How to Be Dead

"How to Be Dead" is a song by Northern Irish–Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol, released on 25 October 2004 as the fourth and final single of their third album, Final Straw (2003). The single's release was slightly remixed by Chris Lord-Alge from the album version and reached number 39 in the United Kingdom and number 42 in Ireland.

"How to Be Dead"
Single by Snow Patrol
from the album Final Straw
Released	25 October 2004 (2004-10-25)[1]
Studio	Britannia Row, The Diving Bell
Genre	Indie rock, alternative rock
Length	3:23
Label	Fiction, Polydor
Songwriter(s)	Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly, Mark McClelland, Jonny Quinn
Producer(s)	Jacknife Lee
Snow Patrol singles chronology
"Spitting Games (re-release)" (2004) "How to Be Dead" (2004) "You're All I Have" (2006)

The song is a downtempo rock ballad, with lyrics detailing a conversation between a couple.

Reception

Yahoo! Music's Jairne Gill reviewed the single positively, giving it 7 stars out of 10. Though he felt Snow Patrol usually made "ugly empty anthems", the single was a "rather lovely little song" and "modest" and "chimingly melodic". Gill praised the lyrics of the song, calling it "a pretty little knife which Gary Lightbody seems to be twisting into his own chest, a list of druggy regrets and lost loves" and also said that, though the song's "gentle, skipping rhythm threatens to go BIG", it doesn't and "a pretty and intimate song is preserved".^[2]

Track listings

CD

1. "How to Be Dead" (Chris Lord-Alge Mix) – 3:23
2. "You Are My Joy" (Live at Somerset House) – 3:20
3. "Chocolate" (Grand National Mix) – 4:58

Germany 3" CD

1. "How to Be Dead" (Chris Lord-Alge Mix) – 3:23
2. "You Are My Joy" (Live at Somerset House) – 3:20

7"

1. "How to Be Dead" (Chris Lord-Alge Mix) – 3:23
2. "You Are My Joy" (Live at Somerset House) – 3:20

Promo CD

1. "How to Be Dead" (Chris Lord-Alge Edited Mix) – 3:12

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Ireland (IRMA)[3]	42
Scotland (OCC)[4]	32
UK Singles (OCC)[5]	39

In popular culture

"How to Be Dead" was featured on the soundtracks to American Pie: Band Camp and Wicker Park.^[6][7]