Se A Vida É (That's the Way Life Is)

Information Page

First released in 1996, this song was the second single from the Pet Shop Boys album, Bilingual. "Se A Vida É (That's the Way Life Is)" was written to cheer up a depressed friend, and it may well be the happiest song I've ever heard. Its infectiously cheery air and upbeat music can put a smile on the face of anyone who listens to the song. The title is meant to be an English to Portuguese translation of the phrase, that's the way life is, but not knowing Portuguese, Neil and Chris translated it incorrectly. It actually means, if life is. By the time this was discovered, the song had been recorded, and it would have been too costly to correct, so they decided to keep the incorrect translation.

Come outside and see
A brand new day
The troubles in your mind
Will blow away
It's easy to believe
They're here to stay
But you won't find them
Standing in your way

Se A vida é I love you
Come outside and feel the morning sun
Se A vida é I love you
Life is much more simple when you're young
Come on, essa vida é
That's the way life is
That's the way life is

Although we see the world
Through different eyes
We share the same idea
Of paradise
So don't search in the stars
For signs of love
Look around your life
You'll find enough

Se A vida é I love you
Come outside and feel the morning sun
Se A vida é I love you
Life is much more simple when you're young
Come on, essa vida é
That's the way life is
That's the way life is

Why do you want to sit alone
In gothic gloom
Surrounded by the ghosts of love
That haunt your room?
Somewhere there's a different door
To open wide
You gotta throw those skeletons out of your closet
And come outside

So you will see
A brand new day
The troubles in your mind
It's easy to believe
They're here to stay
But you won't find them
Standing in your way

Se A vida é I love you
Come outside and feel the morning sun
Se A vida é I love you
Life is much more simple when you're young
Come on, essa vida é
That's the way life is
That's the way life is

Written by Tennant/Lowe/Ademario/Negra/Do Barbalho

Works Cited

A large part of this song analysis was attained from the Pet Shop Boys fansite Geowayne: Commentary, Interpretation, and Analysis of Every Song by Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved from http://www.geowayne.com/newDesign/bilingual/seavidae.htm

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