If I Die Young#Glee version

"If I Die Young" is a mid-tempo tune accompanied by acoustic guitar, banjo, accordion, mandolin, fiddle, electric bass, and drums. It is in the key of E Major. The song is about the sadness of dying young ("The sharp knife of a short life") as the narrator describes how she never really got to experience love and worrying about how her loved ones will miss her and deal with the loss. She recognizes that once someone passes away, others seem to pay more attention to that person's life: "And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin' / Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'." She states that if she dies young, then her family left behind should "save their tears" for a time when "they're really gonna need them." She states that she has had a well-lived life in the line "Well, I've had just enough time."

The Band Perry received at least one letter in response to the song. In its envelope, the members also found a necklace with a ring on it.{{cite web|url=http://blog.gactv.com/blog/2010/09/09/the-band-perry-gets-young-memento/|title=The Band Perry Gets "Young" Memento|publisher=GAC|author=Tom Roland|date=September 9, 2010|access-date=January 11, 2011|archive-date=April 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110407222125/http://blog.gactv.com/blog/2010/09/09/the-band-perry-gets-young-memento/|url-status=dead}} The letter's author was a young girl who had recently lost her best friend to cancer. Mourning her friend's death, the girl was contemplating suicide. Driving from work one day, she heard "If I Die Young" on the radio. Hearing "so much life in the song", the girl changed her mind. In her letter to The Band Perry, she wrote about the necklace: "I'm sending this to you, because it's the most important thing I own. This song literally saved my life."{{cite web|url=http://knowtheartist.com/the-band-perry-debuts-self-titled-album/ |title=The Band Perry debuts self-titled album |publisher=KnowTheArtist.com |author=Josh Armstrong |date=October 7, 2010 |access-date=January 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207130926/http://knowtheartist.com/the-band-perry-debuts-self-titled-album/ |archive-date=February 7, 2012 }}

Bobby Peacock of Roughstock spoke positively of the lyrics, saying that they were "very well-developed with interesting little details." He felt that, although the topic is "a little sugarcoated", the vocal performance is a "pleasant listening experience".{{cite web|url=http://www.roughstock.com/blog/the-band-perry-if-i-die-young-|title=The Band Perry – "If I Die Young"|publisher=Roughstock|author=Bobby Peacock|date=May 23, 2010|access-date=October 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102093113/http://www.roughstock.com/blog/the-band-perry-if-i-die-young-|archive-date=January 2, 2011|url-status=dead}}

In 2024, Rolling Stone ranked the song at #162 on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time ranking.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-country-songs-1234986540/the-band-perry-if-i-die-young-1235013654/|title =The 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time|magazine = Rolling Stone|date =May 24, 2014}}

"If I Die Young" debuted at number 57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of May 29, 2010. It also debuted at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of July 24, 2010. In October 2010, it became the group's first top 10 single on the Hot Country Songs chart as well as their first top 20 on the Hot 100 chart. The song became their first number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart for the week of December 11, 2010.

In early 2011, the song was remixed by Matt Ward and Dean Gillard for pop radio. The remix debuted at number 36 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Songs chart and number 29 on the U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for the week of June 11, 2011. With the remix impacting pop radio, the song re-entered the Hot 100 chart at number 46 for the week of June 25, 2011.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/470537/adele-rolling-along-atop-hot-100-jason-aldean-nicki-minaj-reach-top-10|title=Adele 'Rolling' Along Atop Hot 100, Jason Aldean & Nicki Minaj Reach Top 10|magazine=Billboard|date=June 15, 2011|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=June 15, 2011}} It has since reached a new peak of number 14.{{cite web|last=Grein|first=Paul|url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/74393/week-ending-july-24-2011-songs-bad-meets-bruno/;_ylt=ApClM5dmqVetcM8bzow_TSgPwiUv|title=Week Ending July 17, 2011. Songs: Bad Meets Bruno|work=Yahoo! Music|publisher=Yahoo! Inc.|date=July 27, 2011|access-date=July 27, 2011|archive-date=October 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007083902/http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-july-24-2011-songs-bad-meets-bruno.html|url-status=dead}}

In May 2011, the song sold over 2 million copies, the eleventh country music song to do so, and only the fourth time that a band reached this plateau, following Lady A, Zac Brown Band and Rascal Flatts.{{cite web|url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/74372/week-ending-may-29-2011-songs-he-was-in-it-to-win-it/|title=Week Ending May 29, 2011. Songs: He Was In It To Win It|publisher=new.music.yahoo.com|date=June 1, 2011|access-date=June 2, 2011|archive-date=July 26, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726001026/http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/74372/week-ending-may-29-2011-songs-he-was-in-it-to-win-it/|url-status=dead}} At the time, "If I Die Young" song was the highest-selling single to miss the top ten,{{cite web|url=http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-oct-13-2013-songs-1-205751307.html|title=Week Ending Oct. 13, 2013. Songs: A New #1 (For The Year)|last=Grein|first=Paul|work=Chart Watch|date=October 16, 2013|access-date=October 16, 2013}} and as of August 24, 2015, "If I Die Young" surpassed 5 million downloads.{{Cite web|title = Top 30 Digital Country Singles chart for August 24, 2015 {{!}} RoughStock|url = http://roughstock.com/news/2015/08/37199-top-30-digital-country-singles-chart-for-august-24-2015|access-date = September 8, 2015|last = Roughstock|date = August 24, 2015|archive-date = September 29, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150929111344/http://roughstock.com/news/2015/08/37199-top-30-digital-country-singles-chart-for-august-24-2015|url-status = dead}}

In July 2011, the song reached the top 15 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in its thirty-fifth chart week, making it the slowest climb into the top 15. It broke the slowest climb record that was previously held by Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats", and Taylor Swift's "Teardrops on My Guitar". Both songs took thirty-three weeks to reach the top 15.{{cite web|url=http://www.countrystandardtime.com/news/newsitem.asp?xid=5588|title=The Band Perry sets a mark for slowness|publisher=Country Standard Time|date=July 28, 2011|access-date=July 31, 2011}} The song spent 53 weeks on Billboard Hot 100 chart and is their best-selling single to date. It is also the only song with 53 or more weeks that ended its chart run in 2011.

The music video, which was directed by David McClister, premiered on CMT on May 27, 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/videos/the-band-perry/573064/if-i-die-young.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927181435/http://www.cmt.com/videos/the-band-perry/573064/if-i-die-young.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 27, 2010|title=CMT : Videos : If I Die Young|publisher=Country Music Television|access-date=October 22, 2010}} In the video, the band is shown setting Kimberly Perry in a canoe before pushing it off into the river. Perry is holding a book containing poems by Tennyson, including "The Lady of Shalott", which the book is opened to at the end of the music video. The video echoes a scene in Anne of Green Gables in which Anne attempts to appear as the Lady of the poem. Kimberly's mother and her love interest (played by Kyle Kupecky) are shown plucking flower petals and visibly depressed that she has left them. Eventually, her canoe begins to take on water, she sits up. Once this occurs her brothers come back for her. When she gets back to her house, her mother and love interest embrace her. The video was filmed on location at Two Rivers Mansion outside of Nashville, Tennessee. Throughout the video, the band is also shown performing with their instruments inside of the house.

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=The Band Perry|title=If I Die Young|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2010|certyear=2024|access-date=July 19, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=The Band Perry|title=If I Die Young|award=Platinum|digital=true|relyear=2010|certyear=2011}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Band Perry|title=If I Die Young|award=Silver|relyear=2010|certyear=2021|id=17347-5656-1|access-date=July 8, 2021}}

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File:Glee tour Cory Monteith Naya Rivera Somebody to Love.jpg and Cory Monteith performing during the Glee concert tour in 2011.|left]]

In 2013, Naya Rivera performed the song as her character Santana Lopez in tribute episode "The Quarterback", during the fifth season of the Fox comedy-drama series Glee, in honor of co-star and close friend Cory Monteith, who died on July 13, 2013. Monteith played Finn Hudson on the show, with his character also dying.{{cite web|last=Sciarretto|first=Amy|title='If I Die Young' Featured in 'Glee' Tribute to Cory Monteith|url=https://tasteofcountry.com/glee-if-i-die-young-cory-monteith/|access-date=August 4, 2020|website=Taste of Country|date=October 7, 2013 }}

In a scene in the episode, Santana talks about Finn before beginning an acoustic cover of the song, but she breaks down in tears of sadness and grief over Finn before she can finish and runs away when friends try to console her. Speaking about the usage before the episode was broadcast, Kimberly Perry said: "I'm so excited that song is being used that way because even though it has 'die' in the title, it was really inspired by and about celebrating life [...] I obviously haven't seen the episode that's a tribute to Cory, but I feel like they're going to focus on his life rather than his death, so I'm really excited that 'If I Die Young' is going to be part of honoring him".{{cite web|last=Dukes|first=Billy|title=WATCH: Naya Rivera's Emotional 'If I Die Young' Cover on 'Glee' Resurfaces After Her Death|url=https://tasteofcountry.com/naya-rivera-if-i-die-young-glee-video/|access-date=August 4, 2020|website=Taste of Country|date=July 15, 2020 }} Jeff Jensen for Entertainment Weekly confirmed that the episode focused on life, not death, and described Rivera's performance of the song as "the number of the night" and that it "was memorable for how she broke down halfway through it, then unleashed a furious howl".{{cite web|title='Glee' Review: An earnest, flawed tribute to the life (not the death) of Cory Monteith|url=https://ew.com/article/2013/10/11/glee-review-an-earnest-flawed-tribute-to-the-life-not-the-death-of-cory-monteith/|access-date=August 4, 2020|website=EW}}

The cover was released as a single as well as being a track on the album Glee: The Quarterback. The album debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200, selling 47,000 copies{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/5755773/miley-cyrus-bangerz-debuts-at-no-1-on-billboard-200|title=Miley Cyrus' 'Bangerz' Debuts At No. 1 On Billboard 200|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|magazine=Billboard|date=October 16, 2013|access-date=October 16, 2013}} and also charted as number one on the Billboard Soundtracks.{{cite magazine|title=Soundtracks : Nov 2, 2013|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/2013-11-02/soundtracks|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=November 23, 2013}} The song was the last Glee single to chart during the show's run, doing so in the UK and Ireland.

Following Rivera's disappearance and death in July 2020, which was confirmed on July 13, 2020, the 7-year anniversary of Monteith's death, the song saw a surge of views on YouTube{{cite web|title=Naya Rivera's 'If I Die Young' 'Glee' Tribute to Cory Monteith Circulates Amid Her Disappearance, Reported Death|url=https://popculture.com/celebrity/news/naya-rivera-disappearance-reported-death-if-i-die-young-glee-tribute-cory-monteith-circulate/|access-date=July 13, 2020|website=Pop Culture}} and became a trending topic on Twitter; some fans thought this was an insensitive reaction however, and that other songs performed by Rivera would be better to promote.{{cite web|last=Singh|first=Olivia|title=Fans are asking others not to share clips of Naya Rivera singing 'If I Die Young' as videos of the star's 'Glee' performances go viral|url=https://www.insider.com/naya-rivera-glee-performances-viral-after-death-2020-7|access-date=August 4, 2020|website=Insider}}

In February 2012, American pop-country singer Cady Groves uploaded a live cover of the song to SoundCloud.{{Citation |title=If I Die Young (Cover) |url=https://soundcloud.com/cadygroves/cady-groves-live-recording-if |language=en |access-date=2022-08-03}} Prophetically, Groves would die in 2020 at the age of 30 from complications caused by alcohol abuse.{{cite web |last1=Roberto |first1=Melissa |title=Country singer Cady Groves' cause of death revealed |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/country-singer-cady-groves-cause-of-death-revealed |access-date=9 August 2020 |website=Fox News |date=August 8, 2020 |publisher=Fox News Network, LLC}}

Following the band's hiatus announcement, Kimberly recorded and released a follow-up titled "If I Die Young Pt. 2" as her solo debut single in May 2023.{{cite web|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/bulletins.billboard.com/country/country_update_2023_0526.pdf|title=Billboard Country Update|author=Claire Schaper|date=May 26, 2023|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=May 27, 2023}}

• List of number-one country singles of 2010 (U.S.)
• List of Billboard Adult Contemporary number ones of 2011

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Category:2010s ballads

Category:2010 singles

Category:2010 songs

Category:The Band Perry songs

Category:Country ballads

Category:Songs written by Kimberly Perry

Category:Song recordings produced by Paul Worley

Category:Song recordings produced by Nathan Chapman (record producer)

Category:Republic Records singles

Category:Republic Nashville singles

Category:Pop ballads

Category:Songs about death