I'm sure many of you have heard the song "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry because it is a very popular one right now that is always playing on the radio. Well now every time I hear this song playing on the radio I think about all of our discussions in the Death and Dying class. Especially the discussions that have to do with Hospice care, and trying to help the people who are passing away complete any dreams that they might have left undone. It also makes me think about Proffesor Cox's stories on how she always tries to keep her life as full and complete as possible just in case anything is to ever happen to her. I found this article on line about the song and the meaning that it had to the band themselves.
http://http://kfrog.radio.com/2010/07/19/if-i-die-young-story-behind-the-lyrics/
I had heard this song once or twice before but I never actually took the time to listen to it. Once I saw your posting I immediately looked up the video and the lyrics and was really touched. It not only is a beautiful song but have a great meaning of just encouraging people to live each moment of their lives to the fullest with no regrets. Just like Professor Cox said in class, don't go to bed mad at the ones you love and experience your life to the fullest. This is my new philosophy in life and if I do die young, I'll face death with a smile and say "Hey at least I lived everyday to it's fullest"
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the song "If I die Young." I feel as if there are many deaths that are happening lately to extremely young people (especially what we see in Hollywood: Heath Ledger, Anna Nicole Smith, Brittany Murphy, Michael Jackson, etc.) I feel as if half the message is: dont do drugs, youll die! and the other half of the message is: Oh, they just over dosed on drugs, so be careful when you do them!
ReplyDeleteThe media has gotten extreme these days, and The Band Perry does a great job with their song in letting people know that dying at a young age is ok and can be a beautiful thing, because lets face it the media is not too beautiful these days.
I am confused by my love of this song. The musicallity of it all makes the thought of death, and dying before your time sound so peaceful and comforting. I can't imagine what it would be like for my mom to loose me when I was still young, and this song gives me hope that she could be comforted by music and the people around her. I also agree with what Evelyn has said in that it is surprising to see how accepted this song is (although I feel people aren't taking the message to heart). I have faith that the culture we live in will soon turn around to the idea of death as not something scary, but beautiful when it eventually comes.
ReplyDeleteThis song is so touching...Evelyn you're comment is so spot on. I remeber whe nwe spoke in class about the taboo subject of death in today's osciety and how in the 1600s it was sex that was taboo and it's not today. The Plague, the Black Death, led people to become soooo comfortable with death and decay becasue it was everywhere around them, even in their own homes. The sacredness of death wasn't as pronounced as it is today because people had to dispose of the bodies quickly and effectively so that the plage wouldn't spread (of course this wasn't know at first and that's how it was spread so quickly in the first place). Today, there are songs about death such as this one and eventhoug hit is a beautiful and heartfelt song it's also ery open in the realization of our own mortality and that young people like ourselves can die as easily as someone who is 100 years old.
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