'm dead" in a monotone from some punk/new wave band...what the fuck is it?

― bulbs (bulbs), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

"Yeah! Oh Yeah!" - The Magnetic Fields (one of the singers is killed by the other singer)
(x-post)

― morris pavilion (samjeff), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

were any of the girls that died in the Shangri La's songs the narrator? probably

― JaXoN (JasonD), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:57 (twenty-one years ago)

That's Bauhaus dude.

x-post

― Kim (Kim), Thursday, 28 October 2004 21:58 (twenty-one years ago)

ah of course bela lugosi. not for here then. thanks kim.

― bulbs (bulbs), Thursday, 28 October 2004 22:00 (twenty-one years ago)

"Indiana Wants Me", R Dean Taylor. Not immediately, but you know it's coming

― Morley Timmons (Donna Brown), Thursday, 28 October 2004 22:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Three from Marty Robbins' "Gunfighter Ballads": El Paso, Running Gun, and They're Hanging Me Tonight.

― Vampire Submarine (VampireSubmarine), Thursday, 28 October 2004 22:35 (twenty-one years ago)

tad "jack pepsi" (i assume)

― the surface noise (slight return) (electricsound), Thursday, 28 October 2004 22:38 (twenty-one years ago)

That one with Kylie Minogue and Nick Cave, whats it called?

Something about Wild Rose or something.

― papa november (papa november), Thursday, 28 October 2004 22:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Where the Wild Roses Grow

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 28 October 2004 22:46 (twenty-one years ago)

thankyou.

― papa november (papa november), Thursday, 28 October 2004 22:46 (twenty-one years ago)

"God's Comic" - Elvis Costello

― Wooden (Wooden), Thursday, 28 October 2004 22:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Hallowed Be Thy Name by Iron Maiden, if I remember rightly.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Thursday, 28 October 2004 23:02 (twenty-one years ago)

"My Second to Last Will And Testament" by Carter USM

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 28 October 2004 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

borderline eligibility: the earlies - one of us is dead

― sleep (sleep), Thursday, 28 October 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

"I Come and Stand at Every Door" by This Mortal Coil (though they didn't write it, and I'm not sure who did).

-- Alex in NYC (vassife...), October 28th, 2004.

The Fall have a song called 'I Come And Stand At Your Door' (1997), about a little girl who was killed in the Hiroshima blast. Having not heard the TMC song, I'm not sure of any parallels.

― Sasha on a different PC, Friday, 29 October 2004 00:05 (twenty-one years ago)

It's the same song.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 29 October 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

"The Ledge" by The Replacements.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Friday, 29 October 2004 00:33 (twenty-one years ago)

"Sing Me to Sleep," Allison Moorer

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Friday, 29 October 2004 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"El Paso," Marty Robbins
"25 Hours to Go," Johnny Cash

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Friday, 29 October 2004 00:42 (twenty-one years ago)

The Naysayer's "Waitin' & Datin'" is about a woman who dies, goes up to heaven, and then sits around hoping that her beloved will get hit by a bus or somesuch before he falls in love with someone else. It's fucking hilarious. That whole EP is great, actually -- I don't cotton much to Anna Padgett's drony stuff, but when she wants to be she's incredibly funny.

― Jesse Fuchs (Jesse Fuchs), Friday, 29 October 2004 00:46 (twenty-one years ago)

neil young - powderfinger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― jake b. (cerybut), Friday, 29 October 2004 01:53 (twenty-one years ago)

The Magnetic Fields - "Yeah! Oh Yeah!"

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Friday, 29 October 2004 02:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Bob Dylan - Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Blood Sweat & Tears - And When I Die

― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 29 October 2004 02:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Metallica "Ride the Lightning"
Bee Gees "I've Just Gotta Get a Message To You"

― dave q, Friday, 29 October 2004 02:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Public Enemy "Meet the G that Killed Me"

― dave q, Friday, 29 October 2004 02:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Ice-T - Peel Their Caps Back

― M Carty (mj_c), Friday, 29 October 2004 06:28 (twenty-one years ago)

In "Leah," he wakes up and it was all a dream.

Pete Seeger wrote "I Come and Stand At Every Door"; the Byrds' cover is probably the most well-known version.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 29 October 2004 06:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Pete Seeger wrote "I Come and Stand At Every Door"; the Byrds' cover is probably the most well-known version.

According to Allmusic, it was written by Hikmet & Walters...whoever they are.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 29 October 2004 06:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Sonic Youth - Tunic (Song for Karen)
- Does this one count? I think it's only in the last verse when it gets to the "I'm in heaven now.." part.

― M Carty (mj_c), Friday, 29 October 2004 06:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Public Image 'Theme', I suppose.

― Andrew Blood Thames (Andrew Thames), Friday, 29 October 2004 06:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Oops. 'Fifth Dimension' reissue liner notes: "Translated by Pete Seeger from a poem by Nazim Hikmet, the melody is taken from the traditional ballad 'Great Selchie of Shule Skerry' . . . "

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 29 October 2004 07:28 (twenty-one years ago)

My God, why didn't I think of The Trooper by Maiden before?!

― M Carty (mj_c), Friday, 29 October 2004 07:32 (twenty-one years ago)

bar

A DREAM by john cale and lou reed.

― piscesboy, Friday, 29 October 2004 07:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Momus: "I Was a Maoist Intellectual":

"When I died, the energy released by my frustration
Was nearly enough for reincarnation"

(although it's obv strictly the persona, not the singer dying haha)

― OleM (OleM), Friday, 29 October 2004 09:04 (twenty-one years ago)

"I'm alive
I'm dead
I'm the stranger
Killing an arab"

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 29 October 2004 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't think so? thts based on a camus tale in't it?

― bulbs (bulbs), Friday, 29 October 2004 10:39 (twenty-one years ago)

not that i remember the point. is he dying?

― bulbs (bulbs), Friday, 29 October 2004 10:41 (twenty-one years ago)

"The Downward Spiral" by Nine Ince Nails.
Although the song starts in the second person, "He couldn't believe how easy it was", it ends up being told in the first person, "spilling out of my head". So...

― David Merryweather (DavidM), Friday, 29 October 2004 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Cornelius - 'Rock/96'

It's just a made-up dream
It doesn't mean anything
I found I live in a dream
Woke up and went back to sleep
Good night, good night, good night
Good night, good night, good night
Good night, good night, good night
Good night, good night, good night

― B.A.R.M.S. (Barima), Friday, 29 October 2004 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Prince Paul feat. Breeze - Every Beginning Must Have an Ending/New Joint (DJ's Delite)

― B.A.R.M.S. (Barima), Friday, 29 October 2004 11:11 (twenty-one years ago)

"Everywhere" by Billy Bragg (not sure who did original?)

"I never got home, my platoon was never saved,
That little foxhole became my island grave"

― Huey (Huey), Friday, 29 October 2004 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

terry jacks - "seasons in the sun"
goblin market - "at last"

― echoinggrove (echoinggrove), Friday, 29 October 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

snoop-murdah woz he case. not only does he dy but he is the person who goes down for his own murder, classic

― lukey (Lukey G), Friday, 29 October 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Mr. Bungle "Pink Cigarette"

...it's just three hours and then you will find me dead...
...it's just two hours and then you will find me dead...
...it's just one more hour and then you will find me dead...
...it's BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 29 October 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Syd Barrett - "Opel"

― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 29 October 2004 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)

A couple songs on the Unicorns' debut record.

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 29 October 2004 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

i get so excited every time 'theme' by PiL gets mentioned in a thread.

― peter smith (plsmith), Friday, 29 October 2004 14:17 (twenty-one years ago)

What, sexually excited?

Why?

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 29 October 2004 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm fascinated by songs which are narrated by the dead. There's a song that June Tabor sings called Banks Of Red Roses which is told from the perspective of a murdered girl in which she tells the story of her life (and warns others not to follow her path!)

― Amarga (Amarga), Friday, 29 October 2004 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Eric B & Rakim - 'Juice (Know The Ledge)'

― B.A.R.M.S. (Barima), Friday, 29 October 2004 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Gruppo Sportivo - "Lasting Forever"

― Jeff W (zebedee), Friday, 29 October 2004 15:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Quite a few They Might Be Giants songs. One of those guys seems to have an "awareness" of his own mortality.

"Now it's over, I'm dead and I haven't done anything that I want, or I'm still alive and there's nothing I want to do".

One of Sparks' funniest is "Here In Heaven", about the suicide pact that went wrong.

"Dear, do you often think of me
As you overlook the sea
Co I qualify as dearly departed or am I
That sucker in the sky
The fall guy for the first and the last time
Juliet, I thought we had agreed
Now I know why you let me take the lead"

― everything, Friday, 29 October 2004 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Escape Club - "I'll Be There" (a beyond-the-grave-I-still-love-you fluke hit)

Ricky Nelson, "Garden Party," if dying at MSG counts

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 30 October 2004 01:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Decembrists - "Leslie Anne Levine" (it's told in first person dead baby)

― Layna Andersen (Layna Andersen), Saturday, 30 October 2004 01:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Nick Cave "Lay Me Low"

― bill neil (inabillity), Saturday, 30 October 2004 02:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Ice Cube "Alive On Arrival"

― kit brash (kit brash), Saturday, 30 October 2004 12:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Twinkiebots "Free"

"jumped off a limb/then I died"

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Saturday, 30 October 2004 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Laura and Tommy were lovers
He wanted to give her everything
Flowers, presents,
But most of all, a wedding ring
He saw a sign for a stock car race
A thousand dollar prize it read
He couldn't get Laura on the phone
So to her mother, Tommy said
Tell Laura I love her
Tell Laura I need her
Tell Laura I may be late
I've something to do, that cannot wait
He drove his car to the racing grounds
He was the youngest driver there
The crowed roared as they started the race
Around the track they drove at a deadly pace
No one knows what happened that day
Or how his car overturned in flames
But as they pulled him from the twisted wreck
With his dying breath, they heard him say
Tell Laura I love her
Tell Laura I need her
Tell Laura not to cry
My love for her will never die
Now in the chapel where Laura prays
For her poor Tommy, who passed away
It was just for Laura he lived and died
Alone in the chapel she can hear him cry
Tell Laura I love her
Tell Laura I need her
Tell Laura not to cry
My love for her will never die

Tell Laura I love her
Tell Laura I need her
Tell Laura not to cry
My love for her will never die

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Saturday, 30 October 2004 12:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Lee Hazelwood & Nancy Sinatra: "Arkansas Coal (Suite)". He cops it in the mine.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 30 October 2004 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Momus "Maf". Complete with gunshot.

― Adam Bruneau (oliver8bit), Saturday, 30 October 2004 15:03 (twenty-one years ago)

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