A graduate of St. Andrew's School, Wainwright is best known for a 1972 novelty song hit Dead Skunk (in the Middle of the Road), with pianist Teddy Wender and for playing Captain Spalding (the "singing surgeon") on three episodes of the American television show M*A*S*H in its third season (1974-1975), but his musical reputation is much deeper. Using a witty, self-mocking style, Wainwright has recorded over twenty albums on eleven different labels. Two of his albums have been nominated for Grammy awards.
He is also a regular actor in Judd Apatow movies. His biggest role was playing the father on Judd's show, Undeclared.
In 2012 his latest offering Older Than My Old Man Now was released.
Official website : http://www.lwiii.com/
The Days That We Die
Loudon Wainwright III Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll never win, neither will you, so what in this world are we gonna do,
People hate change, they make a fuss, they stay the same, people like us,
Folks wanna win, when they can choose, but more important than that, folks don't wanna lose
When did it start how did it go wrong
Why in this world can't we get along
Each victory should be good news,
I wanna change but I don't know how
We need to change though, I know that now
Its sad but its true and I have to say, that the days that we die aren't that far away
You'll never change neither will I
We'll stay the same till the days that we die
I'll never win, neither will you
So what in this world are we gonna do?
The song "The Days That We Die" by Loudon Wainwright III is a poignant exploration of the unchanging nature of people and relationships. The lyrics speak of two people who are stuck in a rut and seem to be unable to change, even though they both recognize that they should. The opening lines "You'll never change, neither will I, we'll stay the same till the days that we die" immediately set the tone for the song, as the singer acknowledges that he and the person he is addressing are unlikely to change and that they will remain the same until the end of their lives.
The next lines "I'll never win, neither will you, so what in this world are we gonna do" highlight the futility of their situation. Despite wanting to change, they are trapped in a cycle of behavior that they cannot break. The middle section of the song focuses on the fear and resistance to change that is common among people, as the singer reflects that "people hate change, they make a fuss, they stay the same, people like us." The fear of losing is a powerful motivator, as the song notes "folks wanna win, when they can choose, but more important than that, folks don't wanna lose."
The song ends with a sense of resignation and melancholy, as the singer acknowledges that the end of life is not far away and that change is necessary but difficult. "I wanna change but I don't know how, we need to change though, I know that now. It's sad but it's true and I have to say that the days that we die aren't that far away." "The Days That We Die" is a powerful and relatable song that explores the human condition of being stuck and feeling helpless to make a change.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll never change, neither will I, we'll stay the same till the days that we die.
We are both resistant to personal changes and will stay the same until we die.
I'll never win, neither will you, so what in this world are we gonna do,
Neither of us will succeed, leaving us both wondering what to do next.
People hate change, they make a fuss, they stay the same, people like us,
Most people are averse to change and prefer to remain in their comfort zones, just like us.
Folks wanna win, when they can choose, but more important than that, folks don't wanna lose
People would rather be victorious than lose, but the fear of loss drives their actions more than anything else.
When did it start how did it go wrong
Reflecting on when things began and how they deteriorated into their current state.
Why in this world can't we get along
Expressing frustration with the inability to find common ground and peacefully coexist.
Each victory should be good news,
A win should be a cause for celebration and happiness.
But when I have to win you're the one that I lose
Winning becomes meaningless when it comes at the cost of someone else's loss.
I wanna change but I don't know how
The desire to change exists, but the means to do so is uncertain.
We need to change though, I know that now
Recognizing the importance of change, even if the path forward is not clear.
Its sad but its true and I have to say, that the days that we die aren't that far away
Acknowledging the inevitability of mortality and the limited time we have to make something of our lives.
You'll never change neither will I
Reiterating that both parties are resistant to change.
We'll stay the same till the days that we die
Concluding that we will remain unchanged until the end of our lives.
I'll never win, neither will you
Again stating that neither of us will be successful in our endeavors.
So what in this world are we gonna do?
Asking a rhetorical question that highlights the lack of direction and purpose in our lives.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: LOUDON WAINWRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kush Sonkar
You'll never change, neither will I, we'll stay the same till the days that we die.
I'll never win, neither will you, so what in this world are we gonna do,
People hate change, they make a fuss, they stay the same, people like us,
Folks wanna win, when they can choose, but more important than that, folks don't wanna lose
When did it start how did it go wrong
Why in this world can't we get along
Each victory should be good news,
But when I have to win you're the one that I lose
I wanna change but I don't know how
We need to change though, I know that now
Its sad but its true and I have to say, that the days that we die aren't that far away
You'll never change neither will I
We'll stay the same till the days that we die
I'll never win, neither will you
So what in this world are we gonna do?
AJ NC
You'll never change, neither will I, we'll stay the same till the days that we die.
I'll never win, neither will you, so what in this world are we gonna do,
People hate change, they make a fuss, they stay the same, people like us,
Folks wanna win, when they can choose, but more important than that, folks don't wanna lose
When did it start how did it go wrong
Why in this world can't we get along
Each victory should be good news,
But when I have to win you're the one that I lose
I wanna change but I don't know how
We need to change though, I know that now
Its sad but its true and I have to say, that the days that we die aren't that far away
You'll never change neither will I
We'll stay the same till the days that we die
I'll never win, neither will you
So what in this world are we gonna do?
Kush Sonkar
I came to know of this beautiful song from the movie"This is 40". Such an amazing song this is . Beautiful lyrics.
joshlewis540
I watched "this is 40" yesterday and it reminded me of this song.
Leslie Pittman
Me too! Great song...
Elementor Website
Me too but years ago. Can't forget this song. Whenever situations like this comes I keep remembering this song. 🎵 🎶
TDawg MD
Me too. Life is too short, great comedy but definitely illustrates how quickly time passes.
Nick Walker
Literally watchin this rn🤘🏼😂
Kyle
This is a great song. The lyrics sure do hit home :-(
Dragunov38 H
When your marriage is dying... This song reflects just how hard is to change.
Teddyb1939
Beautiful. Loudon is a magic man.Loved his sound for years and now Rufus,lovely.
harisongs
Very touching! Takes me to his "Your Mother & I" from 1986. Unique and very talented songwriter. Love Loudon!