Afterlife
Arcade Fire(아케이드 파이어) Lyrics

Afterlife, oh my God, what an awful word
The mere mention of the term afterlife can be daunting and extremely unsettling.

After all the breath and the dirt And the fires that burn
Despite all the life that was lived and all the flames that were fanned, eventually, everything will come to an end.

And after all this time And after all the ambulances go
Even when time stops ticking and help can no longer arrive, the memory of the human experience will still linger on.

And after all the hangers-on are done Hanging on to the dead lights Of the afterglow
Once the moment has passed, there will be nothing left but lingering echoes and memories of what had once been.

Can we work it out? We scream and shout 'till we work it out Can we just work it out? Scream and shout 'till we work it out? 'Till we work it out, 'till we work it out 'Till we work it out, 'till we work it out
Despite the inherent finality of life, the artist is still holding out hope for resolution and reconciliation, even if it takes endless effort to get there.

Afterlife, I think I saw what happens next It was just a glimpse of you Like looking through a window Or a shallow sea Could you see me?
The concept of the afterlife is nebulous and uncharted territory - like peeking through glass or water, the singer barely caught a glimpse of what awaits beyond the mortal veil.

And after all this time It's like nothing else we used to know
The afterlife represents a distinct separation from all the memories and experiences that were gained in life.

But you say Oh, when love is gone Where does it go? And you say Oh, we know it's gone Where did it go? And where do we go?
The loss of love is like a death in its own way - it leaves the artist gasping for answers about where it went and where they belong in the aftermath.

And after this Can it last another night? After all the bad advice Had nothing at all to do with life
Even if the afterlife is infinite, the artist wonders if the post-mortem experience is tolerable or if it drags on indefinitely. They also reflect on the regrettable advice given in life that ultimately contributed nothing to the greater human experience.

But you say Oh, we know it's gone Where did it go? And where do we go?
The same insecurities about loss and displacement from life carry through to the end of the track.

Is this the afterlife? It's just an afterlife, with you It's just an afterlife It's just an afterlife, with you It's just an afterlife
The last lines suggest that even if the great unknown turns out to be nothing more than an afterlife with a loved one, that would be enough to make the journey worthwhile.