When working in retail, a certain level of shared suffering creates bonds — and a healthy dose of sarcasm. Passing each other at the time clock, in the breakroom, or even on the salesfloor, we would ask, “how are you?” or “how’s it going?” A common response I picked up from a seasoned associate was “oh, I’m living the dream!” Of course, neither of us meant those words — working in retail likely doesn’t meet such expectations for anyone, really. Once the pandemic began to creep its way into our lives, a song was released by popular band Five Finger Death Punch: “Living the Dream.” While not necessarily meant to be an anthem for disenfranchised retail workers, the song effectively appeals to fans who can relate to the dichotomy of the American dream/ nightmare.
Recording of F8 – and therefore, “Living the Dream” itself — began in May 2019 (FFDP, “5FDP – New Record”). During this time period, the Marvel Cinematic Universe had released the final installment of the widely popular “Avengers” franchise. Comic book fans indulged in live action movies revolving around well-known super heroes, so it’s no wonder that even music would be influenced by pop-culture. In the first verse, we hear “‘Cause I’m just Iron Man, I’m a ghost within a shell” (FFDP, “Living the Dream”, 0:38-42). Given that “Avengers: Endgame” premiered on April 26th, 2019 (Giardina), it seems likely that the death of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man inspired these lyrics. This scene features incredibly emotional interactions among the characters after foreshadowing in previous scenes — a bit ironic given Tony Stark clearly seemed less than willing to forfeit his own life after finally settling down after “The Snap.”
How does an emotional scene from a popular film connect back to a metal band’s message of “living the dream,” though? Ivan Moody, lead singer of Five Finger Death Punch, places emphasis on his devotion as a father (“Bio”), providing the element of ethos. Because he is a father, the audience can assume he — like many of us — worries about his children and how they must feel when he’s not home or how they will respond when the inevitable happens. While a musician’s main focus is to entertain their audience, they still need to write relatable lyrics in order to connect with listeners. Sharing the same family values as parents allows the audience to find trust in the author (singer in this instance).
Although this song was released shortly before the lockdowns on February 28th, 2020 (FFDP UK), the timing — kairos — does not align with the emotions during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, but rather the evolution of the band itself and its members. Zoltan Bathory explained that the album had “‘no political or social commentary’… ‘[i]t’s about the band’” (Blabbermouth). Furthermore, Ivan Moody clarified that he had no political intentions within his lyrics (Banas). As a result, we see more elements of the American dream/ nightmare dichotomy because the “machine” in question for this song is quite literally the music industry. To an average individual working a more traditional career, the lifestyle of a metal musician can appear glamorous and attractive; however, we hear some of the same sentiments of “living the dream” in this song. Writing, recording, and performing music is just as much a profession as welding, nursing, stocking groceries, etc., essentially requiring a certain level of expectations from the musicians, record labels, and fans. Through logic and reasoning, the lyrics remind the listener that we’re all just trying to pay our bills and live our lives.
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions/(FFDP, “Living the Dream”, 0:49-1:10)
Why did they never mention what’s real and in between?/
It seems the path we’re on was paved with blood and sorrow/
No thought about tomorrow/
Just part of the machine, or so it seems/
In a sense, our dreams may come with a price, much like the monkey’s paw of W. W. Jacobs’ short story. We long for success promised by the American dream, but sometimes that success comes with undesirable consequences. These lyrics serve as a reminder that we must accept the good with the bad — that we are all human beings with hopes and dreams, regardless of how big or small a part we play in this world.
Works Cited
- Banas, Erica. “Ivan Moody Wasn’t Happy with FFDP’s Video for ‘Living the Dream’.” 93.3 WMMR, 27 July 2022, https://wmmr.com/2022/07/27/ivan-moody-wasnt-happy-with-ffdps-video-for-living-the-dream/.
- “Bio.” Moody’s Medicinals, ILM Distribution Inc., 2022, https://moodysmedicinals.com/pages/bio.
- Blabbermouth. “Five Finger Death Punch Guitarist On ‘F8’ Album: ‘It’s Rebirth’.” Blabbermouth.net, 9 Dec. 2019. https://blabbermouth.net/news/five-finger-death-punch-guitarist-on-f8-album-its-rebirth.
- FFDP UK. “Five Finger Death Punch Shares Living the Dream Lyric Video.” Five Finger Death Punch UK, 9 Feb. 2020, https://fivefingerdeathpunch.co.uk/five-finger-death-punch-shares-living-the-dream-lyric-video/.
- Five Finger Death Punch. “5FDP – New Record in the Making – 2019 Sessions – Day 1.” YouTube, YouTube, 9 May 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9riyV3jzFE.
- —. “Living the Dream.” F8. Better Noise, 2020. Pandora app.
- Giardina, Carolyn. “‘Avengers: Endgame’ Premiere: Disney, Dolby Build High-Tech Theater in LA Convention Center.” The Hollywood Reporter, PMC, 23 April 2019, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avengers-endgame-premiere-disney-dolby-build-high-tech-la-theater-1203843/.
