We're All Gonna Die

Album: released as a single (2022)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • AJ Smith takes on mortality in this track, which he wrote with Jason Lane and his drummer, Dru Marshall. Smith explained: "A global pandemic, world war, recession, sentient AI around the corner, and so much more later, the existential dread and mental health struggles are at an all-time high. In one of my recent therapy sessions, my therapist brought up the latin phrase, 'memento mori' - remember that you die - and he challenged me to consider that the inevitability of death can create a sense of freedom rather than dread. My drummer and I started writing this song in the car, just tapping on the dashboard. And we conquered the phrase 'We're All Gonna Die' so that it's not sad, but rather triumphant. Just like the phrase memento mori, the song is simultaneously full of dread and hope, but in the end, it's a rather optimistic view, greeting the inevitability with open arms and saying, 'we're all gonna die, we just don't know when, let's make the most of the time that we got left.'"
  • The music video was shot at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York, with Evan Deng directing. Seemingly role playing in different alternate realities, it becomes clear AJ is trapped, forced to continue experiencing climactic events that he eventually attempts to escape.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.

Crystal Waters

Crystal WatersSongwriter Interviews

Waters tells the "Gypsy Woman" story, shares some of her songwriting insights, and explains how Dennis Rodman ended up on one of her songs.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.

Loudon Wainwright III

Loudon Wainwright IIISongwriter Interviews

"Dead Skunk" became a stinker for Loudon when he felt pressure to make another hit - his latest songs deal with mortality, his son Rufus, and picking up poop.