Sturgill Simpson – “The Dead Don’t Die”
One of the preview clips from The Dead Don’t Die, Jim Jarmusch’s new star-studded zombie movie, features Selena Gomez purchasing a Sturgill Simpson CD. The disc, like the film, is titled “The Dead Don’t Die.” Gomez’s character enthuses, “I love this song!” And now so can you.
Simpson really did record a song called “The Dead Don’t Die” for Jarmusch’s movie, and the song is out today — his first new music since 2016’s A Sailor’s Guide To Earth. It’s the sort of traditionalist country croon Simpson mastered long ago. “Well the dead don’t die any more than you or I,” he sings. “They’re just ghosts inside of dreams of a life that we don’t own.” It’s a real old-school honky-track, slathered in pedal steel and sung with heavy twang. Simpson’s hook: “After life is over, the afterlife goes on.”
According to a press release, “The just-released track plays a prominent role throughout The Dead Don’t Die, from the opening credits to the close.” Simpson is often mentioned by name in the movie, and it seems he appears in it too; according to IMDB, he plays “Sturgill Zombie.” Other musicians appearing in The Dead Don’t Die include Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, and RZA. Below, hear Simpson’s song and watch a clip from the film starring Bill Murray and Adam Driver, which also involves the tune.
The Dead Don’t Die hits theaters tonight.