What does If I Die Young mean?

The Band Perry: If I Die Young Meaning

Album cover for If I Die Young album cover

Song Released: 2010


If I Die Young Lyrics

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a, bed of roses
Sink me in the river, at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

Uh oh, uh oh

Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 12th 2012 !⃝

    This is such a beautiful song. Its sad and happy at the same time. I can see how so many people can have different meanings depending on where their life is. This reminds me of my sick daughter and I can only hope she can be happy and get what she wants out of life. Life is too precious to worry about what others think or say. Take hold of your life and enjoy every single moment you have while you are in it!!

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Sep 21st 2010 !⃝

    This is just an amazing song. Haunting, sad, and beautiful. It makes a person think about life, and how quickly it can be ended at any given moment. I'm only 15 and if i were to die right now, I think this is exactly the way i would feel. If I die any time soon, I want this played at my funeral!

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 17th 2010 !⃝

    it means that if she were to die at that moment, she would have no regrets about her life and would be content with it. The band also said in an interview that the song can mean different things for different people, people can interpret the song in their own way that relates to them in their life. :)

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 20th !⃝

    She wrote the song for a young girl who was dying. She sang the song for the girl and her mother before the girl passed away.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 22nd 2021 !⃝

    This girl is just saying how she wants to be burried when she dies because as she puts it"life arent always what you think it ought to be no"she knows that anytime she can definately die...

  6. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 14th 2020 !⃝

    To be honest you don’t go to Heaven if kill yourself, and I love the band Perry but I do not condone them putting this song out to encourage suicide, it’s not right and it’s not fair for this song to play in a child’s mind and make them think it is ok.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 17th 2020 !⃝

    I believe it’s based on suicide because in the song it’s says “a sharp knife of a short life” so obviously she cut herself and the other hint was “maybe you’ll here the words I’ve been singing, funny when your dead people start listening” so that’s what I think.

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 26th 2020 !⃝

    I'm 24 now. I have three little boys. In 2015 I lost my mom. That following November I lost the love of my life. The love I'd had since I was 15. I met him in Juvi after I lost my first child, my daughter at 22 weeks. The father to my oldest son. And the man that I would have married instead of settling for the man I'm divorcing. When I hear this and a few others, I think to myself. "Let them be older, with wisdom, not toddlers; if you decide to take me." I'm okay with dying. I've been okay with dying since they left me. But I'm only okay with it when my children are strong enough to thrive without me. I live for them.
    When I hear this. When I hear these words. It makes me realize I have 3 reasons that I know I'll be ok when I die. And 3 reasons that I'm afraid to leave behind.

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 1st 2019 !⃝

    My son, 27 heard this song in 2012. His mother came to visit him for a week. He loved to sing. He sang this new song to her. He died that month in a motorcycle crash. 27 years, 5 months. The song is inextricably linked to my boys death. I listen to it when I need to mourn, cry, remember. So wierd, the timing. Fir ne, a God thing. Today, I've driven 1500 miles to visit his grave. I'll listen to this song and cry.

    David a dad

  10. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 6th 2019 !⃝

    This is most definitely about suicide, it gives it away when it says "the sharp knife of a short life." the girl uses the knife to take her life away, and shorten it, and then she sings "I've had just enough time." she feels content with the time she has had living.

  11. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 5th 2019 !⃝

    I think this song is about to write the poem of songs but it’s helpful for me, I love the river and so many houses, like hgtv. But I like the pool at the lake but it’s magical and pretty cool. I wrote this song when I was at Nashville, I met the band Perry for this track. They’re so good with music and writing but Kimberly Perry sang gorgeous. But nick and joe are doing the guys part but I’m the lead singer like joe, nick they’re my incredible band guys, accept the drummer jack lawless, he’s so good.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  12. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 6th 2018 !⃝

    To me, It sounds like a young girl who thinks she is going to die soon. She has come to peace with the fact that she could die at anytime, but is worried about her mom. She is saying her thoughts and wishes about the subject.

  13. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 30th 2018 !⃝

    When I heard this song first I saw it on a tv show, one of the characters had passed away.

    I then downloaded it and listened to it and when I started listening to the lyrics it reminded me of my brother that committed suicide 2 years ago. He used a knife to do it and in the song it says “the sharp knife of a short life”. My mother is in her 50’s now, she’s not grey yet and I just feel like this song relates to his death so much. The lyrics of this song is the plain truth, all of it.

  14. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 30th 2017 !⃝

    I think this song is about Suicide because it says a sharp node a short life oh well we are doing this song at school and I think we souldnt do it because people take this song as a bad song like a bad way now a days people take stuff the wrong way all the time and there is a lot more people trying to kill them selfs whith all the bullying there is have you ever watched the show or read the book 13 reasons why it is about a girl who dose suicide and that’s what this song reminds me of

    Amy

  15. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Oct 6th 2014 !⃝

    I like the tune but I don't see any hopeful message about seizing the moment or being happy with your life. It sounds to me like a young person that if she dies to love her and understand her, and Listen to her!!!Death is not glamorous , it's final
    I've known a lot of young people that have killed themselves and it's always that thing , " They'll care when I'm gone".
    A common theme in music and tv these days is death and how we can stick around and see how our loved ones are and even communicate.I prefer to focus on life not death. Please young people out there, be safe and stay alive.

  16. crazygamerchix
    click a star to vote
    Oct 3rd 2014 !⃝

    I think that this song is about a girl who is ready to die whenever god decides it her time, because she has no regrets and makes the best out of every moment of her life, and forgets the negative things. Also, she's also saying what she wants when she dies. This is a beautiful song and I love it.

  17. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 22nd 2014 !⃝

    This is a girl with depression who thinks about dying everyday. She hints at it but never really tells anyone directly that she is suicidal. She is sad that people are not hearing what she is really trying to say. She feels bad because she knows her Mom will be devastated if she commits suicide but she herself finds life difficult at best and is glad to be going to heaven, a better place. The song is so sad but at least this young girl knows that she is going to heaven. Depression is an illness and this girl is in no way going to hell. God understands she is sick and is waiting in heaven to relieve her pain and give her eternal life. No one dies a moment before God allows it. Great song.

  18. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jun 10th 2014 !⃝

    I totally, totally agree with the teen suicide interpretation although it may not have been written to convey this idea. However, that is the only conclusion I can draw from the lyrics. Being a grandmother of two teenage girls, who are at least to this point, well adjusted, it still worries me when I hear "No one ever listens to me."

‹ prev 1234



More The Band Perry songs »


 


Latest Articles

 


Submit Your Interpretation

[ want a different song? ]




Just Posted

Mad Hatter anonymous
Fire Lake anonymous
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead anonymous
We Gotta Get out of This Place anonymous
Jealous anonymous
Won't Get Fooled Again anonymous
Smokestack Lightning anonymous
True Colors anonymous
Future Love Paradise anonymous
Adios, Adios anonymous
Strangers anonymous
Possibility anonymous
Jailbreak anonymous
Sour Girl anonymous
Cornflake Girl anonymous

(We won't give out your email)