In January of 2008, the group released their debut album We Brave Bee Stings and All. In 2010, they released their second album Know Better Learn Faster. and In 2013, they released their third album We The Common
http://thaoandthegetdownstaydown.com/
Nobody Dies
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wasn't grieving, In the evening
Not to say, Not to say, Not to say
I want another, just like the other
I sent over. I take all of it, I send all of it
and then you send, and then you send, and then you send
all of it back to me
I like nobody dies, We act like nobody dies
What to say, what to say, what to say
Who could bother, with a father
What to say, what to say, what to say
You made a cruel kid, come look what you did
I take all of it, I send all of it
And then you send, and then you sent all of it
Won't you come for me
I got love to give, to scared to leave
All my life, want you come for me
I got love to give, too scared to leave
We act like nobody dies, you act like nobody dies
I act like nobody dies, we act like nobody dies
You act like nobody dies, I act like nobody dies
We act like, nobody dies
The lyrics to "Nobody Dies" by Thao & The Get Down Stay Down explore the way that people act like they are invincible and immortal, even though death is an inescapable reality. The repetition of "Not to say, Not to say, Not to say" at the beginning of the song suggests that the singer is struggling to articulate their feelings of grief and loss. They are mourning the absence of someone who was important to them, but they are trying to deny the pain that they feel. Instead, they focus on wanting to replace the person they lost with someone else - "Not to say, Not to say, Not to say, I want another, just like the other / I sent over."
The second verse refers to a father who has caused pain and cruelty - "What to say, what to say, what to say / You made a cruel kid, come look what you did." This highlights how difficult it can be to reconcile the dark and painful aspects of human relationships with our idealized notions of love and family. The chorus - "We act like nobody dies, You act like nobody dies / I like nobody dies, We act like nobody dies" - suggests that people tend to believe that they are always going to be alive, that death only happens to other people. This avoidance of death and mortality can make people's lives feel less meaningful or less lived.
This song can be seen as a call for people to live their lives more fully, more bravely, and more compassionately. It encourages people to acknowledge their mortality and their vulnerability, to celebrate the time that we have in this world, and to treat others with kindness and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Not to say, Not to say, Not to say
I wasn't grieving, In the evening
I'm not going to deny that I'm upset and mourning, especially at night
Not to say, Not to say, Not to say
I want another, just like the other
I sent over. I take all of it, I send all of it
and then you send, and then you send, and then you send
all of it back to me
I don't want to admit that I miss someone who left, and I've been trying to avoid the pain by distracting myself and then returning to reminisce, although it only causes more hurt
We act like nobody dies, You act like, nobody dies
I like nobody dies, We act like nobody dies
We pretend that death doesn't exist and behave as if it can't touch us, and I appreciate the illusion we maintain
What to say, what to say, what to say
Who could bother, with a father
What to say, what to say, what to say
You made a cruel kid, come look what you did
I take all of it, I send all of it
And then you send, and then you sent all of it
Won't you come for me
I'm struggling to find words and cope with the pain of dealing with a bad parent who made me suffer, and I keep trying to communicate but only end up repeating the cycle of feeling let down and hurt, wondering if they'll ever try to reach out instead
I got love to give, to scared to leave
All my life, want you come for me
I got love to give, too scared to leave
We act like nobody dies, you act like nobody dies
I act like nobody dies, we act like nobody dies
You act like nobody dies, I act like nobody dies
We act like, nobody dies
I'm capable of love, but too afraid to leave behind this illusion of safety that I've created with you, and I wish you would acknowledge the inevitable reality of death with me, because right now we're just pretending it doesn't exist and it's making me lonely
Contributed by Addison L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anna Schwind
Not to say, not to say, not to say
I wasn't grieving in the evening
Not to say, not to say, not to say
I want another just like the other
I send all of it, I take all of it, I send all of it
And then you send, you send, then you send
You send it all back to me
We act like nobody dies
You act like nobody dies
I act like nobody dies
We act like nobody dies
What to say, what to say, what to say
Who could bother with a father
What to say, what to say, what to say
You made a cruel kid come look what you did
I take all of it, I send all of it
And then you send, you send it all
Oh my life
Won't you come for me
I got love to give, too scared to leave
Oh my life
Won‘t you come for me
I got love to give, too scared to leave
We act like nobody dies
You act like nobody dies
I act like nobody dies
We act like nobody dies
We act like nobody dies
You act like nobody dies
I act like nobody dies
We act like nobody dies
Oliver
Such a beautiful song, as soon as the vocals kicked in I knew I'd be listening to this one on repeat.
Rick Deckard
Kierkegaard, you know the way of the desperation uwu
David Stephens
f. f.
Spencer Vik
is anyone else experiencing an obsession with this album? like, i listen to everything. and i've been trying to listen to as many albums from this year as i can, but this album has stopped me dead in my tracks. it's all i want to listen to. and i keep thinking that on the next listen it's gonna wear off me, but it never does. like holy shit it's been so long since an album has had me THIS locked in. it's a gift, truly. a perfect combination of folk, rock, and pop with equal helpings of humor and heart- pain and snark. and probably one of my favorite vocal performances ever. i haven't heard a singer fit their enunciations so gracefully into the songs since.. I don't know man. this album is perfect.
Gaia So
I am absolutely experiencing an obsession with this album. She did some serious internal work here. And the music. The way she's just a little sharp still soothes us, doesn't it, like a lick of ice cream?
This is THE cd in my car for almost a year. I'm doing some healing in my life about estrangement (my daughter has ghosted me for 6 years), and this is my main soundtrack.
That last track, Endless Love, is so profound. At once celebrating, owning her love and wanting to disown it. I love how she illuminates the ragged, healing edge of the wound. The wound that will never completely heal, so primary.
I feel like the disconnection in our world is way bigger than just a father or a daughter who disappears. It's an epidemic. Thao shows us how to keep our connectors intact with her music. It's part of my medicine.
daniel bazan
No doubt. Thao and her band are overlooked treasures on the pop/rock music scene. I'm surprised and disappointed that she's not HUGE. But we Americans are fickle and afraid to try something different and refreshing. And that's good for us, haha. This album fits the bill.
angry reader
Spencer Vik This is a little too LA hipster for me
spacedoginnebraska
I feel ya,
Senor Ita
I'm sitting here in my car and I just listened to her being interviewed on KQED. Never heard of her or her band before, but when she played the mandolin and sang I sat up and took notice. There's something about her voice and the way(s) she sings that's really versatile, expressive, emotive, intimate etc. This is just the second song of hers I've heard, and I'm hooked. Stoked that you feel that way about this album, makes me even more excited to discover her music
Roman Nardone
A little different from your normal style, but I like the intense instrumental and beat. Love that you can still mix up the sound. Keep up the good work :)