Dying Is Fine Lyrics
To settle our thoughts
Never minding what for
Nothing of a harm to dread
On my mind
So tell me what belies
Oh, tell me what I could have
Oh, oh, tell me what for
[Bridge]
No more of this living dying
Just scientific analyzing
Forgive us, oh life
The sin of
[Chorus]
Death, oh baby
You know that dying is fine but maybe
I wouldn't like death if death were good
Not even if death were good
[Verse 2]
Is this it?
Maundering about and
All I have is too much time
To understand
Life until its ending
Oh, and I can't forget
[Bridge]
[Chorus]
About
Dying Is Fine was one of Ra Ra Riot’s first songs, which was released and reworked several times before it made it onto the band’s first full album ‘The Rhumb Line’.
Inspired by the E.E. Cummings poem of the same name, it was written by the entire band, including their drummer John Pike (an avid songwriter who had written more than 400 songs before he had even joined Ra Ra Riot), who passed away shortly before the band released their 2007 EP Ra Ra Riot.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
In an interview with WQHS Radio, bassist Mathieu Santos states:
I wasn’t too closely involved with the lyrics of the song but the chorus is based on an E.E. Cummings poem that is also titled ‘Dying is Fine’. I think Wes wrote a lot of those lyrics about John, our original drummer [who drowned early in 2007]. There was another guy early on who left in 2006, and the idea to quote the E.E. Cummings poem was actually his. But as far as the deeper meaning goes, I’m not sure I’m qualified to really answer. I just think it’s sort of that age old reflection on mortality and the great struggle in life and coming to terms with our own mortality. If we enter this bargain of life and living we have to accept the fact that we will also die someday unfortunately. That’s kind of a theme in our music—on one hand it’s fun party music but on the other hand you could say there’s a melancholy or reflective tinge to the lyrics.
- 2.Each Year
- 4.Winter ’05
- 5.Dying Is Fine
- 6.Can You Tell
- 8.Oh, La
- 10.Run My Mouth
