Please Don't Bury Me
John Prine Lyrics


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Woke up this morning
Put on my slippers
Walked in the kitchen and died
And oh what a feeling!
When my soul went through the ceiling
And on up into heaven I did ride
When I got there they did say
John, it happened this way
You slipped upon the floor
And hit your head
And all the angels say
Just before you passed away
These were the very last words
That you said

Please don't bury me
Down in the cold cold ground
No, I'd druther have 'em cut me up
And pass me all around
Throw my brain in a hurricane
And the blind can have my eyes
And the deaf can take both of my ears
If they don't mind the size

Give my stomach to Milwaukee
If they run out of beer
Put my socks in a cedar box
Just get 'em out of here
Venus de Milo can have my arms
Look out! I've got your nose
Sell my heart to the Junkman
And give my love to Rose

But please don't bury me
Down in that cold, cold ground
No, I'd druther have 'em cut me up
And pass me all around
Throw my brain in a hurricane
And the blind can have my eyes
And the deaf can take both of my ears
If they don't mind the size

Give my feet to the footloose
Careless, fancy free
Give my knees to the needy
Don't pull that stuff on me
Hand me down my walking cane
It's a sin to tell a lie
Send my mouth way down south
And kiss my ass goodbye

But please don't bury me
Down in that cold cold ground
No, I'd druther have 'em cut me up
And pass me all around
Throw my brain in a hurricane
And the blind can have my eyes




And the deaf can take both of my ears
If they don't mind the size

Overall Meaning

In John Prine's song "Please Don't Bury Me," the singer describes his bizarre funeral requests after he dies. He begins the song by saying he died after slipping and hitting his head in the kitchen. When he arrives in heaven, he begs the angels not to bury him in the ground because he doesn't believe in a traditional burial. Instead, he asks for his body parts to be donated to anyone who might need them. He humorously suggests throwing his brain in a hurricane, giving his stomach to Milwaukee for when they run out of beer, and giving his love to Rose. He ends the song by encouraging the listener to "give my mouth way down south and kiss my ass goodbye."


The song is a lighthearted take on the funeral industry and traditional burial practices. It highlights the singer's desire to have his body parts donated to those who need them and his belief that traditional burial is a waste. The song can also be interpreted as a commentary on the value of life and the importance of organ donation.


Line by Line Meaning

Woke up this morning
The singer is describing the start of his day.


Put on my slippers
The singer got out of bed and put on his comfortable footwear.


Walked in the kitchen and died
The singer figuratively died (perhaps due to being startled or overwhelmed) upon entering the kitchen.


And oh what a feeling!
The artist is emphasizing the intensity of his experience.


When my soul went through the ceiling
The artist's soul symbolically ascended to heaven.


And on up into heaven I did ride
The singer is describing his imaginary journey to heaven.


When I got there they did say
The singer is describing what he imagined would occur upon reaching heaven.


John, it happened this way
The artist imagines being greeted by someone who knows his name and what had happened to him.


You slipped upon the floor
The artist imagines a scenario in which he died from a simple accident.


And hit your head
The artist imagines his fatal injury was a result of striking his head.


And all the angels say
The singer is giving a humorous twist to his vision of the afterlife, imagining the presence of angels who know of his strange request.


Just before you passed away
The artist imagines his final moments, during which he makes a bizarre request.


These were the very last words
The singer imagines the strange utterances he made before his death would be remembered.


That you said
The singer imagines someone recounting his unusual final words.


Please don't bury me
The singer's last request was to not be interred in the ground.


Down in the cold cold ground
The artist is emphasizing that he does not want to be buried normally.


No, I'd druther have 'em cut me up
The artist's request becomes more extreme, desiring his body to be dismembered instead of buried.


And pass me all around
The singer wants his body parts to be distributed to others.


Throw my brain in a hurricane
The singer continues with his surreal requests, suggesting his brain be tossed into a natural disaster.


And the blind can have my eyes
The artist wants his eyes to be used by the blind.


And the deaf can take both of my ears
The artist wants his ears to be used by the deaf.


If they don't mind the size
The artist is making a joke, implying that his body parts might not be suitable for everyone.


Give my stomach to Milwaukee
The singer continues with his absurd requests, desiring his organs to be given to a place instead of a person.


If they run out of beer
The artist is using humor to mask his odd request.


Put my socks in a cedar box
The singer continues listing humorous instructions for his body.


Just get 'em out of here
The singer is implying that his socks are no longer of use to him.


Venus de Milo can have my arms
The singer's requests become increasingly bizarre, offering his limbs to a famous statue.


Look out! I've got your nose
The artist is making a joke, claiming to have taken someone else's nose before his death.


Sell my heart to the Junkman
The artist continues listing comically macabre requests for his body.


And give my love to Rose
The singer finishes his humorous suggestions by requesting his affection be sent to someone named Rose.


Give my feet to the footloose
The singer is making one final request to have his body distributed amongst others.


Careless, fancy free
The artist is indicating that he does not care to whom his body parts are given.


Give my knees to the needy
The artist continues with his final bizarre request, desiring his knees to be used by those who require them.


Don't pull that stuff on me
The artist is insisting that his odd requests for his body be taken seriously.


Hand me down my walking cane
The singer is transitioning away from talking about his body and onto something else.


It's a sin to tell a lie
The artist is stating a well-known axiom, but it is unclear how it relates to the rest of the song.


Send my mouth way down south
The singer is using slang to say goodbye and indicate that he wishes to be cremated instead of buried.


And kiss my ass goodbye
The singer is making one final joke about his own death.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Prine

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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