Life After Death and Taxes (Failure II)

"Life After Death and Taxes (Failure II)" is a song by Relient K, from their fourth album Mmhmm. It was released as a Christian radio single in late 2006.

It is a sequel to the song "Failure to Excommunicate" from the band's second album The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek, and includes, at the end, a string quartet excerpt from that song. Both songs include solos by drummer Dave Douglas.

The end of "Failure to Excommunicate" has the same string quartet music, but with more quirky noises in the background. "Life After Death and Taxes" has the static and hold-out from the last guitar chord, underlying the fact that the latter is a darker, more serious song.

Like "Failure to Excommunicate" this song is about and contains Christian themes, like heaven, death, and Jesus Christ's help and comfort in times of pain. "Life After Death and Taxes" is more of a closer to "Failure to Excommunicate." Where "Failure to Excommunicate" says, "Know it's the world versus Jesus and you," this song says, "Never forget...death and decay can't touch us now," instilling a more sure feel to the somewhat open-ended song "Failure to Excommunicate."

The screamed vocals are performed by David Bunton of the Christian Death Metal band The Showdown

Relient K
  • Matt Thiessen
  • Matt Hoopes
  • John Warne
  • Jon Schneck
  • Ethan Luck
  • Todd Frescone
  • Stephen Cushman
  • Brett Schoneman
  • Jared Byers
  • Brian Pittman
  • Dave Douglas
Studio albums
  • Relient K
  • The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek
  • Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do
  • Mmhmm
  • Five Score and Seven Years Ago
  • Forget and Not Slow Down
EPs
  • 2000 A.D.D.
  • The Creepy EP
  • Employee of the Month EP
  • The Vinyl Countdown
  • Apathetic EP
  • Must Have Done Something Right EP
  • The Nashville Tennis EP
  • Is for Karaoke EP
Other
  • All Work & No Play (demo)
  • Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand (Christmas album)
  • Let It Snow, Baby... Let It Reindeer (Christmas album)
  • The Bird and the Bee Sides (rarities album)
  • Is for Karaoke (cover album)
Selected singles
  • "My Girlfriend"
  • "Pressing On"
  • "Sadie Hawkins Dance"
  • "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything"
  • "Chap Stick, Chapped Lips, and Things Like Chemistry"
  • "Be My Escape"
  • "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been"
  • "The Truth"
  • "High of 75"
  • "I So Hate Consequences"
  • "Life After Death and Taxes (Failure II)"
  • "Must Have Done Something Right"
  • "Forgiven"
  • "The Best Thing"
  • "I Need You"
  • "Give Until There's Nothing Left"
  • "Devastation and Reform"
  • "Forget and Not Slow Down"
Related articles
  • Discography
  • "Rebuild"
  • Book
  • Category

Famous quotes containing the words life, death and/or taxes:

    “I have all my life been on my guard against the information conveyed by the sense of hearing—it being one of my earliest observations, the universal inclination of humankind is to be led by the ears, and I am sometimes apt to imagine that they are given to men as they are to pitchers, purposely that they may be carried about by them.”
    —Mary Wortley, Lady Montagu (1689–1762)

    “I agree that we should work and prolong the functions of life as far as we can, and hope that Death may find me planting my cabbages, but indifferent to him and still more to the unfinished state of my garden.”
    —Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592)

    “The contented and economically comfortable have a very discriminating view of government. Nobody is ever indignant about bailing out failed banks and failed savings and loans associations.... But when taxes must be paid for the lower middle class and poor, the government assumes an aspect of wickedness.”
    —John Kenneth Galbraith (b. 1908)