The end of 2008 saw Grieves enlisting the help of friend and collaborator Budo to co-produce Together/Apart bringing his signature swiss-army knife, multi-instrumental backdrop to Grieves' hauntingly poignant narrative. The album began taking shape in New York as the two built off the success 88 Keys and Counting had generated and paired it with the intensity they developed from their live performances. The recording process began to shadow the theme of the album as it saw tracks recorded in Colorado and Washington in addition to New York, infusing it with a mixture of regional influences while still maintaining a cohesive sound. As the album neared completion the title took on a double meaning for Grieves as he explored new subject matter in the absence of trust, refuge in addiction, acceptance and honesty in self-reflection, and trying to find his place in the world without forgetting his roots.
Death of Me
Grieves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pack my bags and go
It's all i′ve ever known
It's all that keeps me focused
It's all I′ve ever needed
Was someone to believe in me
When the stars fell outta my skies it wasn′t you
And I wish that you could be that one for me but baby it ain't right
But still you call me up and tell me how you want to do me just one more time
But I′ve walked the line and though I'm fine out here alone
It′s all my fault then why
You keep calling me up
I keep wondering if it's even worth the trouble we go through
To try to prove
Oh you′re gonna be the death of me
Uh huh yeah you're gonna be the death of me
Death of me
You're gonna be the death of me
I guess I′m sick of feeling like I gotsta
Take one on the chin
Fake your silly whim
Oh it kills me you never notice
Cause all you ever wanted
Was someone to be a part of
Those silly little games you play it wasn′t me
And I bet you think if you snap your little fingers I wil run right back to you
But honey that ain't true and it has to prove itself tonight
And if you dont get the simple fact that you and I ain′t good together lady you ain't grown
And it′s gonna be cold out in that big ol' world alone
It′s all my fault then why
You keep calling me up
I keep wondering if it's even worth the trouble we go through
To try to prove
Oh you're gonna be the death of me
Uh huh yeah you′re gonna be the death of me
Death of me
You′re gonna be the death of me
Death of me
You're gonna be the death of me
Death of me
You′re gonna be the death of me
Death of me
In "Death of Me" by Grieves, the singer appears to be reflecting on a strained relationship that has caused them pain and frustration. The repeated phrase 'It's all my fault then why' suggests that the singer is in a cycle of blaming themselves for the issues in the relationship despite feeling like they have tried their best. The opening lines, "I guess I'm sick of feeling like I oughta / Pack my bags and go" also indicate that the singer feels trapped in the relationship and is struggling with whether or not to stay.
Throughout the song, the singer seems torn between their affection for this person and their recognition that they aren't good for each other. The lines "I wish that you could be that one for me but baby it ain't right / That we would fuss and fight until the day turned into night" suggest that the singer knows that the relationship isn't healthy, but still wants to believe that it could work. However, they ultimately conclude that the other person will be the death of them, implying that staying in the relationship will only cause further harm.
Overall, "Death of Me" explores the complicated emotions that come with trying to make a challenging relationship work. The singer is stuck between their desire for connection and their knowledge that the relationship is toxic, and the song captures that struggle in a poignant way.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess I'm sick of feeling like I oughta
I'm tired of feeling like I have to do something
Pack my bags and go
Leave my current situation behind
It's all i've ever known
This is the only life I've ever lived
It's all that keeps me focused
This is the only thing that keeps me on track
It's all I've ever needed
This is the only thing I've ever wanted
Was someone to believe in me
I needed someone to have faith in me
When the stars fell outta my skies it wasn't you
You weren't there for me when I needed you the most
And I wish that you could be that one for me but baby it ain't right
I wanted you to be there for me, but it's not the right thing to do
That we would fuss and fight until the day turned into night
We argued constantly, all day and night
But still you call me up and tell me how you want to do me just one more time
But you still want to hook up one more time
But I've walked the line and though I'm fine out here alone
I've maintained my position and I'm okay without you
It's all my fault then why
If everything is my fault, then why
You keep calling me up
Do you keep reaching out to me
I keep wondering if it's even worth the trouble we go through
I'm not sure if it's worth the effort we put in
To try to prove
To attempt to show
Oh you're gonna be the death of me
You will be the one who causes my downfall
Uh huh yeah you're gonna be the death of me
Yes, you will be the one who causes my failure
Death of me
My demise
You're gonna be the death of me
You will be the cause of my downfall
I guess I'm sick of feeling like I gotsta
I'm tired of feeling like I have to do something
Take one on the chin
Deal with the consequences
Fake your silly whim
Pretend to be interested in your childish requests
Oh it kills me you never notice
It hurts me that you never pay attention
Cause all you ever wanted
Because your only desire
Was someone to be a part of
Was someone to join in on your games
Those silly little games you play it wasn't me
I didn't want to participate in your pointless games
And I bet you think if you snap your little fingers I will run right back to you
You probably believe that I'll come back to you with the snap of your fingers
But honey that ain't true and it has to prove itself tonight
But that's not the case and it will be proven tonight
And if you dont get the simple fact that you and I ain't good together lady you ain't grown
If you can't see that we're not compatible, then you're not mature enough
And it's gonna be cold out in that big ol' world alone
It'll be lonely in this big world without anyone by your side
Death of me
My downfall
You're gonna be the death of me
You will be the cause of my failure
Death of me
My demise
You're gonna be the death of me
You will be the reason why I fail
Death of me
My downfall
You're gonna be the death of me
You will be the one who causes my ruin
Death of me
My downfall
You're gonna be the death of me
You will cause my downfall
Writer(s): Laub Ben Howard, Resch-thomason Jens
Contributed by Emily E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.