c'est la vie
EMERSON LAKE & PALMER / GREG LAKE Lyrics
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Have your leaves all turned to brown
Will you scatter them around you
C'est la vie
Do you love
And then how am I to know
If you dont let your love show for me
C'est la vie
Oh c'est la vie
Oh c'est la vie
Who knows, who cares, for me
C'est la vie
In the night
Do you light a lover's fire
Do the ashes of desire for you remain
Like the sea
There's a love to deep to show
Took a storm before my love
Flowed for you
C'est la vie
Oh c'est la vie
Oh c'est la vie
Who knows, who cares, for me
C'est la vie
Like a song
Out of tune and out of time
All I needed was a rhyme for you
C'est la vie
Do you give
Do you live from day to day
Is there no song I can play for you
C'est la vie
Oh c'est la vie
Oh c'est la vie
Who knows, who cares, for me
C'est la vie
The first stanza talks about the passage of time and the changing seasons. The phrase “Have your leaves all turned to brown” could be seen as a metaphor for something dying or coming to an end. The question “Will you scatter them around you?” can be interpreted as asking whether or not the person will let go of what has ended and move on. The phrase “C’est la vie” (which translates to “that’s life”) reiterates the idea that things come to an end and we must accept that.
The second stanza speaks about the importance of showing love in order to know it exists. The lyric “And then how am I to know/If you don't let your love show for me” communicates how important it is to have tangible proof of someone’s love. This is further emphasized with the repetition of “C’est la vie” throughout the song. The repetition of this phrase shows how the singer has accepted the idea that life goes on and that we cannot control everything.
Overall, the song speaks about the cyclical nature of life and the importance of accepting that things come to an end. It also communicates the importance of expressing love and not taking it for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
C'est la vie
That's life.
Have your leaves all turned to brown
Have your dreams and passions faded away?
Will you scatter them around you
Have you given up on your dreams and goals?
Do you love
Do you have feelings of love and affection?
And then how am I to know
If you don't show your love for me, how am I supposed to know it exists?
If you dont let your love show for me
If you refuse to show your love for me, how am I supposed to know?
Oh c'est la vie
That's life.
Who knows, who cares, for me
Nobody knows or cares about me.
In the night
Late at night when all is quiet and still.
Do you light a lover's fire
Do you have a passion and desire for another person?
Do the ashes of desire for you remain
Do you still hold on to your desires and passions?
Like the sea
Constantly changing and unpredictable like the ocean.
There's a love to deep to show
There is a love that's too profound to express through words or actions.
Took a storm before my love
It took a significant event or crisis for me to realize my love for you.
Flowed for you
My love for you appeared and grew strong.
Like a song
Like a melody.
Out of tune and out of time
Not in harmony or synchrony with the world.
All I needed was a rhyme for you
All I needed was to find the perfect words or actions to express my love for you.
Do you give
Do you show love and affection to others?
Do you live from day to day
Do you simply exist and survive each day, without direction or passion?
Is there no song I can play for you
Is there no way to express my love for you that you will understand?
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDWARD R WHITE, MAXWELL A WOLFSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind