Not Dead Yet

**"Not Dead Yet"** is a song by the Phantom Riders that describes the experience of being on the road, and looking and feeling like hell.

The singer assesses their run down reflection in the mirror "You got holes in your clothes, booze on your breath. You look like hell and you smell like death.” but still "has something to say." He also mentions to the person he's addressing, "If she asks about me, tell her I'm not dead yet." It's unclear who this refers to.

## Background and influences

Ben Schneider explains that the song was written at the end of a touring cycle:

"So with ‘Not Dead Yet’, we’re with a band called The Phantom Riders who have appeared in our previous narrative stuff. This is just from the perspective of one of the members that’s so worn down he looks himself in the mirror and he’s tired of being with himself. And I’ve had that on the road, being worn down physically, drinking too much, not sleeping enough and wanting to get away from myself but there’s nowhere to go. You’re stuck with you and you’ve got to learn to love yourself!"
## Music Video

The music video presents a black and white performance of the Phantom Riders on Alive From Whispering Pines, overlaid with a color recording of the members of Lord Huron on the same show with the same song. The Phantom Riders are affected by time's blur and wear their signature white tuxedos. The footage of the Lord Huron performance has pine records on the walls of the studio, while they do not appear in the Phantom Riders performance.

Tubbs Tarbell is also present in the studio in the Phantom Riders set, where he is affected by time's blur.

At the end of the video, Tarbell stands with a member of the Phantom Riders in front of a curtain and waves to the audience, saying "Thank you, thank you, thank you folks! It's been delightful. So long, good luck, goodbye. Until next time: may you live until you die!" This is also superimposed over footage of Tarbell with no time's blur alongside Ben Schneider.

### Music video trivia

The music video has a reference to "I Lied." A painting of Donny and Midge with their faces' blurred, the cover art of "I Lied," is hung behind Ben Schneider.

## Annotated lyrics

All messed up, with nowhere to go

I stare at myself in the mirror alone

It's hard to make friends when you're half in the grave,

But I ain't dead yet, and I've got something to say

You got holes in your clothes and booze on your breath

You look like hell and you smell like death

There's a stranger in my eyes again,

I swear to God I don't know him

You're tired of me, I'm tired of you

So turn around and leave me to myself

You got holes in your clothes and booze on your breath

You look like hell and you smell like death

I've been out way too long. I'm heading right for the edge

If she asks about me, tell her I'm not dead yet

You got holes in your clothes and booze on your breath

You look like hell and you smell like death

## Potential lyrical references

Frequently, Lord Huron's songs explore similar themes, sometimes they have stories that are covered by more than one song. These lyrical connections are merely for reference:

1. ↑ A play on the idiom "all dressed up with nowhere to go."
2. ↑ "Dead Man's Hand" explores themes of looking dead, but not being ready to be laid to rest.
3. ↑ "Back from the Edge"

## Sources

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gigwise interview
2. ↑ Atwood Magazine interview

"The Moon Doesn't Mind" (Roy Casey)
"**Mine Forever**"
"(One Hellava Performer)" (Tubbs Tarbell)
"Love Me Like You Used To"
"Meet Me in the City"
"(Sing for Us Tonight)"(Tubbs Tarbell)

"**Long Lost**" (Leigh Green and Hauser Godwin)
"Twenty Long Years"
"Drops in the Lake" (*Drops in the Lake (film)*)
"Where Did the Time Go"
"****Not Dead Yet****" (The Phantom Riders)
"(Deep Down Inside Ya)"(Tubbs Tarbell)

"I Lied"(with Allison Ponthier) (Donnie and Midge)
"At Sea"(*L’Île Cosmique*)
"What Do It Mean"(Quentin King)
"Time's Blur"
**Bonus tracks:**
"Your Other Life" and "Ton Autre Vie"