Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' 'Die With A Smile' soulful lyrics and meaning explained

16 August 2024, 10:54 | Updated: 21 October 2024, 10:35

Looking at the lyrics of 'Die With A Smile' by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
Looking at the lyrics of 'Die With A Smile' by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. Picture: Getty

By Abbie Reynolds

Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars teamed up for the surprise single 'Die With A Smile' and we're unpacking it's lyrics.

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While we patiently await LG7, Lady Gaga kept us going with an epic Olympics performance and the release of a brand new single with music legend Bruno Mars. On August 15th 2024, to fans' surprise, Gaga announced their song 'Die With A Smile'.

She wrote: "WHILE YOU WAIT TILL LG7…“DIE WITH A SMILE” a duet with Bruno Mars. Song and video tonight at 9pm PT."

It has been confirmed that this song is not a part of her next album, but its title has had fans convinced it was written for the movie Joker: Folie à Deux.

'Die With A Smile' is a soulful ballad which features flawless vocals and Bruno's classic 'Silk Sonic' style, all while their voices beautifully melt into one another. But what are the lyrics and what is all about? Let's unpack.

Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars have released 'Die With A Smile'
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars have released 'Die With A Smile'. Picture: Instagram

Is 'Die With A Smile' connected Joker 2?

Gaga and Bruno's single has no direct connection to the Joker sequel Joker: Folie à Deux but, of course, the song's title is extremely Joker-coded.

When talking to Capital, Gaga said: "I think when Bruno and I were working on it we couldn’t not have joker in our minds because it was just such a part of my life in a big way at the time.

"But truthfully, that song for Bruno and I was all about love. And I think we just wanted the world to have a love song that would be for the ages."

Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix are seen on set for 'Joker: Folie a deux'
Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix are seen on set for 'Joker: Folie a deux'. Picture: Getty

Who wrote Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' 'Die With A Smile'?

The song started with Bruno, according to the song's press release where Gaga said: "I was finishing up my own album in Malibu and one night after a long day he asked me to come to his studio to hear something he was working on.

"It was around midnight when I got there and I was blown away when I heard what he had started making. We stayed up all night and finished writing and recording the song.

"Bruno’s talent is beyond explanation. His musicianship and vision is next level. There’s no one like him.”

The song was also co-produced by Grammy-winning producer Andrew Watt who also produced and co-wrote Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak's 'An Evening With Silk Sonic'.

Lady Gaga calls herself 'Lady Mars'
Lady Gaga calls herself 'Lady Mars'. Picture: Instagram

What is Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' 'Die With A Smile' about?

The single 'Die With A Smile' is a fervent love song about the strength of someones feelings for their loved one and the world hypothetically ending.

The chorus reads: If the world was ending / I'd wanna be next to you / If the party was over / And our time on Earth was through / I'd wanna hold you just for a while / And die with a smile / If the world was ending / I'd wanna be next to you.

'Die With A Smile' is all about not taking love for granted and holding on to it because we, really, don't know when the world could end. Bruno sings: Nobody's promised tomorrow / So I'ma love you every night like it's the last night.

What are the lyrics to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' 'Die With A Smile'? The 'Die With A Smile' lyrics in full:

Intro: Lady Gaga]

(Ooh, ooh)

[Verse 1: Bruno Mars]

I, I just woke up from a dream

Where you and I had to say goodbye

And I don't know what it all means

But since I survived, I realized

[Pre-Chorus: Bruno Mars]

Wherever you go, that's where I'll follow

Nobody's promised tomorrow

So I'ma love you every night like it's the last night

Like it's the last night

[Chorus: Bruno Mars]

If the world was ending

I'd wanna be next to you

If the party was over

And our time on Earth was through

I'd wanna hold you just for a while

And die with a smile

If the world was ending

I'd wanna be next to you

[Post-Chorus: Lady Gaga]

(Ooh, ooh)

[Verse 2: Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars]

Ooh, lost, lost in the words that we scream

I don't even wanna do this anymore

'Cause you already know what you mean to me

And our love's the only one worth fighting for

[Pre-Chorus: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars]

Wherever you go, that's where I'll follow

Nobody's promised tomorrow

So I'ma love you every night like it's the last night

Like it's the last night

[Chorus: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga]

If the world was ending

I'd wanna be next to you

If the party was over

And our time on Earth was through

I'd wanna hold you just for a while

And die with a smile

If the world was ending

I'd wanna be next to you

[Bridge: Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga & Both]

Right next to you

Next to you

Right next to you

Oh-oh

[Chorus: Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Bruno Mars]

If the world was ending

I'd wanna be next to you

If the party was over

And our time on Earth was through

I'd wanna hold you just for a while

And die with a smile

If the world was ending

I'd wanna be next to you

If the world was ending

I'd wanna be next to you

[Outro: Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars]

(Ooh, ooh)

I'd wanna be next to you

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