Performing Songwriter calls Hutchinson, "...A master of introspective ballads filled with understated yearning and an exquisite sense of metaphor." The twenty-six year old describes her style as "lyric-based, folk-pop, with a whole lot of small town idealism and one devastating break up thrown in for good measure." Among her influences she is quick to include poet Mary Oliver along with the likes of David Grey, Patty Griffin, Greg Brown and Shawn Colvin. Her songs are characterized by a weathered but unselfconscious optimism, a love of language and of the natural world. Having grown up in a town of 5,000 people, "just outside the National Historic District," her songs possess all the charm of Lake Wobegon, tempered by a sweet and timeless voice.
Good Day To Die
Meg Hutchinson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't get me wrong I adore this life
But as they check the engine on this little tiny plane
I think my God I wouldn't change a single thing
If today the propeller should just fall into the sea
I'd go tumbling down with a certain kind of peace
Pretty lady showing us the life vest
Doesn't scare me much the thought of using this
I'd like another sixty years if something wills it so
Make a lot of music and some babies too
But if I should cross, over on this ride
I know they'd greet me there on the other side
Grandmother meet me on the other side
Today would be a good day to die
Oh....
Spent the night with a new lover in my bed
Good the things we get to keep only for an instant
I'm not saying this life hasn't also hurt me so
Always this awkwardness it makes me grow
This year my highs have been higher
I've reached the lowest kind of low
Then I fell through the bottom and sorta
Started to float
What's this bird in my chest?
What's this weight in my arms?
When I think of your hands it makes me tremble some
The song "Good Day To Die" by Meg Hutchinson starts with the line "Today would be a good day to die," which might sound like a morbid statement to some, but as the song progresses, the listener understands that the artist is not advocating for suicide, but instead is expressing gratitude for life and accepting death as a natural part of it. The artist acknowledges that she loves her life and everything about it, but if today was the day that she had to leave, she wouldn't be afraid because she has no regrets. She talks about making music and babies, two things she wants to do if she had another 60 years, but she is also okay with the idea of crossing over to the other side. She even welcomes the idea of seeing her grandmother again, perhaps implying that the person she lost holds a special place in her heart, comforting her in her moments of apprehension.
The second verse talks about an encounter with a new lover, and how good it feels to experience the moments that we can only have for an instant. She knows that life comes with pain, but these beautiful moments give us a reason to keep going. The artist also talks about how she has experienced the highest highs and lowest lows in her life, but she still chose to float, reminding the listener that we have to embrace the difficult moments and let ourselves float towards the good ones. She wonders about the weight in her arms and a bird in her chest, perhaps signifying the emotions that one feels when they are in love.
Overall, the song is about finding peace in life and acceptance in death. It talks about the fleeting moments of joy and the inevitability of sorrow, and how it is important to cherish and live out the life that we have been given.
Line by Line Meaning
Today would be a good day to die
Although life is cherished, there is a strange peace in the thought of dying today
Don't get me wrong I adore this life
Life is important and valuable
But as they check the engine on this little tiny plane
Preparing to fly on a small plane makes one reflect on life's fragility
I think my God I wouldn't change a single thing
There are no regrets in the life lived so far
If today the propeller should just fall into the sea
Acceptance of circumstances beyond control
I'd go tumbling down with a certain kind of peace
Death is a peaceful way to leave this world
Pretty lady showing us the life vest
The reality of danger during a flight does not scare
Doesn't scare me much the thought of using this
Acceptance of the possibility that the life vest may be needed
I'd like another sixty years if something wills it so
More life is welcomed if it is meant to be
Make a lot of music and some babies too
Hopes and desires for the rest of life
But if I should cross, over on this ride
Considering the possibility of dying during the plane ride
I know they'd greet me there on the other side
Belief in an afterlife
Grandmother meet me on the other side
Hope for a reunion with a loved one who has passed away
Oh....
Indicating a pause or reflective moment
Spent the night with a new lover in my bed
Enjoying the simple pleasures in life
Good the things we get to keep only for an instant
Appreciating the fleeting moments
I'm not saying this life hasn't also hurt me so
Acknowledging the hardships of life
Always this awkwardness it makes me grow
Learning from uncomfortable experiences
This year my highs have been higher
A good year with many successes
I've reached the lowest kind of low
Have also had struggles and lows
Then I fell through the bottom and sorta started to float
Overcoming tough times and experiencing a sense of weightlessness
What's this bird in my chest?
Describing the feeling of a rapid heartbeat
What's this weight in my arms?
Describing the feeling of holding someone or something heavy
When I think of your hands it makes me tremble some
The thought of a loved one's hands causes a physical reaction
Contributed by Mackenzie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.