Living Dead is a song by Marina Diamandis, released under her previous stage name 'Marina and the Diamonds'. Appearing on her second studio album, Electra Heart, it is the 8th track on the full length album. As of 2021, the song is available to US listeners on Spotify.
The song was written by Marina and Greg Kurstin, and produced by Kurstin.
Background[]
Diamandis and Kurstin writing Living Dead in 2010[1]
Initially, Marina's second studio album was a "dark electronic pop record"[2] produced by one producer[3] (Greg Kurstin), which would see her become "less commercial",[4] potentially releasing it with "no singles".[5] This album was called die Life, Living Dead was written in March 2010 after SXSW[6], and signalled the direction for the album.
On April 6, Marina posted a blogpost called "CHARGRILLED EYES & A LIQUOR PINK SMILE."
❝ I went to LA to do business [..] I am just interested in people and in finding out how to start 'living life' and what have you. [..] I have a lot to do but it's going to happen. Whatever 'it' is. Forever waiting for 'it', right? ❞
Greg Kurstin is based in L.A., because this was after Living Dead was written and at the end of the paragraph Marina drops themes of Living Dead, it can be assumed that the demo was made around this time, at the end of the month in "MY MOUSTACHE CAUSES HAVOC." she name drops the song: Sick of not being free. Living dead.
She first performed the song live in December 2010,[7] and it was played twice as much on The Burger Queen Tour (12 times),[8] than The Lonely Hearts Club Tour (6 times).[9]
In early 2011, die Life demos were leaked, amongst them was a demo of Living Dead. The song, along with Sex Yeah, leaked publicly in January[10]. Ultimately the album was scrapped and merged with Electra Heart.
die Life (song)[]
On July 7, 2010, the song 'die Life' was supposed to be played as an encore for Marina's first L.A. show at The Troubadour.[11] For an unknown reason, it wasn't played. It's been theorised that Living Dead is the alternative name for die life, with die life being a play on words; die being the German feminine for "the", meaning the song is called "the Life". Five days earlier on the 2nd, she tweeted:[12] "descending into glittering mist of gatorade and vodka. in weird rocker bar. end of earth and dont care. #diehighlife" the lyrics of Living Dead contain a reference to laying back in a "glittering mist."
Meaning[]
Living Dead details Marina's depression. She stated that she "wasn't very happy the first year of making the record," and her state of mind at the time inspired the song, going on to call the track "one of the more depressing songs" on the album.[13] Lyrically, it is about the feeling that you have not lived life to the fullest. Marina commented that the reason she was talking about death in it was because she was in a dark place.
She spoke about the song in 2012 saying:
❝ I can't believe I was so dissatisfied, but you know certain things in my personal life had gone wrong and really it should've been a quite happy time, I'd just launched my first album but obviously I wasn't that happy because I wrote that song immediately after I released it. [laughs] But you don't really understand those things until afterwards and you look back on. [What was the dissatisfaction based on?] Lots of things, mainly personal things I think, but also the fact that I didn't feel like, even though I was an adult I didn't feel like I had the power to live my own life and to be my own person. I think when you are trying to please other people all the time that often happen and you end up feeling like you haven't really lived your life. So that's where it stemmed from really. [Is there no one that can give you that power?] Well you can but it takes courage because sometimes that means going against people, and you know sacrificing certain relationships. ❞
Interestingly, the sentiment of the last line was the basis for the 2021 song I Love You But I Love Me More.
Trivia[]
Connections[]
- Living Dead does not have an assigned 'Archetype', along with Starring Role, Hypocrates, Sex Yeah, Lonely Hearts Club and Buy the Stars.
Official Versions[]
| Version | Released on | Date | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ | Album [Stems] [Inst.]
|
Electra Heart | 27 Apr 2012 | 4:04 |
| Demos | ||||
| [14] | Demo | N/A - Demo | Leaked: 28 Jan 2011 | 3:33 |
Lyrics[]
Lyrical Differences[]
The demo has no outro, only the final chorus. Interestingly in some of the live versions sung in 2011 Marina starts with an acoustic rendition of the chorus.[15]
[Verse 1]
Every day I feel the same
Stuck and I can never change
Sucked into a black balloon
Spat into an empty room
[Pre-Chorus]
Was it really worth it?
Did I really deserve it?
It happens when you're hurtin'
And cut me at the surface
Of my heart, of my heart heart heart
[Chorus]
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
Only alive-live-live-live
When I pretend-tend-tend-tend
That I have died-died-died-died-died-died
I haven't lived life, I haven't lived love
Just bird's eye view from the sky above
I'm dead-dead-dead-dead
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
Dead
[Verse 2]
Got bubble wrap around my heart
Waiting for my life to start
But every day it never comes
Permanently at square one
[Pre-Chorus]
When it's late at ni-ight
I'm so dissatisfi-ied
The weight of an empty li-ife
Will lessen in the moonlight
In the light, in the light-light-light
[Chorus]
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
Only alive-live-live-live
When I pretend-tend-tend-tend
That I have died-died-died-died-died-died
I haven't lived life, I haven't lived love
Just bird's eye view from the sky above
I'm dead-dead-dead-dead
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
Dead
[Middle Eight]
I lay back in a glittering mist and I
I think of all the men I, I could've kissed
I haven't lived my life, I haven't lived love
It's just a bird's eye view from, from up above
[Chorus]
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
Only alive-live-live-live
When I pretend-tend-tend-tend
That I have died-died-died-died-died-died
I haven't lived life, I haven't lived love
Just bird's eye view from the sky above
I'm dead-dead-dead-dead
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
Dead
[Outro]
Dead-dead-dead-dead
Only alive-live-live-live
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
Only alive-live-live-live
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
Only alive-live-live-live
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
I'm living dead-dead-dead-dead
Dead
Credits[]
Personnel[]
- Greg Kurstin - Keyboards, Guitar, Bass
Technical[]
- Written by Marina Diamandis and Greg Kurstin
- Published by Warner / Chappell Music Ltd. (PRS) / EMI April Music Inc. Obo itself and Kurstin Music (ASCAP)
- Programming by Greg Kurstin
- Engineered by Greg Kurstin
- Additional engineering by Jesse Sharkin
- Produced by Greg Kurstin at Echo Studio, Los Angeles, C.A.
- Mixed by Serban Ghenca
- Mixed at MixStar Studios, Virginia Beach, VA
- Engineer John Hanes
- Assisted by Tim Roberts and Phill Seaford
- Mastered by Chris Gehringer for Sterling Sound, New York, NY
References[]
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/1082936325651787777
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk6BKTxjftI
- ↑ https://vimeo.com/15089517
- ↑ https://vimeo.com/15089517
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk6BKTxjftI
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mobKbITADIA
- ↑ https://www.setlist.fm/stats/marina-23d430cf.html?year=2010
- ↑ https://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/marina-23d430cf.html?song=Living+Dead
- ↑ https://www.setlist.fm/stats/marina-23d430cf.html?tour=6bd46e9e
- ↑ https://forum.popjustice.com/threads/marina-the-diamonds-the-family-jewels.16864/page-50
- ↑ http://www.losanjealous.com/2010/07/09/marina-and-the-diamonds-troubadour-july-7-2010/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/17551259678?s=20
- ↑ "Marina and the Diamonds | "Electra Heart" Album Interview. Part 3." YouTube. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ↑ https://twitter.com/PopBloggerUk/status/30991537064124416
- ↑ https://youtu.be/OlH9Yf2vK0M?t=26
 | |
|---|---|
| Tour ♡ Merch ♡ Photography ♡ Tumblr ♡ 'The Archetypes' ♡ die Life ♡ Collaborators | |
| Discography | |
| Releases | Electra Heart |
| Tracklist | Bubblegum Bitch ♡ Primadonna ♡ Lies ♡ Homewrecker ♡ Starring Role ♡ The State of Dreaming ♡ Power & Control ♡ Living Dead ♡ Teen Idle ♡ Valley of the Dolls ♡ Hypocrates ♡ Fear and Loathing ♡ Radioactive ♡ Sex Yeah ♡ Lonely Hearts Club ♡ Buy the Stars ♡ How to Be a Heartbreaker ♡ E.V.O.L ♡ Electra Heart |
| Non-Album | |
| Outtakes | Double Life ♡ Eternity |
| Interludes | Su-Barbie-A ♡ The Archetypes |
| die Life | Miss Y ♡ Scab and Plaster |
| Misc | Boyfriend ♡ Bump in the Night ♡ Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ♡ Just Desserts |
| Other Eras | |
| Mermaid vs. Sailor • The Family Jewels • Electra Heart • FROOT • LOVE + FEAR • Ancient Dreams • Sixth Studio Album (Upcoming) | |