DeathIsDramatic. [[TheMusical So is musical theatre.]] Therefore it should come as no surprise that major deaths are often accompanied by a final musical exclamation by the dying character--and frequently another, for extra duet points. Often followed, fittingly enough, by a GriefSong. Sometimes the two even overlap. Frequently a TearJerker or a DarkReprise. In some works can attract KilledMidSentence[=/=]MusicalisInterruptus.

It should be noted that this can describe a song a character sings [[AlmostDeadGuy as he or she dies]], or a song building up to (and ending with) the singing character's death.

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!!Examples:
* "How Glory Goes" from ''FloydCollins''.
* MarilynManson's third ConceptAlbum in a row, ''Holy Wood'' contains "The Death Song". It is not a DeathSong. "Count To Six and Die", however, is.
* "Tell Her I Love Her" from ''{{Urinetown}}'', a duet which is half this and half GriefSong.
* "A Little Fall of Rain", "Come To Me", [[spoiler: "Javert's Suicide"]], and the epilogue from ''Theatre/LesMiserables''.
* "Eva's Final Broadcast" and/or "Lament" (depending on production) from ''{{Evita}}''.
* "Sh'ma" from ''{{Parade}}'' could be argued to be this, as Leo is about to die.
* "I Didn't Know I'd Love You So Much" from the film version of ''RepoTheGeneticOpera''.
* The reprise of the titular song in ''ManOfLaMancha'' - but a surprise, as Don Quixote does not know he is dying.
* "I'm Goin' Home" from ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'', though Frank doesn't die during it, but afterwards, and isn't even aware he's going to be killed until afterwards.
* The reprise of "Somewhere" is [[spoiler: Tony's]] Death Song in ''Theatre/WestSideStory.'' *sniffle*
* "Some Things Are Meant To Be" from ''LittleWomen,'' TheMusical, acts as Beth's Death Song, even though she doesn't actually die at the end. She dies afterwards, off-screen.
* "Mother Earth and Father Time," from the 1973 film of Literature/CharlottesWeb.
* ''Theatre/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet'' ends with the title character singing a reprise of [[spoiler:"A Barber And His Wife"]] which is both one of these and a GriefSong given that [[spoiler:he unknowingly killed his wife, who he had spent the entire plot seeking to avenge, because he did not know she was still alive]], just before [[spoiler:Toby uses Sweeney's own razor to slit his throat]].
* "The Mole's Reprise," from ''WesternAnimation/SouthParkBiggerLongerAndUncut." It's a DarkReprise of the earlier "[[TheSongBeforeTheStorm La Resistance]]."
* Parodied in ''TheBachelor'' when Jimmy notes that MariahCarey's character is singing even while she's dying.
* "Blue" from ''CowboyBebop''.
** But we're not quite sure he IS dead...
* "Farewell at the Foot of the Hill" from ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad|After Story}}''
* "[[spoiler:Qui Gon's]] Noble End" from ''StarWars''
* [[spoiler:Judas's Death]] from ''JesusChristSuperstar''.
* [[spoiler:Now It's Just The Gas for Orin and Somewhere That's Green Reprise for Audrey]] from ''Theatre/LittleShopOfHorrors''. [[spoiler:Two]] other characters die, but they either do not die immediately after a song or die immediately after a song sung by someone else.
* NeilYoung's ''Birds'' has been interpreted as this.
* In ChildrenOfEden Abel sings a few lines of 'The Wasteland' as he dies
* The Crucifixion from Godspell certainly counts.
* The Flesh Failures from Hair is [[spoiler: Claude's]] death song. He even gets a DarkReprise of his IAmSong in.
* Last Midnight for The Witch in IntoTheWoods. Of course, we're not quite sure if she's dead...
* "No One Mourns the Wicked" from ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}''. Subverted, as we later find out [[HesJustHiding she's just hiding]].
* The reprise of "''Out to the Sea''" for [[spoiler:Robert]] in "[[TheEmigrants Kristina]]", as well as "''I'll Be Waiting There''" for [[spoiler:the titular character.]]
* Infamously,and [[MemeticMutation memetically]], the violent death scene from the finale of TheOC.
* "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life" from Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian.
* EnterTheHaggis puts a positive spin on this trope in both "One Last Drink" and "Let Me Go"
* "Contact" from ''{{Rent}}''.
* The MusicalEpisode of ''{{XPlay}}'' has "Love Me (Reprise)" sung by Adam and Morgan's video game (it MakesSenseInContext) just before it expires.
* "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" from ''{{TheRose}}''. Followed up by "The Rose," which counts as a GriefSong.
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