Day 2 (March 21): White Lies - Death

I realise that picking a song called 'Death' isn't that escapist a thing to do right now. Sorry.

'Death' isn't really about death, the concept, though. It's, surprisingly, a very compelling and detailed portrait of what it's like to experience in-flight turbulence. As somebody who has always hated flying, I can truly relate to this - turbulence is a grim reminder that you're in a floating metal tube with tens of thousands of feet to fall. There's no better place to confront your own mortality and the fragility of human life than in EasyJet economy class, and I feel like 'Death' gets that.

I do realise that flying is also a thing that we can't do now. Sorry.

It's also just a really great song. To Lose My Life... is one of those late 2000s/early 2010s lightning in a bottle records from otherwise fairly unremarkable indie bands, where inspiration seems to just keep on coming, and 'Death', which, like the best rock songs, builds to a huge and melodramatic conclusion, is its best track.

I found it because it was in a film called A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night which cropped up on someone's Letterboxd log. I haven't actually seen the full film itself. Only the scene with the song in it. Maybe this is a sign that I should get around to that. I hope the scene wasn't too spoilery in context.