When I'm Dead
Quasi Lyrics


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When I'm dead, you'll be living,
Standing in the funeral home

How to best dispose of this dead body now?

Cremation, donation to medical experimentation

Or maybe you'd prefer simple burial

Then find some place to carve the headstone;
It don't matter what it says





As long as it don't have a Christian cross.

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the Quasi song "When I'm Dead" explores the irony of the fact that the singer is already dead whereas the person listening to the song is still alive. The song’s mood is sombre, and it begins with the singer's view of the world from beyond the grave. In the song, the singer is addressing someone who would still be alive when they pass away. The lines "when I'm dead you'll be living, standing in the funeral home" seem to suggest that the singer is attempting to anticipate what their loved ones will do once they are no longer around, and provides them with a few ideas or suggestions as to how they would like their remains to be handled.


The following lines, "how to best dispose of this dead body now?" are a rather macabre but somewhat ironic question. It is as if the singer is acknowledging their inevitable death and is resigned to that fact, but is simultaneously trying to take control of the situation even though they will soon no longer have any control. The idea is that they want to help their loved ones out and make the funeral planning process as easy as possible. The lines "cremation, donation to medical experimentation, or maybe you’d prefer simple burial" suggests that the singer is attempting to anticipate what their loved ones would want in terms of the disposal of their body.


Line by Line Meaning

When I'm dead, you'll be living,
Once I am no more, you will still be breathing and going about your life.


Standing in the funeral home
In the middle of the funeral parlor, surrounded by the trappings of death.


How to best dispose of this dead body now?
What is the most efficient and effective method for getting rid of this lifeless corpse?


Cremation, donation to medical experimentation
There are a handful of options for disposing of the cadaver, such as burning it to ashes or giving it up to science.


Or maybe you'd prefer simple burial
Perhaps burying the body in a straightforward manner would be preferable.


Then find some place to carve the headstone;
Locate a suitable spot to chisel out the grave marker.


It don't matter what it says
The words etched onto the stone don't hold any significance or weight.


As long as it don't have a Christian cross.
Just make sure that the religious symbol of Christianity does not appear on the tombstone.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SAMUEL J. COOMES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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