Forever May Not Be Long Enough
by Live

Album: The Mummy Returns Soundtrack (2001)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk wrote this with Glen Ballard for the 2001 movie The Mummy Returns, starring Brendan Fraser as an American adventurer who contends with a vengeful Ancient Egyptian mummy. In the Middle Eastern-influenced hard-rock tune, Kowalczyk realizes time on Earth is too short and asks his lover to follow him to the other side. The song played over the end credits and was included on the official soundtrack.
  • Live agreed to the gig because it gave them a chance to work with Ballard, the renowned co-writer and producer behind Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. They also planned to include the track on their forthcoming V album. Guitarist Chad Taylor knew the collaboration was a great opportunity but admitted he didn't really enjoy the experience.

    "I knew it wasn't a typical Live song but then again, nothing about this album was making much sense. Ballard had the audacity to sit there and tell Patrick Dahlheimer, one of the most explosive rock bass players of his era to play one single note throughout the entire song. I walked out of the room laughing. This was f--ked. Thankfully, the track worked well in the film but this wasn’t what I signed up for."
  • Patrick Dahlheimer thought the movie was awful, but Kowalczyk had a different opinion. "I didn't mind The Mummy Returns. I always like that kind of thing, I liked the Indiana Jones movies," he told Selector Magazine.
  • Despite behind-the-scenes drama with their label over the album, which the band wanted to release for free under the title Ecstatic Fanatic, Dahlheimer was pleased with the way it turned out. He told Selector Magazine. "But as far as V goes, that was an experiment that just turned out very right. Ed went into the studio and next thing, he called up and said, these songs are turning out really well. It was amazing they were coming out of him so quickly. He and [drummer] Chad Gracey would put down an idea and by the afternoon it would be finished. So we got back to work again. We were still touring for our last album, The Distance To Here."
  • The band also made an accompanying video that features footage from the movie.

Comments: 3

  • Layla from Brisbane, Australiai believe i have heard that this song is about something to do with everlasting life or something :)
  • Sara from Quinton, OkI love this song. I saw a dance corp do a very cool Egpyt-themed performance to this song. Love the movie, too.
  • Cathy from Miami, FlThis song also appears on the Live album titled "V."
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Glen Ballard

Glen BallardSongwriter Interviews

Glen Ballard talks about co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill album, and his work with Dave Matthews, Aerosmith and Annie Lennox.

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Lip-Synch Rebels

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."