"Dead or Alive" is a song by John Cale, a Welsh musician and songwriter. The lyrics depict a complex relationship between the narrator and a woman who promises to be his friend. However, the narrator grows tired of hearing her empty promises and bids her goodbye in her strange and peculiar way. The song takes a darker turn as the narrator expresses frustration and disdain upon seeing the woman featured in a magazine, posing nude with a foolish grin. He expresses his desire to be left out of her choices and actions, as he is not proud to be associated with her. Later, the narrator encounters the woman again, this time in the back of a limousine. He witnesses her alternating between laughter and tears, and once again, he feels that she should have known better. When he informs her about something he has seen, she responds with shame. The song then takes a further twist as it is revealed that a year later, everything the narrator had predicted came true. The D.A. (district attorney) contacts him, inquiring about the woman, either dead or alive. The closing lyrics suggest that the narrator is being pursued and possibly accused in connection to her fate. Overall, "Dead or Alive" tells a tale of broken promises, frustration, and eventually a darker outcome. The lyrics hint at themes of betrayal, consequences, and the complex nature of relationships. The song leaves room for interpretation and raises questions about the circumstances surrounding the woman's fate.
