<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> "If I Die Young" at CMT.com </Td> </Tr> <P> "If I Die Young" is a song written by Kimberly Perry, and recorded by American country music group The Band Perry . It was released on June 8, 2010 as the second single from the group's self - titled debut album, which was released on October 12, 2010 . </P> <P> "If I Die Young" is a mid-tempo tune accompanied by acoustic guitar, banjo, accordion, mandolin, fiddle, electric bass, and drums . It is in the key of E Major . The song is about the sadness of dying young ("The sharp knife of a short life") as the narrator describes how she never really got to experience love and worrying about how her loved ones will miss her and deal with the loss . She recognizes that once someone passes away, others seem to pay more attention to that person's life: "And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin' / Funny when you're dead how people start listenin' ." She states that if she dies young, then her family left behind should "save their tears" for a time when "they're really gonna need them ." She states that she has had a well - lived life in the line "Well, I've had just enough time ." </P> <P> The Band Perry received at least one letter in response to the song . In its envelope, the members also found a necklace with a ring on it . The letter's author was a young girl who had recently lost her best friend to cancer . Mourning her friend's death, the girl was contemplating suicide . Driving from work one day, she heard "If I Die Young" on the radio . Hearing "so much life in the song", the girl changed her mind . In her letter to The Band Perry, she wrote about the necklace: "I'm sending this to you, because it's the most important thing I own . This song literally saved my life ." </P>

If i die young what is the song about