Buried Alive
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics

"Buried Alive" by Echo & the Bunnymen is a hauntingly beautiful song that speaks of the struggle and fear of death, and the search for a sense of peace in one's final moments. The lyrics evoke feelings of helplessness, sadness, and even anger as the singer grapples with the harsh reality of mortality. The first verse, "Buried alive, person unknown, dying inside, half the way home," sets the tone for the entire song. The phrase "buried alive" implies a sense of being trapped or confined, helpless and at the mercy of fate. The second line, "Person unknown," suggests that the singer feels alone and isolated in their struggle, with no one to turn to. "Dying inside, half the way home" speaks to the feeling of slowly fading away, with the end of life looming on the horizon.

The song's chorus, "Hey now, hey now, don't you cry, it's just the dying of the light, time to say our goodbyes, I'll look for you in that goodnight," is a message of comfort and reassurance, with the singer speaking to themselves or to a loved one who may be dying. The phrase "dying of the light" is borrowed from Dylan Thomas' poem "Do not go gentle into that goodnight," and speaks to the struggle to keep one's flame burning in the face of darkness and despair. The repeated phrase "I'll look for you in that goodnight" speaks to the search for peace and connection beyond death, suggesting that there is more to life than just the physical realm.

The second verse of the song, "Don't want to know when, don't want to know why, don't want to believe that life is just to die, you were the one who sang lullabies, I'm still hanging out to dry, out to cry," speaks to the fear and anxiety that surrounds death, and the struggle to come to terms with its inevitability. The line "you were the one who sang lullabies" suggests a parent or caregiver, and speaks to the comfort and safety that is often associated with childhood. The phrase "I'm still hanging out to dry, out to cry" suggests a sense of abandonment and vulnerability, as if the singer has been left alone to deal with their own mortality.

Overall, "Buried Alive" is a powerful and emotional song that speaks to the universal human experience of death and dying. The lyrics are poetic and evocative, and the music is hauntingly beautiful, making it a classic among Echo & the Bunnymen's many great songs.