In the first line of “Alive If I Die,” Tori Kelly playfully subverts an idiom with a negative connotation, “You might be the death of me,” by following it with the words, “But it might be like ecstasy.” It’s not uncommon for singers to compare all-consuming desire and romantic rapture to the release of death (Cutting Crew’s ’80s hit “(I Just) Died in Your Arms” is another prime example of this trope), which makes sense for anyone who is a believer in a blissful afterlife free from pain and suffering.
Kelly also suggests that she and her lover will not be parted by death, singing, “Put your body on mine / So I can fall asleep on your chest / In this life and the next.” One of the lines in the chorus will resonate with anyone who believes that they have an eternal love like that: “It’s alright if I die in your arms tonight.”
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The song’s joyous ’80s pop sound, with peppy music that wouldn’t be out-of-place in the intro of a sitcom from the decade of decadence, also informs the listener that Kelly’s words aren’t meant to be morbid. She doesn’t even let the prospect of someday being separated from her lover by the veil of life and death harsh her vibe. “Even in another life, I’d wait for your love,” she sings.
