Nickelback, a popular band that seems to constantly bring up social economic problems and specific political problems in the songs they produce. One of those songs is called "If Today Was Your Last Day," a single from their album "Dark Horse" that came out in 2009 on March 31st. It discusses the growing problems involving people who constantly believe that life is eternal and even those that think life isn't worth living. However, in their song, they mention a single line that continues to make those same people think: "Each day is a gift, and not a given right." They express the point that there is only one life to live, so live it to the fullest every single day. They believe that in order to make the world a much more cheerful, much stronger world, the small words that they convey in their song have much more meaning than orriginally percived.
In the music video, it starts out with two teenagers seemingly getting ready to go somewhere - wearing black-hooded jackets and holding a backpack and camera. They travel around searching for something and then it moves onto a small group of people who load up a car with black garbage bags full of something and drive off to a crowded towns square. The video goes back to the teenagers and they are standing on a bridge overlooking a large crowd of people. They center their attention on a couple in dispute and an upset businessman. Then one of the teenagers takes his backpack, opens in, and turns it over to release thousands of small slips of colored paper that hold little messages like, "Its never too late," and "Reminence old memories." Now the video is back to the small group of people unloading the car and throwing on red jackets with large white print on the back displaying similar messages to those of the small slips of paper.
The song starts with a general list of all the things life can throw at you, how it can affect you, and how to face it. The same "What if.." statement continues to occur and make the listener think about what might occur and how things can end in and instant. What seemed to peak my intrest the most was the very first few lines, "Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind, and try to take the road less traveled by." The moment I heard that, I thought of a saying I always used to love. It was a saying about how the people in ordinary life just follow the flow, going through the crowd and ignore the road that lies right next to them that not a single footprint is lies on. Then their are those who see that road and carve their own path through the crowd to get to the "road less traveled by." Another section of the song was apart of the chorus, "If today was your last day, tomorrow was to late, could you say good-bye to yesturday?" It made me think about how a life is fragile, how in just and intant, everything could end. It made me want to live my life to the fullest, just as the song intended me to, just so i wouldn't regret anything when the end finally comes.
Lyrics:
"My best friend gave me the best advice
He said each day's a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride
If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last
Leave old pictures in the past?
Donate every dime you had, if today was your last day?
What if, what if, if today was your last day?
Against the grain should be a way of life
What's worth the price is always worth the fight
Every second counts 'cause there's no second try
So live like you're never living twice
Don't take the free ride in your own life
If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past?
Donate every dime you had?
And would you call those friends you never see?
Reminisce old memories?
Would you forgive your enemies?
And would you find that one you're dreaming of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you'd finally fall in love if today was your last day?
If today was your last day
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?
You know it's never too late to shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are
So do whatever it takes
'Cause you can't rewind a moment in this life
Let nothing stand in your way
'Cause the hands of time are never on your side
If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past?
Donate every dime you had?
And would you call those friends you never see?
Reminisce old memories?
Would you forgive your enemies?
And would you find that one you're dreaming of
Swear up and down to God above
That you'd finally fall in love if today was your last day?"
-Nickelback, Dark Horse
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