Dying To Live
Ronnie Day Lyrics

In Ronnie Day's song "Dying to Live," the lyrics paint a vivid picture of someone struggling with a terminal illness. The opening lines, "I've got a sickness, Something bad slowly eating me, And I don't think that I can fix this," convey the gravity of the situation. Although the lyrics don't specify what kind of illness the singer is facing, it's clear that they feel alone and helpless in the face of it. The line "I'm lonely and I'm only human. Well, that's my problem" suggests that the singer is wrestling with a sense of isolation even as they confront the reality of their own mortality.

Despite the bleakness of the situation, the lyrics offer a glimmer of hope in the possibility of human connection. The lines "Maybe someday we can lift each other higher than these earthly wings would let us go, we'll melt away, we'll melt away and die" suggest that even in the face of death, there is a chance for transcendence through human connection. The imagery of "melting away" suggests a kind of dissolution or release from the burdens of the physical world.

However, the song is not without its moments of darkness and fear. The lines "I'm scared of what's to come and what's to come undone in the end, all that my life's become is time for me to run and pretend that my mind will live again" tap into the anxiety and terror that often accompanies serious illness. The final lines, "Hurry Self, think quickly...I feel blood in my lungs and I'm dying to live. This pain was made by recipe, it's not out on my skin. It's in my mind in knowing I won't live again" offer a visceral depiction of the physical and psychological pain that come with a terminal illness.

Overall, "Dying to Live" is a poignant and moving expression of the human struggle with mortality. The lyrics offer a complex and nuanced exploration of the pain, fear, and isolation that accompany serious illness, while also holding out the possibility of transcendence through human connection.