Happy Death Days

A soundtrack for Autumn and its existential pontifications

Autumn is my favorite time of year, and not just because I have an October birthday and love pumpkin-flavored food and beverages.

In the Fall, the weather cools down, days get shorter and darker, and we embrace and celebrate aspects of death. At Halloween parties and Day of the Dead celebrations, Fall is festive and creepy at the same time.

I recently wrote a story for Reasons To Be Cheerful — a solutions journalism publication created by Talking Heads singer David Byrne — about Death Cafes, where death doulas help guide people through conversations about death, dying, and grief.

There’s no music played at death cafes, but the story got me thinking about how much music helps us channel our feelings about death, life, and the meaning of our existence by wrapping those ideas and fears in rhythm and melody.

There are a multitude of songs about love, but so many other great songs that explore feelings of grief, dying, death, and the fear of not ever really knowing what’s going to happen to any of us.

Here’s a very small sampling of songs that aim to do precisely that. It’s the MUSIC NERD: Death, Dying, and Existential Pontification playlist!

It features songs by Little Dragon, Cypress Hill, Los Shadows, Billie Holiday, Mac Miller, and more.

There are so many songs out there that deal with death and the unknown. Please consider adding to the playlist, or leave song suggestions in the comments.

Thanks for reading MUSIC NERD, and enjoy the Fall season!