“That’s it”: Why did Bob Weir look forward to dying?
Dying is an inevitability, and it’s something that a lot of artists come to terms with throughout their career, but that doesn’t make it any less scary – Leonard Cohen was acknowledging death the entire time throughout his album You Want It Darker.
Only mere months before his passing, and before the album’s release, he wrote to Marianne Ihlen, the subject of his classic, ‘So Long, Marianne’. She was near death when he penned her a letter, in which he seemed to bid a brief farewell, but also admitted that he felt as though he wouldn’t be too far behind her.
“Our bodies are falling apart, and I think I will follow you very soon,” he wrote. “Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine… Goodbye, old friend. Endless love, see you down the road.”
In his album, You Want It Darker, Leonard Cohen doesn’t just talk about the inevitability of death, but he also seems to make light of it. He pokes fun at religion, life, and the attitude of people when it comes to their mortality. However, there is no escaping that despite this humour, there is a hesitancy present within Cohen’s vocals.
Regardless of how comfortable we become with the idea of our passing, there is always going to be something scary about that lingering inevitability… It’s easier said than done, but realistically, people shouldn’t worry about dying, they should instead worry about trying to make the most of their life while they’re here, which means engaging in every experience possible, experimenting, trying new things, and generally not running away from happiness.
Bob Weir passed away on January 10th, 2026, making the musical world stop in its tracks as a statement was posted on his official social media account, which read, “He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could… Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues.”
Tributes poured in for the guitarist, as the band’s music had touched the hearts of millions and continues to move everyone who listens. Don Felder, the former Eagles guitarist, shared a touching tribute, reflecting not only on Weir as a musician, but the entire band, whom he called a family for so long.
“I first saw Bob at Woodstock with the Grateful Dead and was blown away by that whole band, and the musicianship,” he said. “I feel so blessed to have been able to have him sing on “Rock You” from American Rock and Roll. Until we meet again, amigo.”
While a lot of people were mourning the loss of Weir, there should be some comfort to take from the fact that the Grateful Dead guitarist never worried too much about dying, if anything, he looked forward to it. He had written his music in a way that other bands could pick it up easily, carrying the legacy of the Grateful Dead even after all of the original members are no longer with us, and as such, he was OK with passing, knowing that the music he gave the world would continue to make listeners happy, but there was a little bit more to it than that.
“I look forward to dying,” he said. Simple. Plain. But why? “I tend to think of death as the last and best reward for a life well-lived. That’s it.”
