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Swans – Why Are We Alive? (1991) | Track profile | Dork

Tracks
Swans
White Light from the Mouth of Infinity
Why Are We Alive?

TRACK

Why Are We Alive?

Release date: 6th June 1991

From White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

About This Track

"Why Are We Alive?" is a track by Swans, from the album White Light from the Mouth of Infinity, released 6th June 1991. Full lyrics are available below.

About the Artist

Swans

Swans

Lyrics

Why Are We Alive?

[Instrumental]

[Verse 1]

Now I'm not a man

And I don't feel love

And I don't see anything

Coming down from above

But this world spins slowly

And I see a light

Rising up from behind the horizon

Up into the clear, black, sky

[Verse 2]

But I don't see you

In my line of sight

In fact, I can't remember

Why we are alive

[Refrain]

Na na na na na, why are we alive?

Na na na na na, why are we alive?

[Instrumental]

[Refrain]

Na na na na na, why are we alive?

Na na na na na, why are we?

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

1991

Listen

Album

White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

Release year

1991

—Blind
—Song for Dead Time
—Better Than You
—Love Will Save You
—When She Breathes
—Miracle of Love
—Power And Sacrifice
—The Most Unfortunate Lie
—Why Are We Alive?
—You Know Nothing
—Failure
—Will We Survive
—Song for the Sun

More from Swans

Albums & EPs

Soundtracks for the Blind

Soundtracks for the Blind

White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

White Light from the Mouth of Infinity

Children of God / World of Skin

Children of God / World of Skin

The Seer

The Great Annihilator (Remastered)

The Great Annihilator (Remastered)

The Burning World

The Burning World

Explore

More tracks by Swans

Paradise Is Mine (Live)

Newly Sentient Being (Live)

Little Mind (Live)

The Merge (Live)

A Little God in My Hands (Live) (2025)

Guardian Spirit

The Man With The Silver Tongue

The End of Forgetting (Live)

Leaving Meaning (Live)

The Hanging Man (Live)

Cathedrals of Heaven (Live)

Birthing (Live)

The Memorious (Live)

The Beggar (Live)

Michael Is Done

Why Can't I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want?

No More of This

The Beggar Lover (Three)

Los Angeles: City of Death

Paradise Is Mine

Los Angeles: City of Death (Demo)

The Memorious (Demo)

The Parasite (Demo)

No More of This (Demo)

Unforming (Demo)

Paradise Is Mine (Demo)

Why Can’t I Have What I Want Any Time That I Want? (Demo)

Michael Is Done (Demo)

The Beggar (Demo)

Cathedrals of Heaven

Amnesia (leaving meaning.)

Some New Things

View all tracks by Swans →

A Little God in My Hands (Live) (2025)
Amnesia (leaving meaning.)
Away
Away (Live)
Birthing
Birthing (Live)
Cathedrals of Heaven
Cathedrals of Heaven (Live)
Don't Go
Ebbing

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Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer: Michael Gira
Producer: J.G. Thirlwell, Michael Gira
Engineer: Bryce Goggin, J.G. Thirlwell, Steve McAllister
Drums: Anton Fier
Keyboards: Jarboe, Michael Gira
Vocals: Michael Gira
Acoustic Guitar: Christoph Hahn, Clinton Steele, Michael Gira, Nicky Skopelitis
Additional Programming: Steve McAllister
Background Vocals: Jarboe, Michael Gira
Bağlama: Nicky Skopelitis
Banjo: Nicky Skopelitis
Bass Guitar: Jenny Wade
Bouzouki: Nicky Skopelitis
Choir Arranger: Jarboe
Drum Programmer: Anton Fier
Electric Guitar: Christoph Hahn, Clinton Steele, Nicky Skopelitis, Norman Westberg
Mandolin: Steve Burgh
Orchestra Arranger: Jarboe
Percussion: Vincent Signorelli
Sampling: Michael Gira
Sound Effects: Michael Gira
Twelve-String Guitar: Steve Burgh
Violin: Hahn Rowe