Love Dies Young

Album: Medicine at Midnight (2021)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This upbeat Foo Fighters rocker finds Dave Grohl taking a cynical view of matters of the heart. He maintains that when you're deeply in love, it "leaves you numb with a nasty reputation." Such an attraction doesn't last forever, and once it's gone, it will "make you wish you never had a taste."
  • The Foos recorded "Love Dies Young" for their 2021 Medicine at Midnight album. Dave Grohl brought songs like "Shame Shame" to the recording sessions, but this one grew organically. Speaking to Guitar World, the frontman said it started out as a "strummy sort of song we've done a million times," which the band didn't see as a candidate for the record. When drummer Taylor Hawkins suggested a 16th-note beat, Grohl had other ideas, telling him to go for an "Abba side-high-hat-disco thing."

    Guitarist Chris Shiflett then added a galloping rhythm part like Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger." "It was almost like a joke," Shiflett said. "But we listened back to it and we were like, 'Hmm … that actually sounds pretty good!'"

    As The Foos added the instruments, they laughed away because they were doing things they're not meant to do. "We're not supposed to do the galloping flange guitar! We're not supposed to do the Abba beat!" said Grohl. "But we're just like, 'F--k, load it up, man!' And then at the end of the day, we had something we'd never done before."
  • Written and directed by Dave Grohl, the video stars Ted Lasso's Jason Sudeikis as a coach hyping up an American synchronized swimming team ahead of a competition. As the team make their way to the pool, the Foo Fighters members' heads are superimposed on the swimmers.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.