Collabro formed in January 2014. Pagan and Lambert knew one another already, and used social media to find three additional singers to complete the band's line-up.Pagan and Lambert held auditions where they found Auger and Redgrave. They found Hadfield on Youtube singing Bring Him Home. They sung together for the first time at the Miller pub in London Bridge. It was not long after this that they decided to audition for Britain's Got Talent, as they had 'nothing to lose'.
In February 2014, only a month after forming, Collabro auditioned in London for the eighth series of Britain's Got Talent. They received a standing ovation from both the audience and judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams for their rendition of the song "Stars" from the musical Les Misérables. The judges were initially seen to have low expectations due to their styling and the fact that they had only been together for a month at the time. Cowell claimed that "Britain really has got talent" (a comment he repeated in the live semi-final) and they received a unanimous "yes" verdict from the judging panel, with Cowell also describing their performance as a "hit record", while Holden was reduced to tears.
On 25 May, it was announced that the band had been chosen by the judges to progress to the live semi-finals. They competed in the first semi-final on 26 May, performing the song "Bring Him Home" from Les Misérables. The performance was praised by all four judges, again receiving a standing ovation, and they received the highest number of votes from the public (receiving 62.3% of the total votes cast), ensuring their automatic progression to the final.
During the live final on 7 June, Collabro performed a different arrangement of their audition song "Stars" for which they received 26.5% of the vote, winning the competition by a wide margin.
That's Life
Collabro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what all the people say
your riding high in April
your shot down in May
but i know I'm gonna change that tune
when I'm back on top in june.
that's life.
some people get their kicks
stomping on a dream
but i don't let it get me down
cause this fine old world keeps on spinning round.
I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king
I've been up and down and over and out and i know one thing
each time i find myself flat on my face
well i pick myself up and i get back in the race.
that's life and i can't deny it
i thought of quitting but heart just wont buy it.
if i didn't think it was worth the try
i'd roll myself up in a big ball and die.
I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king
I've been up and down and over and out and i know one thing
each time i find myself flat on my face
i pick myself up and i get back in the race.
that's life i cant deny it
i thought of quitting but my heart just wont buy it.
if i didn't think it was worth the try
i'd roll myself up in a big ball and die.
i'd roll myself up in a ball and die.
Collabro's version of "That's Life" is a classic interpretation of a song that has almost become an anthem in its own right. The song tells the story of a man who has been through numerous ups and downs in his life, and though he's been dealt his fair share of tough blows, he refuses to stay down. He knows that life is unpredictable, and that one day he might be riding high and the next he might be shot down, but he's determined to change that cycle and get back on top.
The first verse sets the scene, with the man acknowledging that life is tough and people will say what they will about it, but that doesn't mean he's going to give up. The line "but I know I'm gonna change that tune, when I'm back on top in June" shows that he's setting a goal for himself and is confident that he can achieve it.
The second verse is even more powerful, with the man listing out all the different roles he's played in life - puppet, pauper, pirate, poet, pawn, and king. Each time he's hit rock bottom, he's picked himself back up and kept going, knowing that life is a marathon, not a sprint. The chorus repeats the message of the song, with the man saying that he can't deny that life is tough, but he'll never give up.
Overall, "That's Life" is a song that is all about perseverance and never letting life get you down. It's an anthem for anyone who has been through tough times, and a reminder to keep pushing forward no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
That's what all the people say
This is a common phrase people use to describe the ups and downs of life.
Your riding high in April, your shot down in May
Life can be unpredictable and you can go from feeling on top of the world to hitting rock bottom quite quickly.
But I know I'm gonna change that tune, when I'm back on top in June
I have faith that things will turn around for me and I'll be in a better place soon.
And as funny as it may seem, some people get their kicks stomping on a dream
There will always be people who will try to tear you down or hold you back from pursuing your dreams.
But I don't let it get me down, 'cause this fine old world keeps spinning around
I won't let others bring me down because life keeps moving forward despite the challenges we face.
I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king
I've experienced different roles and positions in life, ranging from powerless to powerful.
I've been up and down and over and out and I know one thing
I've experienced many highs and lows in life, but I know that I have the strength to persevere.
Each time I find myself flat on my face, I pick myself up and get back in the race
No matter how many times life knocks me down, I always have the resilience to get back up and keep going.
That's life and I can't deny it
This is just the nature of life, and I can't ignore it or pretend everything is always perfect.
I thought of quitting but my heart just won't buy it
Even when things get tough and I feel like giving up, something inside of me keeps me going.
If I didn't think it was worth the try, I'd roll myself up in a ball and die
If I didn't believe that life was worth the effort and challenges, I would give up completely.
Contributed by Vivian V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Karen Sorensen
This particular version is really special! Even when they’re clowning around a bit, the music is always perfect! Love Collabro!❤️❤️❤️❤️
lynette devries
You watch them on their channel? They are great, aren't they?
Joan Gilbert
Who else can be funny and never miss a note at the time? Such talent!
andrea gray
These boys are amazing boys with hearts of gold and fantastic voices too xx
Judith Anderson
Brilliant harmonies and performance.
Susan Pangelinan
They are so funny and so talented at the same time—this was a joy to watch, and it makes me want to go on their Greatest Hits Tour Oct-Nov 2021, even more!
Ann Rogers
Love this one. Fantastic performance. 👏
Sammi Davis
You get better and better! Let us hear a lot more from you this year!
Ang Dupuy
I always get happy watching you guys performing! My eyes sparkle. My ears hear happy music. My heart just goes all mushy. No one like Collabro! ❤️
Carla Phillips
What a great throwback! I was there. They’re amazing and so much fun. Great entertainers, as well as gifted artists🥰