Ben Tibbetts Studio: Piano Performances and Original Music

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It's Not Gonna Kill You

Listen (mp3)

It's Not Gonna Kill You is a song I wrote and recorded in 2021 as a hobby project.

The inspiration for it came from a Latin phrase: "memento mori", which translates to "remember that you will die" or "remember that you are mortal". The song highlights a couple anxiety-producing scenarios--meeting a cute person at a bar, speaking your mind in public, and even singing a song for people--and it reminds you that they aren't actually dangerous, but that on the other hand you only get one chance to live your life how you intend.

Want to sing this song yourself? Download the karaoke version.

Sheet music for this piece (as a lead sheet) is available to subscribers.

Lyrics:

Sit at the bar: cute person...
Gonna say hi? Cute person...
Feeling your heart beat in your throat.

"Hey how are you", cute person?
"What do you do", cute person?
(Somebody new? You hold out hope.)

Maybe you will make a connection,
Maybe not tonight.
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
Gonna be alright,
You're gonna be alright.

No, no, no, it's not gonna kill you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're gonna be fine.
No, no, no, it's not gonna kill you,
But don't forget, one day you will die.
You only get one chance to live life.

Telling the truth: be honest.
What do you think? Be honest.
Suddenly you can't find the words.

Thinking out loud: be honest.
Facing the crowd: be honest,
Wondering how you will be heard.

Maybe you will make a connection,
Maybe not tonight.
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
Gonna be alright,
You're gonna be alright.

No, no, no, it's not gonna kill you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're gonna be fine.
No, no, no, it's not gonna kill you,
But don't forget, one day you will die.
You only get one chance to live life.

(instrumental)

Writing a song, unguarded...
Singing along, unguarded...
This is all wrong. No, I can't do this.

Facing the mic, unguarded...
Taking a breath, unguarded...
What would they like? What will I miss?

Maybe I will make a connection,
Maybe not tonight.
I feel the fear and do it anyway.
Gonna be alright,
I'm gonna be alright.

No, no, no, it's not gonna kill you.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're gonna be fine.
No, no, no, it's not gonna kill you,
But don't forget, one day you will die.
You only get one chance to live life.

You only get one chance to live,
One chance to live,
One chance to live.

No, no, no, it's not gonna kill you. (Don't worry.)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're gonna be fine. (You'll be fine.)
And no, no, no, it's not gonna kill you,
But don't forget, one day you, you too will die.
You only get one chance to...

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