Songfacts®:

• "Death Wish" unfolds as a tense narrative portraying the challenges of loving someone grappling with profound depression. Jason Isbell paints a picture of a love story that initially thrived on wild excitement but eventually unraveled, leaving him in a state of desperation.
• The lyrics delve into the intricate struggle of preserving a relationship as a dark cloud looms over a loved one. Isbell pleads, "Did you ever love a woman with a death wish?" describing her haunting gaze as reminiscent of flicking off a light switch. He reflects on the inevitability of mortality but strives to give her a reason to carry on.
• The song mirrors its intense subject with a tempestuous energy, incorporating a captivating riff and dynamic drum patterns. Sylvia Massy's added strings bring a grand quality reminiscent of a James Bond theme song. The opening track of Weathervanes, it is a surprising detour from Isbell's usual Americana-flavored offerings.
  
  "That's a modern type of songwriting that I'm really drawn to, but it's also antithetical to the roots-music ideal," Isbell told Apple Music. "And after 'Death Wish' is over, I feel like, you've hung in there with me through this sort of experimental thing. Now I can give you something that is a little bit more comfortable for your palate, something you're a little more used to from me."
• "Death Wish" is one of Isbell's most musically audacious and involved tracks. He made it the first single from Weathervanes because it brims with crossover potential, potentially able to reach beyond his Americana fanbase. "Early on, I figured out the way you move people is more important than the number of people you move," Isbell told Mojo magazine. "But it's fun to reach all these folks who grew up in much different places than me. It makes me feel I have more in common with way more people than I thought."
• Weathervanes is Isbell's ninth studio album and his sixth accompanied by his backing band, the 400 Unit. He wrote and produced all the songs himself and recorded it at Blackbird Studio, Nashville.