We Tried!!!, by Eryn Michel, is an even-handedly humorous and sometimes poignant exploration of the failures of humanity in trying to save a world in crisis. Poetic and at times laugh-out-loud lyrics, Michel confronts the very real collapse of ecology and societal dysfunction with a tone that at times expresses resignation, yet here celebration. This is her clear message: although we have failed, there is time to embrace that moment and “dance while we drown.

The song opens with Michel reflecting on a life sculpted by disaster: “I grew up on a fault line / So it’s not my fault I / Live in a state of emergency.” The opening sets the stage for the inevitability of disaster, suggesting chaos has been a constant throughout her life. By remembering “the big one” and learning “how to predict a catastrophe,” the lyrics pinpoint not just the literal menace of natural disasters but also the psychological burden of living with unending instability.

Environmental degradation is vividly illustrated as Michel sings, “I checked the skies, the water’s rising,” and references the ticking clock of “Five seconds to midnight.” The uncertainty of survival—“I heard on TV it’s TBD / If we’ll make it out alive”—adds a chilling realism to her portrayal of a planet on the brink. The chorus, however, is an unsettlingly sweet moment of: “Well, we tried / This was fun while it lasted.” There’s no moral judgment against anyone, just acknowledgment of trying together and finding that ultimately not good enough. Once he lowers a casket and “sets it all on fire,” the song takes a dark turn toward a kind of funeral dirge for the planet, with equal parts despair and defiance.

Michel’s use of dark humor comes across with lines like “Now I live on a shrinking coast / And the air makes me choke / I’m at home bedazzling my new gas mask.” The absurdity in beautifying survival gear highlights the ways in which dystopian life has become absurdly mundane. Equally, her frustrations with mundane realities-like “What do you mean I still need to pay taxes?”-serve to reinforce a disconnect between normal societal expectations and the apocalyptic world being described.

The line “Is this what it felt like / Playing violin on the Titanic? ” captures the essence of the song, finding rhythm and purpose in the face of inevitable collapse. The message repeats through the refrain, “We tried,” in such a way that it gradually evolves from a lament to a rallying cry for acceptance. By the time Michel implores listeners to “dance while we drown,” the song has turned into a liberatory anthem, urging us to take pleasure even in failure.

The closing stanzas, with their threatening countdown and mention of “partyin’ like it’s 536 CE,” make Michel’s point clear: Humanity has collapsed before and will again. The song yet somehow steers clear of nihilism and, upon final consideration, chooses to rejoice in life in those moments when it’s fleeting. 

On We Tried!!!, Michel offers a unique frame on the struggle of humanity. Her lyrics here balance grief and humor, failure and freedom, to offer a poignant commentary that invites us to open our arms wide to the end—and maybe even dance.