The Drums & Rico Nasty, Dying | Wacky Wednesday

In the 36th edition of Wacky Wednesday (2025), we break down the unique “Dying,” performed by The Drums and Rico Nasty.

Do you know what day it is? It is Wednesday, folks! Do you know what that means? Why, it is Wacky Wednesday! In the spirited column Wacky Wednesday, we analyze, break down, and explore songs from various musicians of various genres that can be considered unique, unusual, or ‘wacky.’  These songs can be new or old; the only requirement is that they ‘catch the ears’ because of their distinctiveness.  With the background established, in the 36^th edition of Wacky Wednesday (2025), we break down the unique “Dying”, performed by The Drums and Rico Nasty. Wacky Wednesday vibes commence!

“All my life, dying.” Sigh, that’s so sad 😭. That phrase, sung by Jonny Pierce, is recurrent in “Dying”. “Dying” is the 10^th track from Jonny, the sixth album by The Drums, released in 2023. A naked Jonny Pierce catches the eye on the album cover (specifically, his butt 🍑, depending on the cover). Anyways, The Drums enlisted the services of Rico Nasty (Maria Kelly) on the track. She brings plenty of personality, making this song even more engaging. Pierce and Kelly penned “Dying,” while Pierce produced it.

“Dying” catches the ears with a colorful opening synth. Jonny shows off his expressive vocals early on, singing the chorus.  Throughout, the melodies are tuneful, particularly the chorus (excerpted earlier). Beyond the chorus, Pierce boldly sings the first verse. Stating a lack of understanding, he sings, “Got that fucking smile back on your face / Couldn’t trust you know, I couldn’t trust you then / So when I look up to heaven, and somewhere and sunny I know / Yeah, I’m all alone…” That is a total bummer.  What isn’t a bummer are the dream-like keys and synths that accompany, despite all my life, dying. Drums (the instrument 😉) enter the mix, providing some beef after the one-minute mark. Rico Nasty sings in the second verse, with bigger, more rhythmic production. Like Jonny, she mentions that lack of understanding. “Gimme a kiss and tell me, ‘I’m forgiven’ / You telling jokes, I’m laughing, I don’t get them / Loyalty comes when loyalty is given / But I admit it.” Following another splendid Jonny chorus, she performs an additional verse! There are no shortage of memorable lines like, “You know, you’re the one that get me wet,” and reasonably, “I just wanna find my person / Someone who thinks I’m perfect.” A unique alternative record, “Dying” is the type of song you’ll be dying to play over and over. The Drums and Rico Nasty put in work on this indie-pop bop.  I leave you with six words: “I don’t wanna be alone forever.” Facts!