Louis Armstrong (1901 - 1971) was a trumpet player, singer, and bandleader, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists in the history of jazz.
Life is so Peculiar
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Lyrics
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You know it too? (mm-hm)
You get so warm in the sunshine, (Get my sun tan)
(It doesn't pay to complain), I never complain
When I get up each morning, there's nothing to breathe but air, (Yeah)
(And when I look in the mirror, there's nothing to comb but hair)
And when I sit down to breakfast, there's nothing to eat but food
(Life is so peculiar but you can't stay home and brood)
The desert has only got sand, (And that's grand)
The oceans only got water,(And you can't drink it all up)
You never know where you stand
(When I get out to dinner, there's nothing to wear but clothes)
(Whenever I get sleepy, there's nothing to do but doze), Yeah
(Whenever I get thirsty, there's nothing to do but drink)
(Life is no peculiar that it makes you stop and think)
Yes, life (boop-a-doo-wa-boo-waa), is so peculiar, (It sure is)
A fork belongs with the knife (It sure does)
(Corn beef is lost without cabbage)
I love cabbage, a husband should have a wife
(Yes), (life is so peculiar, but as everybody says)
(That's life)
(Life), Yes life (it's so peculiar), a-hugh
(a bird can usually sing). A bird, I do too
(A pearl is made by an oyster), New Orleans?
(Rampart Street)
(You can't be sure of a thing)
When I get tired of restin' there's nothing to do but walk (walk it off pop)
And when I don't care to listen there's nothing to do but talk (keep you big mouth shut)
When I'm up in the airplane there's nothing to do but fly (mm-hm)
(Life is so peculiar but I often wonder why)
Oh, life, (boop-a-doo-wa-boo-waa), is so peculiar, (sure is)
A fork belongs with a knife you know, (mm-mm)
(Corn beef is lost without cabbage), leftover cabbage? (Yeah)
A husband should have a wife
(Yeah), (life is so peculiar, but what everybody says that's life)
One more for me Jim (that's life)
Let me hear it one time (that's life)
All together (That's life), yeah
The song "Life is So Peculiar" by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong is a reflection on the inherently contradictory nature of life, highlighting how one can be both wet in the rain and warm in the sunshine. The lyrics are a commentary on the absurdities of life, with lines about breathing air and combing hair, and the daily routine of eating and drinking. Furthermore, the song expresses that life is full of uncertainties, with references to not knowing where one stands and the need to keep moving forward.
The chorus emphasizes that life is peculiar in its paradoxes, stating that a fork belongs with a knife, corned beef needs cabbage, and a husband should have a wife. The verses highlight that life's peculiarities are simply the way things are, and one must accept them for what they are. Overall, the song suggests that life is strange and unpredictable, but it's crucial to find humor and joy in its idiosyncrasies.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh life (is so peculiar), (you get so wet in the rain)
Life has peculiarities. For instance, you get wet when it rains.
You know it too? (mm-hm)
You also agree with me, right?
You get so warm in the sunshine, (Get my sun tan)
Similarly, in contrast to getting wet in the rain, one gets warm in the sunshine and can also get a tan.
(It doesn't pay to complain), I never complain
There is no point in complaining about lifeβs peculiarities. As such, I never complain.
When I get up each morning, there's nothing to breathe but air, (Yeah)
Every morning, I wake up to breathe the air around me. That is all there is to it.
(And when I look in the mirror, there's nothing to comb but hair)
I can only comb my hair when I look at myself in the mirror. Thatβs all there is to comb.
And when I sit down to breakfast, there's nothing to eat but food
At breakfast time, there is nothing but food to eat as is customary.
(Life is so peculiar but you can't stay home and brood)
Life has its peculiarities. However, one cannot stay at home to worry about them all day.
The desert has only got sand, (And that's grand)
In the desert, one only finds sand, which is not entirely bad.
The oceans only got water,(And you can't drink it all up)
The oceans contain water, which is plentiful but not something one can consume all at once.
You never know where you stand
One can never be entirely certain where they stand in life.
(When I get out to dinner, there's nothing to wear but clothes)
When I go out for dinner, I am only concerned about what I am wearing, which are just clothes.
(Whenever I get sleepy, there's nothing to do but doze), Yeah
Whenever I get sleepy, I cannot do anything else but take a nap.
(Whenever I get thirsty, there's nothing to do but drink)
When I am thirsty, I must drink to quench that thirst, that's all.
(Life is no peculiar that it makes you stop and think)
There are peculiarities in life that can stop you and make you think deeper.
Yes, life (boop-a-doo-wa-boo-waa), is so peculiar, (It sure is)
Life indeed has its peculiarities that we cannot control.
A fork belongs with the knife (It sure does)
It is impossible to have a fork without a knife as they complement each other.
(Corn beef is lost without cabbage) I love cabbage, a husband should have a wife
I adore cabbage, and a husband should always have a wife with whom to share conversations and experiences just like corn beef goes well with cabbage.
(Yes), (life is so peculiar, but as everybody says), (That's life)
Indeed, life is full of surprises and uncertainties as the saying goes.
(Life), Yes life (it's so peculiar), a-hugh
Life has its peculiarities, but it also has its ups and downs that we all go through.
(a bird can usually sing). A bird, I do too
A bird usually sings, and I sing too.
(A pearl is made by an oyster), New Orleans?
A pearl is made by an oyster. Have you been to New Orleans?
(Rampart Street),
Rampart Street is a famous street in New Orleans.
(You can't be sure of a thing)
One can never be 100% sure about anything.
When I get tired of resting, there's nothing to do but walk (walk it off pop)
When I am tired of resting, I go for a walk, which is my only option.
And when I don't care to listen there's nothing to do but talk (keep you big mouth shut)
When I do not want to listen, my only option is to speak out. However, in some cases, I may choose to be quiet.
When I'm up in the airplane there's nothing to do but fly (mm-hm)
When I am in an airplane, my only option is to fly as that is the purpose of the airplane.
(Life is so peculiar but I often wonder why)
Life has its peculiarities, and I wonder why things turn out the way they do.
Oh, life, (boop-a-doo-wa-boo-waa), is so peculiar, (sure is)
Again, life has its peculiarities and uncertainties.
A fork belongs with a knife you know, (mm-mm)
The relationship between a fork and a knife is inseparable.
(Corn beef is lost without cabbage), leftover cabbage? (Yeah)
Corn beef is incomplete without cabbage. Do you have any leftover cabbage?
A husband should have a wife,
Every husband should have a wife.
(Yeah), (life is so peculiar, but what everybody says that's life)
Life is full of unpredictable situations that tend to happen to everyone.
One more for me Jim (that's life)
Let me give a final example, Jim, that's life.
Let me hear it one time (that's life)
Can we sing it one time? That's life.
All together (That's life), yeah
Let's all sing together; that's what life is all about!
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES VAN HEUSEN, JOHNNY BURKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind