Die Young

Die Young
Ke$ha
General information
Writer(s)	Benjamin Levin Henry Walter Kesha Sebert Lukasz Gottwald Nate Ruess
Producer(s)	Benny Blanco Cirkut Dr. Luke
Background vocals	Ava James Henry Walter Katie Mitzell Lukasz Gottwald Monica Cornia
Length	3:32 (See official versions)
Album
Single chronology
Previous	Blow
Next	C'Mon

Die Young
Kesha
General information
Writer(s)	Benjamin Levin Henry Walter Kesha Sebert Lukasz Gottwald Nate Ruess
Producer(s)	Greg Kurstin
Length	3:40
Album
Promotional single chronology
Previous	Till the World Ends (The Femme Fatale Remix)
Next	Hymn

"Die Young" is a song performed by Ke$ha. It serves as the lead single and second track on Ke$ha's sophomore album Warrior.

Background

“

It's all about how you should live every single day and every single night like as if it's your last 'cause you really never know how life goes and no matter how old I get I will always remain young at heart. - Ke$ha on Warrior's commentary

”

Two snippets of the song was posted on Kesha's YouTube channel where the singer sang the chorus on the subway in Japan.

Official versions

• Album version - 3:32
• Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa, and Becky G Remix - 4:03
• Deconstructed version - 3:40

Deconstructed Mix

A stripped down version of "Die Young" was released as a promotional single on November 23, 2012. It serves as the fourth track on Ke$ha's second studio EP, Deconstructed. This remix has been described as a form of relaxed psychedelic-beatless pop, sparking controversy among various social media websites.

Gallery

Artwork

Official Cover

Remix Cover

Deconstructed cover

Music video

Music video	Information
	Released	November 8, 2012
	Length	3:32
	Director	Chris Applebaum, Darren Craig
	Producer	Jonathan Craven
	Filmed	September 26, 2012
	Location
	Vevo views	+140,213,451

The video was filmed on September 26, 2012. It was released on November 8, 2012 on Ke$ha's YouTube. The video was produced by Jonathan Craven, edited by Shahana Khan, and the stylist was Scott Barnes.

Background and release

The video was directed by Chris Applebaum and Darren Craig but Applebaum withdrew his name from the official credits. To promote the single, two teaser trailers were released online. The first showed a waffle waitress holding a slip of paper inscribed with a capital "R", which resembles the official logo of Rihanna, leading to rumors that Rihanna would possibly be featured on the song. The second video appeared online, after the singer tweeted, "Wanna hint?". It displayed Kesha in the Tokyo Metro, whistling the chorus of "Die Young" An official lyric video was posted to Kesha's VEVO account the day of the single's release. On September 24, 2012, celebrity makeup artist and blogger for People Scott Barnes wrote that he was working with Kesha on the music video for "Die Young". On the video itself and the makeup artistry behind it, he said: "... I like to blow people’s expectations away, and that means creating something they’ve never seen before — so stay tuned to see what we come up with." Photographs of Kesha on-set for the filming of the music video leaked online. Jenna Hally Rubenstein of MTV commented: "...Kesha [is] into wearing basically nothing these days...and it's looking like that no-clothes theme has continued." She compared the leaked photographs and the cover art for the single, further comparing it to Cher's body rope, certain professional wrestlers, and Amazon princesses. Kesha announced that the video would be released the following day on November 7.

Concept and synopsis

Playing the role of a cult leader, Kesha and her fictitious disciples raid a hamlet in rural Mexico, engaging in various forms of sexual debauchery. According to Billboard, the video is a shout-out to the Illuminati. Occult symbols ubiquitously associated with the secret society such as the all-seeing eye of Horus, inverted crosses, pentagrams, and triangles pervade the video. Calling the imagery "blatant", Billboard reviewed the video as "tak[ing] the singer's button-pushing ability to dizzying new heights." Sending text messages to her "Animals" (an affection title bestowed on her fans) in the video, Kesha writes: "We made it… SOUTH OF THE BORDER… they'll never find us here".

Lyrics

• Official version
• Remix version

I hear your heartbeat to the beat of the drums
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you’re here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Young hearts out our minds
Runnin' 'til we outta time
Wild childs lookin' good
Livin' hard just like we should
Don't care who's watchin' when we tearin' it up (you know)
That magic that we got, nobody can touch (fo' sho)

Lookin' for some trouble tonight (yeah)
Take my hand, I'll show you the wild side
Like it's the last night of our lives (uh huh)
We'll keep dancin' 'til we die

I hear your heartbeat to the beat of the drums
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Young punks taking shots
Strippin' down to dirty socks
Music up, gettin' hot
Kiss me, give me all you got
It's pretty obvious that you got a crush (you know)
That magic in your pants is makin' me blush (fo' sho')

Lookin' for some trouble tonight (yeah)
Take my hand I'll show you the wild side
Like it's the last night of our lives (uh-huh)
We'll keep dancin' 'til we die

I hear your heartbeat to the beat of the drums
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna

I hear your heartbeat to the beat of the drums
Oh what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Uh
Everybody know Juicy always turnt up
Tour bus smoked out, everybody purped up
Nine to five grind and got the whole hood worked up
Ain't getting money, then you better get your work up
Pull up in a Porsche drunk, backseat chauffeur
Taylor Gang in here, everybody know us
Hundred bottles, and there's more coming
Same shit tomorrow night, all I know is stunting
20 shot of Jager, I don't do chasers
White boy wasted
Smoking out the vaper
Party with your girl, sweating out my pores
Becky so good, I had to thank the Lord
She won my heart, in the club she go hard
Shake her ass and titties
I threw my card
Love California girls like David Lee Roth
You tell 'em that you love em
I say, 'Take it off'

I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Oh, what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
We're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh
Like we're gonna die young
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh
Like we're gonna die young
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh
Like we're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Uh
No changing us
Ball so hard, it's not a game to us
Pull up in the club throwing Taylor's up
Spending cause money ain't a thing to us
But for the famous stuff
I wasn't the one to play with
Party all night, getting drunk and ragin'
Ball so hard, I think I'm gon' be sick
Wake up, roll a joint and do it all again
Yeah, I like to party
Got a cute face and I like your body
You leave sober and you might be sorry
Pour another shot then light the Marley
And what goes down, don't bring it up
Tell them broke n***** they can hang it up
Take six shots, feels like we're dying
Hit this once, feels like you're flying

I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Oh, what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
Yo, Ke$ha
We're gonna die young
Becky G, remix
We're gonna die young
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh
Like we're gonna die young
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh
Like we're gonna die young
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh
Like we're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Won't stop cause it's my time, time
I'm stayin' on my grind, grind
You tryna take my shine, shine?
Step back, bye bye
When I rap, all the boys go cray cray
Every time that I jump on the stage
Oh, you like it when I'm in your face?
And if you don't, man
Whatcha gonna say?

Looking for some trouble tonight (yeah)
Take my hand, I'll show you the wild side
Like it's the last night of our lives (uh-huh)
We'll keep dancing 'till we die

I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Oh, what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young
I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums
Oh, what a shame that you came here with someone
So while you're here in my arms
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Whoa-oh, whoa-oh
Like we're gonna die young
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh
Like we're gonna die young
Whoa-oh, whoa-oh
Like we're gonna die young
Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young

Controversy

Due to the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting, the song was pulled from some radio stations. This sparked "Not Your Fault Kesha" to trend on Twitter. The withdrawal sent out a mixed response online. Responding to the event, Kesha tweeted: "I'm so so so sorry for anyone who has been affected by this tragedy and I understand why my song is now inappropriate. Words cannot express." In a separate tweet, Kesha confessed that she had no control over the lyrical content of the song and was forced to sing it. Despite being credited as a songwriter on the track, she did not contribute to the chorus lyrically, as this part was written by Nate Ruess, although she reaffirmed that she fully resonated with the song's message; the tweet verifying this was later deleted. Before the shooting, "Die Young" ranked number 3 on American airplay charts, but dropped, losing 19 million listeners. A music source told TMZ that such a drastic airplay drop is rare, the last of such magnitude being seen following the Dixie Chicks' criticism of George W. Bush. According to Billboard, other songs that saw decreased radio play in the wake of the shooting included Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" and David Guetta's "Titanium". Her reaction was also filmed during an episode of Kesha: My Crazy Beautiful Life, where she was very upset and felt horrible about the shooting.

Videos

Ke$ha - Die Young (Behind The Scenes)

Ke$ha - Die Young (Lyric Video)

Official Lyric Video

Ke$ha - "Die Young" Remix (feat. Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa & Becky G)

Remix featuring Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa, & Becky G

Ke$ha - "Die Young" (Deconstructed)

Deconstructed version

Ke$ha "Die Young" cover by Becky G - @iambeckyg (mixtape)

Ke$ha - Die Young - live performance on The X Factor Australia 2012 HD

Kesha - 'Die Young' (Live AMA 2012) American Music

Kesha - Die Young live Festival de Verão Salvador 2015

Just Dance 4 Die Young - Kesha

The choreography to "Die Young" on Just Dance 4

Trivia

• "Die Young" is the only song from Warrior that Kesha performed on The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore tour.
• This song was appeared in the video game, Just Dance 4, making it Kesha's third song to be included in the franchise.