Kesha, Die Young | Controversial Tunes 😈🎶

In the 15^th edition of Controversial Tunes (2023), we explore the controversy behind the song, “Die Young” by Kesha.

B ring on the controversy! Controversial Tunes 😈🎶 is a column that provides background information and insight into songs that raised eyebrows and totally stirred the pot.  The records that grace Controversial Tunes are old and new alike, with all genres of music welcome.  In the 15^th edition of Controversial Tunes (2023), we explore the controversy behind the song, 🎵 “Die Young” by 🎙 Kesha. 

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“Let’s make the most of the night / Like we’re gonna die young.” Here’s the thing, the 2012 🎙 Kesha song, 🎵 “Die Young” (💿 Warrior), DOES NOT have bad intentions. A prime example: “Young hearts, out our minds, runnin’ ‘til we outta time  / Wild childs, lookin’ good, livin’ hard just like we should.” “Die Young” is not malicious and not a proponent of premature or youthful death.  This no. 2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 is all about living it up and enjoying life, which is fleeting, particularly being young. “Lookin’ for some trouble tonight / Take my hand, I’ll show you the wild side,” she sings in the pre-chorus, adding, “Like it’s the last night of our lives / We’ll keep dancin’ ‘til we die.” The song is framed in a fashion that, if you did happen to die young, you thoroughly enjoyed your stay on Earth.

Where the controversy comes in is the timing, as well, some of the lyrics.  The timing is the big issue as “Die Young” reached its peak on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of December 8, 2012.  On December 14, 2012, the devastating, tragic  Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting occurred, where 20 children died, as well as 6 adults.  There is no specific link to the shooting and “Die Young.” However, given the tragedy, worsened by the fact it happened during the holiday season, a song about dying young, no matter the context, was a no-go. Notably, both “Die Young” and the 🎙 Foster The People hit, 🎵 “Pumped Up Kicks” were dropped by radio due to the school shooting. Furthermore, Kesha criticized the lyrics, asserting, in a deleted tweet, “I had my very own issue with ‘die young’ for this reason. I did NOT want to sing those lyrics and I was FORCED TO.” Kesha is a writer on the song, but the specific lyrics she took issue with weren’t part of her contribution, or so the story goes (🎼 ✍  Cirkut, Nate Ruess, benny blanco, and Dr. Luke are also credited writers). All told, the reason why 🎵 “Die Young”, a multiplatinum single, is controversial is the timing. After its plummet at radio, the next single released from Warrior, 🎵 “C’mon”, only mustered up a no. 27 peak. Controversy sells sometimes, but at other times, it derails.

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🎙 Kesha • 💿 Warrior • 🏷 Kemosabe • 🗓 2012

Kesha, “Die Young”: Controversial Tunes 😈🎶 No. 15 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Kemosabe; Anand Kulkarni, Aykut Bingül, Luân Phan, mohammadreza merhvand via Pexels; Anna, Gordon Taylor, harshahars from Pixabay; christian buehner on Unsplash]