If I Die Young
The Gleeks Lyrics


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If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors
Oh, and life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Ain't even gray, but she buries her baby

The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I've had just enough time

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I've had just enough time

And I'll be wearing white when I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger
I've never known the loving of a man
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand

There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever
Who would have thought forever could be severed by
The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I've had just enough time

So put on your best, suit and I'll wear my pearls
What I never did is done

A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
And maybe then you'll hear the words I've been singing
Funny, when you're dead how people start listening

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song

The ballad of a dove
Go with peace and love
Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Save them for a time when you're really gonna need them, oh

The sharp knife of a short life
Well, I've had just enough time




So put on your best, suit
And I'll wear my pearls

Overall Meaning

The song 'If I Die Young' by The Band Perry is a poignant ballad about the fleeting nature of life and its beauty. The opening lines of the song aptly set the melancholic tone of the song with the singer expressing her wish to be buried in satin, surrounded by roses and her body sunk in the river at dawn while being sent away with a love song.


The second stanza of the song finds the singer wishing for something that can't otherwise be: “make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother.” The rainbow symbolizes the hope and promise of a new beginning after a storm, and the singer hopes to be that symbol of hope for those who loved her. The verse closes on an indictment of life, which is not always fair, as ‘she buries her baby.’


In the third stanza, the singer reflects on the brevity of life and how she's had just enough time as she laments the "sharp knife" of a "short life." The song ends with the singer meditating on her afterlife, and how for the very first time, she'll be "wearing white," a color traditionally worn on joyous occasions like weddings, as she enters the kingdom of heaven. The final stanza ends on the song's signature lines, advising loved ones to put on their best suit and that the singer will wear her pearls.


Overall, 'If I Die Young' is a heart-wrenching yet uplifting song that serves as a reminder to cherish every moment of life, irrespective of its length.


Line by Line Meaning

If I die young, bury me in satin
If I die at a young age, I want to be buried in comfortable satin material to soothe my soul.


Lay me down on a bed of roses
Place me on a soft bed of roses that symbolizes love and beauty.


Sink me in the river at dawn
Put me into a running river early in the morning when the sun is just rising, to make my soul feel free.


Send me away with the words of a love song
Accompany my body with peaceful and meaningful words for my afterlife.


Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother
Asking for God to turn me into a rainbow and bring colors to my mother's life.


She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors
If my mother sees a rainbow, she will think of me and realize her daughter is still with God.


Oh, and life ain't always what you think it ought to be, no
Life is unpredictable and does not always go as planned.


Ain't even gray, but she buries her baby
Even though life is not bad, it can be undone in a moment when someone dies young.


The sharp knife of a short life
A reference to a life that was unexpectedly cut short.


Well, I've had just enough time
Even though my life was short, I experienced enough to fulfill my destiny.


And I'll be wearing white when I come into your kingdom
If I go to heaven, I will wear white, indicating that I am pure and innocent.


I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger
Although I am young, my life is like an unripe fruit that never got to experience what it is like to be matured.


I've never known the loving of a man
I have never experienced the love of a man, but I have experienced the next best thing which is his hand holding mine.


But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand
I might not have all the good things in life, but I take pleasure in little things like holding someone's hand.


There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever
An allusion to a boy I met who promised to love me forever.


Who would have thought forever could be severed by
Who would have thought that my life with him would be cut short by death.


So put on your best, suit and I'll wear my pearls
Even though I have nothing, dress me up nice for my funeral.


What I never did is done
I never got a chance to experience everything, but that's okay.


A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar
Phrase to indicate that the thoughts or ideas I had in life are worth more than what people thought they were.


They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
Now that I am gone, people will appreciate my thoughts more.


And maybe then you'll hear the words I've been singing
In my passing, people might finally listen to the words of my songs.


Funny, when you're dead how people start listening
People often do not appreciate the things you have done until you are gone.


The ballad of a dove
The song of a bird that symbolizes peace and love.


Go with peace and love
May my soul go in peace and love.


Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket
Don't cry excessively but save your tears for when you truly need them.


Save them for a time when you're really gonna need them, oh
My followers should save their tears for a moment when they truly need them.




Contributed by Violet B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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