The question

What would you want written on your gravestone?
DM
David Macklovitch

Musician and singer; one half of Chromeo

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here
I'd have a quote from the French philosopher, Pascal. I know it in French so here's a loose translation of it in English: "When he gets arrogant you bring him down. When he gets down on himself you bring him up and you always contradict him until he understands that he is himself an incomprehensible monster." That isn't monster in the sense of the monsters in the 'Thriller' video though, it's a quote about the power of rhetoric and the ever-changing nature of man.

Clash, Last Day On Earth, 1 December 2009 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 30 →
Norman Schwarzkopf United States Army general; commander of coalition forces in the 1991 Gulf War
He loved his family, and he loved his troops, and they loved him — period.
Recorded Academy of Achievement interview, Las Vegas, Nevada, 26 June 1992 source ↗
Will Oldham Singer-songwriter and actor; records as Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Biographical information for the curious cemetery stroller and future genealogy buffs. Then maybe something like: "For a little love, you pay with all your life." Or, "Hoping and waiting makes fools out of clever people." Or, "Where people love you, go rarely; where you are hated, go not at all." Stone-cutting is costly.
Recorded Clash, Swan Song, 11 May 2012 source ↗
Billy Idol Singer and songwriter
Yeah, well, he died of too much of all the right things.
Recorded A Martínez, Morning Edition, NPR, 24 March 2026 source ↗
Elizabeth McGovern American actress and musician
My daughter and I saw a tombstone the other day. All it had on it was, "She was a real character." We laughed and laughed. That'll be me.
Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 September 2014 source ↗

More from David Macklovitch

View profile →
Question If you had only one day left, how would you spend it — and what would you deliberately avoid? Death & what remains
I would go and record a bunch of stuff. I would just go and record every single idea that I have in my head and have Pat (Gemayel, bandmate) finish them, giving him very strict guidelines, which is what I do anyway. This is so we can have a couple of albums out after I’ve passed away, Tupac style.
Recorded Clash, Last Day On Earth, 1 December 2009 source ↗

More on death & what remains

Also answered this

Black Francis, George Clinton, Brody Dalle, Will Oldham, Jean-Benoît Dunckel, Andrew W.K.

Search the directory for somebody in particular.

Explore further

Report this answer