That's Life
Dennis van Aarssen Lyrics


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That′s life (that's life) that′s what people say
You're riding high in April
Shot down in May
But I know I'm gonna change that tune
When I′m back on top, back on top in June

I said, that′s life (that's life) and as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks
Stompin′ on a dream
But I don't let it, let it get me down
′Cause this fine old world it keeps spinnin' around

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 get back in the race

That's life (that′s life) I tell ya, I can′t deny it
I thought of quitting, baby
But my heart just ain't gonna buy it
And if I didn′t think it was worth one single try
I'd jump right on a big bird and then I′d fly

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 layin' flat on my face
I just pick myself up and get back in the race

That's life (that′s life) that′s life
And I can't deny it
Many times I thought of cuttin′ out but my heart won't buy it
But if there′s nothing shakin' come here this July




I′m gonna roll myself up in a big ball and die
My, my

Overall Meaning

The song "That's Life" by Dennis van Aarssen is about the ups and downs that people experience in life. The lyrics describe the feeling of riding high in one month but getting shot down the next, but how the singer knows that they will change their tune and get back on top. The song highlights how some people like to stomp on other's dreams, but the singer refuses to let it get them down. They have experienced many different roles in life, from a puppet to a king, and they have been up and down, but they know that they will always pick themselves up and get back in the race. The song is about resilience, determination, and the cycles of life.


The song "That's Life" was first recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1966 and was written by Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon. It became one of Sinatra's most famous songs and has since been covered by many other artists, including Michael Bublé and Van Morrison. The popularity of the song led to it being used in numerous movies, TV shows, and commercials.


Line by Line Meaning

That's life (that's life) that's what people say
Life is unpredictable and people often say that things happen for a reason


You're riding high in April
Sometimes you're doing well and feel like you're on top of the world


Shot down in May
Other times, things can quickly turn downhill and you feel defeated


But I know I'm gonna change that tune
Despite hardships, I will persevere and things will get better


When I'm back on top, back on top in June
I will bounce back and regain success in the near future


I said, that's life (that's life) and as funny as it may seem
Life can seem ironic and unpredictable at times


Some people get their kicks
Some people find pleasure in sabotaging or belittling others


Stompin' on a dream
They enjoy thwarting others' aspirations and goals


But I don't let it, let it get me down
I won't let others get in the way of my own success and happiness


'Cause this fine old world it keeps spinnin' around
Life goes on and I won't let the negativity consume me


I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate
I've experienced a variety of roles and situations in life


A poet, a pawn and a king
I've been both successful and unsuccessful in different aspects of my life


I've been up and down and over and out
I've had my fair share of ups and downs


And I know one thing
But I know for certain


Each time I find myself flat on my face
After each failure or setback


I pick myself up and get back in the race
I will get back up and continue to strive for success


That's life (that's life) I tell ya, I can't deny it
Again, life is unpredictable and challenging but I accept that fact


I thought of quitting, baby
I've contemplated giving up before


But my heart just ain't gonna buy it
But deep down, I know I can't give up on my dreams and aspirations


And if I didn't think it was worth one single try
If I thought it wasn't worth continuing to pursue success


I'd jump right on a big bird and then I'd fly
I would give up and move on to something else


That's life (that's life) that's life
Once again, this is just how life is


And I can't deny it
I accept this fact


Many times I thought of cuttin' out but my heart won't buy it
I've considered giving up, but I know I can't do it


But if there's nothing shakin' come here this July
If nothing works out soon


I'm gonna roll myself up in a big ball and die
I would feel defeated and hopeless


My, my
An expression of surprise or disbelief




Writer(s): Sal Salvador

Contributed by Brooklyn D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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