The band 's name was taken from the song `` Death Cab for Cutie '' , written by Neil Innes and Vivian Stanshall and performed by their band the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band in The Beatles ' 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour . Gibbard took the band name from the title of the song written by Neil Innes and Vivian Stanshall and performed by their group , the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band , in The Beatles ' 1967 film , Magical Mystery Tour .