I Don't Want to Die (In the Hospital)

Album: Conor Oberst (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Oberst told MTV News: "I think it has a sort of comedic aspect to it. The juxtaposition of the music and what's being sung about I suppose. I just think of sort of a stubborn old cowboy man that just wants to go lay in the grass and, you know, die out by the tree or something."
  • Conor Oberst told Mojo magazine September 2008 the story behind this song: "I have a friend who just celebrated his 75th birthday. It's a song for him: he's very strong, for the record I think he'll live forever, but we've talked about stuff like this… He doesn't want to die with his boots on, in the desert, looking up at the stars, and I think he deserves that. It's kind of a jailbreak song, a promise…if I'm ever in hospital you gotta come break me out."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Rob Halford of Judas Priest

Rob Halford of Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford dives into some of his Judas Priest lyrics, talking about his most personal songs and the message behind "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Artis the Spoonman

Artis the SpoonmanSong Writing

Even before Soundgarden wrote a song about him, Artis was the most famous spoon player of all time. So why has he always been broke?

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Rufus Wainwright

Rufus WainwrightSongwriter Interviews

Rufus Wainwright on "Hallelujah," his album Unfollow The Rules, and getting into his "lyric trance" on 12-hour walks.