"How to Be Dead" is a song by Northern Irish–Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol, released on 25 October 2004 as the fourth and final single of their third album, Final Straw (2003). The single's release was slightly remixed by Chris Lord-Alge from the album version and reached number 39 in the United Kingdom and number 42 in Ireland.
| "How to Be Dead" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Snow Patrol | ||||
| from the album Final Straw | ||||
| Released | 25 October 2004[1] | |||
| Studio | Britannia Row, The Diving Bell | |||
| Genre | Indie rock, alternative rock | |||
| Length | 3:23 | |||
| Label | Fiction, Polydor | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Gary Lightbody, Mark McClelland, Nathan Connolly, Jonny Quinn | |||
| Producer(s) | Jacknife Lee | |||
| Snow Patrol singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song is a downtempo rock ballad, with lyrics detailing a conversation between a couple.
Reception
editYahoo! Music's Jairne Gill reviewed the single positively, giving it 7 stars out of 10. Though he felt Snow Patrol usually made "ugly empty anthems", the single was a "rather lovely little song" and "modest" and "chimingly melodic". Gill praised the lyrics of the song, calling it "a pretty little knife which Gary Lightbody seems to be twisting into his own chest, a list of druggy regrets and lost loves" and also said that, though the song's "gentle, skipping rhythm threatens to go BIG", it doesn't and "a pretty and intimate song is preserved".[2]
Track listings
editCD
- "How to Be Dead" (Chris Lord-Alge Mix) – 3:23
- "You Are My Joy" (Live at Somerset House) – 3:20
- "Chocolate" (Grand National Mix) – 4:58
Germany 3" CD
- "How to Be Dead" (Chris Lord-Alge Mix) – 3:23
- "You Are My Joy" (Live at Somerset House) – 3:20
7"
- "How to Be Dead" (Chris Lord-Alge Mix) – 3:23
- "You Are My Joy" (Live at Somerset House) – 3:20
Promo CD
- "How to Be Dead" (Chris Lord-Alge Edited Mix) – 3:12
Charts
edit| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA)[3] | 42 |
| Scotland (OCC)[4] | 32 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[5] | 39 |
In popular culture
edit"How to Be Dead" was featured on the soundtracks to American Pie: Band Camp and Wicker Park.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 23 October 2004. p. 23.
- ^ "Snow Patrol - 'How To Be Dead'". Yahoo! Music. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
- ^ "Chart Track: Week 44, 2004". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
- ^ "Wicker Park: Various Artists: Music". Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ "Wicker Park". IMDb.com. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
External links
edit
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