3 Times Artists Seemingly Predicted Their Deaths in Their Songs

Songwriters often approach universal topics in different ways. For example, love songs can be found across multiple genres. The same is true for songs about death. Countless singers and songwriters across the genre spectrum have tackled the topic. However, some artists seemingly predicted their deaths in their songs.

Videos by American Songwriter

Of course, we’re not saying these artists were psychic and actually predicted their deaths with their songs. Extra sensory perception has never been proven, no matter how great a songwriter is. However, there’s no denying that there are some eerie coincidences in the list below.

1. Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy

Phil Lynott co-founded Thin Lizzy and served as the band’s vocalist, bassist, and principal songwriter. After the band broke up in 1983, he went on to see success as a solo artist and founded Grand Slam. Unfortunately, the Irish singer/songwriter/musician battled with substance abuse throughout the early ‘80s. He tragically died on January 4 1986 at the age of 36. His cause of death was a combination of heart failure and pneumonia brought on by a bout of septicemia.

The multitalented artist seemingly predicted his death in the closing track from Thin Lizzy’s final album Thunder and Lightning. Written by Lynott, Scott Gorham, and Darren Wharton, “Heart Attack” contains some seemingly prophetic lines in hindsight. It opens with the lines Mama, I’m dying of a heart attack. / Heart attack, heart attack.

To be fair, it’s a hard rock heartbreak song about delving into self-destructive behavior after a breakup. The “heart attack” Lynott sings about is a metaphorical one, brought on by the loss.

2. Michael Hutchence of INXS

Michael Hutchence co-founded the Australian rock band INXS in 1977. Hutchence served as the band’s guitarist, lead vocalist, and principal songwriter until his death in 1997. He was found dead in his room at the Ritz-Carlton in Double Bay, Australia, a suburb of Sydney with a snakeskin belt around his neck. His official cause of death was suicide by hanging.

The multi-talented Australian artist seemingly predicted his death in a song called “Bang the Drum.” Co-written by Hutchens and INXS bandmate Andrew Farriss and recorded during the sessions for the band’s 1997 album Elegantly Wasted, the song didn’t see the light of day until 2004. It was one of four songs on the iTunes exclusive EP Bang the Drum. The song’s opening verse contains the line Oh baby, grab a noose ‘cause we’re looking for a different end.

To be fair, “Bang the Drum” isn’t a sad song. Instead, it lands somewhere between a love song and a call to shake off one’s fears and push forward. However, the fact that Hutchense was dealing with personal issues combined with the manner in which he died makes the line stand out.

3. Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley was an incredibly talented guitarist and songwriter. He is best known for his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” which became an international hit single in 2007, a decade after Buckley died. The song was on Buckley’s only album, Grace (1994).

In May 1997, Buckley and his band were in Memphis to work on his sophomore album. On the evening of May 29, the singer/songwriter went swimming in the Wolf River Harbor on the Mississippi River. A tugboat passed the harbor and its wake pulled Buckley under, drowning him. Passengers on a riverboat spotted his body caught in some branches on the Wolf River six days later.

The artist whose promising life and career were cut short much too soon seemingly predicted his death in the title track from his sole studio album. The opening verse contains the line Well, it’s my time coming, I’m not afraid to die. Later in the song, he sings I feel them drown my name.

To be fair, Buckley was inspired to write the song after saying goodbye to his girlfriend at the airport. The lyrics are about true love making death less frightening. In hindsight, though, the song hits a little differently.

Featured Image by Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images