O' Do Not Forsake Me: Fear of Death, Relief in Song

They Might Be Giants pause the horns for pure voices in “O, Do Not Forsake Me.” Where humor, and timelessness collide.

From an early age, I had this notion that I was going to live to be one hundred years old. Eventually, I decided I’d rather live forever. Probably on account of my lifelong affliction called “afraid to die.” After my uncle died suddenly¹, the idea of immortality started sounding really good; even comforting.

The Halfway Point of John Henry

“O, Do Not Forsake Me” is track ten on They Might Be Giants’ John Henry. At this halfway point of the album, on my very first listen, I suddenly heard a song that seemed to be speaking directly to my wish to live a very, very long time.

The song is hauntingly beautiful, with writing credits to the band, but the actual performance belongs to the vocal group Hudson Shad. The album even lists instrumental credits, but don’t be fooled, dear reader. This track is purely a cappella.

Listening to this song on a decent pair of headphones is something else entirely. You can hear the wide-open space being filled with these deep, resonant voices, layering into a kind of chorus cathedral. It’s gorgeous, unexpected, and even cooler when you remember that John Henry is TMBG’s first full-band album featuring horn sections, live drums, electric guitars, and then smack in the middle is a track where the instruments are nowhere to be found.

And here’s another thing; it’s also hilarious. A man with a slow, mighty voice addresses who he calls his lazy friends begging them not to abandon him in his darkest hour, even though he can’t help but sound like this. Why? Because he is one thousand years old.

O, do not forsake me though you know I must spend

All my darkest hours talking like this

For I am one thousand years old

It made sense to me that someone so old would sound so mighty yet so measured and patient. There’s no rush to get your words out when you have all the time in the world. There was something immediately relieving about this song. There still is to this day, although I don’t put this on in any kind of regular basis.

Relief in the Face of Mortality

My thoughts tend to ruminate on the fact of my mortality. Many TMBG songs poke that sore spot, nudging me toward spirals about death and brevity. But this one does something different: it offers relief. For two minutes and thirty seconds, I get to imagine not running out of time.

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