"How to Be Dead" | ||||
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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 | ||||
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"How to Be Dead" is the fourth (fifth if the re-issue of "Spitting Games" is counted) and final single by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol from their third album, Final Straw (2003). It was released in 2004, slightly remixed by Chris Lord-Alge from the album version, and reached number 39 in the United Kingdom and number 42 in Ireland.
The song is a downtempo rock ballad, with lyrics detailing a conversation between a couple.
Yahoo! 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]
CD
Germany 3" CD
7"
Promo CD
Chart (2004) | Peak position |
---|---|
Ireland (IRMA) [3] | 42 |
Scotland (OCC) [4] | 32 |
UK Singles (OCC) [5] | 39 |
"How to Be Dead" was featured on the soundtracks to American Pie: Band Camp and Wicker Park . [6] [7]
"Heavy on My Heart" is a song by American recording artist Anastacia from her third studio album, Anastacia (2004). Written by Anastacia and Billy Mann, its arrangement is built on simple guitar riffs, and its lyrics chronicle Anastacia's battle with breast cancer. The song was released as the album's fourth and final single on March 7, 2005, and entered the top 20 in Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. A French version of the song, titled "Trop lourd dans mon coeur", appears as a B-side to the single.
"Spitting Games" is the lead single from Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol's third album, Final Straw (2003), released on 15 September 2003.
"You're All I Have" is a song by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. It was released on 24 April 2006 as the lead single from their fourth album, Eyes Open (2006). The song was used by RTÉ sport to promote the return of The Sunday Game for the 2006 GAA Championships. It became the band's second big hit after the success of "Run" in 2004, peaking at number seven on the UK Singles Chart.
"He Wasn't" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, released as the fourth and final single from her second studio album, Under My Skin (2004). The song was written and produced by Lavigne and Chantal Kreviazuk. It was not released in the United States; instead, "Fall to Pieces" was released. "He Wasn't" was issued in Australia, Europe, and the United Kingdom and received airplay on Canadian radio. AllMusic highlighted the song as one of the most significant post-grunge songs of all time.
"Open Your Eyes" is a song by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. It was released as the fifth single in total from their fourth album Eyes Open (2006). The song was released on 12 February 2007.
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The discography of Snow Patrol, an alternative rock band, consists of eight studio albums, thirty-two singles, eight extended plays, three compilation albums and one live DVD. Snow Patrol was formed in 1994 by Gary Lightbody, Michael Morrison and Mark McClelland under the name Shrug. They released an extended play (EP) titled The Yogurt vs. Yogurt Debate. Morrison left in 1995, and the band changed their name to Polarbear. Under this name they released their other EP, Starfighter Pilot, on the Electric Honey label. Drummer Jonny Quinn joined in 1997 and the band signed to Jeepster Records the same year. They then underwent their final name change to Snow Patrol. The band's first two studio albums: Songs for Polarbears and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up were released in 1998 and 2001 respectively, but failed to do well commercially. Subsequently, the band was dropped by the label.
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"Chasing Cars" is a song by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. It was released as the second single from their fourth album, Eyes Open (2006). It was released on 6 June 2006, in the United States and 24 July 2006, in the United Kingdom. The song gained significant popularity in the US after being featured in the second season finale of the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, which aired on 15 May 2006.
"Take Back the City" is a song from Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol's fifth album A Hundred Million Suns (2008). It was released as the lead single from the album on different dates in October 2008, depending on the region. The lyrics were written by Gary Lightbody and the music was composed by Snow Patrol. The song has positive lyrics, and is about Lightbody's love for Belfast. The song has been officially remixed once, by Lillica Libertine, and it appeared as a B-side to the single.
"Ask Me How I Am" is the fifth single released by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol and the first to come from their second album, When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001). It was released on 20 November 2000 under the Jeepster record label and reached number 96 on the UK Singles Chart. The News Letter described the song's beat as funky.
"Crack the Shutters" is a song from Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol's fifth album, A Hundred Million Suns (2008). It was released as the follow-up single to "Take Back the City" on different dates in December 2008 depending on the region, and was the second single taken from the album. The lyrics were written by Gary Lightbody and the music was composed by Snow Patrol. The song was described by lyricist Lightbody as the purest love song he'd ever written. The single was received generally positively by music critics, the lyrics and vocals being praised in particular.
"Shut Your Eyes" is a song by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. Initially the fourth track of their fourth album, Eyes Open (2006), it was released as a single in several countries in 2007.
"You Are My Joy" is the first UK single released by Scottish indie rock supergroup The Reindeer Section. It was released on 10 June 2002. This is the only single release currently for The Reindeer Section.
"Hold On" is a song by Canadian crooner Michael Bublé, released as the second single from his fourth studio album, Crazy Love. The single was released on December 11, 2009, although it was serviced to radio again on February 14, 2011, after its appearance in an episode of the talent series Dancing on Ice.
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"You Blow Me Away" is a song by English vocalist Robert Palmer, which was released in 1994 as the third and final single from his twelfth studio album Honey. The song was written solely by Palmer, and produced by Stephen Hague and Palmer.
"Story of My Life" is the debut single of British singer Kristian Leontiou, written by Leontiou, Sarah Erasmus, and Pete Wilkinson. The song was produced by Ash Howes and Wilkinson and features backing vocals from Wilkinson and Erasmus. Taken from Leontiou's debut studio album, Some Day Soon (2004), it reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart in May 2004 and also charted in Germany, the Netherlands, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), where it reached number three on the region's airplay chart.
"Winter Song" is a song by British singer-songwriter Chris Rea, released in October 1991 as an extended play and as a track on the European edition of his eleventh studio album Auberge. "Winter Song" was written by Rea and produced by Jon Kelly. The EP, which was released to coincide with Rea's current tour of Britain, reached No. 27 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 30 in the Irish Singles Chart.