Live Like We're Dying

"Live Like We're Dying" is a song written by Danny O'Donoghue, Andrew Frampton, Mark Sheehan and Steve Kipner. It appeared as a bonus track on The Script's self-titled debut studio album, and a B-side for some of the album's singles. It is better known for being performed by American recording artist Kris Allen. The song serves as the lead single from his self-titled major label debut album. It was released for digital download on September 21, 2009. The song received positive reviews, peaking at eighteen in the United States, and charting on other U.S. charts, including the top ten of the Pop Songs. It also charted abroad in Canada and New Zealand. The song's accompanying music video, which takes place in a desert and features a countdown clock in conjunction with the song's meaning, was received warmly, and according to critics, was an end to the low-budget, storyline-centered, debut music videos from previous American Idol alumni. Background The song had been recorded by Irish band The Script as a bonus track for the Japanese release of their self-titled debut album and a B-side track for their debut single "We Cry" in Australia, Finland, Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland. In an interview with MTV News, Allen stated that the song had been earmarked as his album's potential single since he won American Idol back in May 2009. Allen stated, "[The song] was actually one that we had listened to really early on, and we kind of just fell in love with it. Everyone did." When an interview for his cover story shared with, Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert, Allen explained, "It's a song that has a really good message-that we only have so much time, let's make the most of it. It's definitely got one of the choruses where I can picture people rolling down the windows of their cars and singing along to it."