Anyway, I'd heard this barrel organ playing. And I walked on back home towards my apartment. I went past this cafe and I heard the voice of Edith Piaf, the famous French lady singer. And when I got back to the apartment I thought, I really would like to write a sort of French song with some French feeling. I don't really speak French, but I knew this phrase, 'c'est la vie,' that's life. And so I thought, That would make a good idea for a song.
So I wrote this song, "C'est la Vie," and we recorded it and put it onto Works Volume I. However, a couple of years later it was covered by a French singer called Johnny Hallyday. And he's a sort of French Elvis Presley. Anyway, he had a #1 hit with it in France, which as an Englishman, of course, gave me a great deal of pleasure."
C'est La Vie
Emerson Lake & Palmer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
@vincetomanelli2172
In 1977, I was lucky enough to have met the members of E.L.P.
(Emerson, Lake And Palmer) KEITH EMERSON, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer. Back then I was 12 years old and a few friends and I were playing baseball outside the Saint Michel Arena in Montreal Canada. Little did we know that E.L.P. had rented the arena to practice for their upcoming show at the Olympic Stadium (Montreal) on 26 August 1977, just a few days after ELVIS PRESLEY passed away.
We heard music being played inside the arena, but we didn't think anything of it. About an hour into us playing baseball, three people approached us (E.L.P.) and asked us if they can play baseball with us. We still had no idea who they were and we said...sure why not, the more the merrier. After playing for about another hour with Keith, Greg and Carl, they invited us in the arena to watch them practice. We accepted and watched them play for about an hour or so. We were amazed at how professional and kind these people were to us. After their practice was over, they thanked us for having played baseball with them and gave us each a **memento** (an object kept as a reminder or souvenir of a person or event) I remember getting a Tambourine. To this day I have no idea where I put it.
On march 11, 2016, we lost KEITH EMERSON. Just a few days ago on December 7, 2016, we lost Greg Lake.
E.L.P. Were known for being one of the greatest progressive rock band ever.
Rest in peace Greg Lake and KEITH EMERSON. Thank you for the music and the memories. I will cherish them for the rest of my life.
@ConstantinCatalin
This must be one of the most beautiful song in history of all music...you can listen 1000 times and still has same magic effect... totally masterpiece.
@robertbos5484
Absolutely true.
@kurtwicklund8901
Subdued and uncomplicated and great.
@Barbara-jd5lb
Hail fellows well met ...Emerson and Palmer...from The Wrong Number Montreal...'76, Canada 🇨🇦
@debikami1
I know, right!😍
@rogeralmanzora5397
Magnífica, impresionante. Con letra de Pete Sinfield.
@raymondsenecal8943
August 1977 Montreal Olympique Stadium, i was theyre fantastic show, mark for life.❤
@RD-ut2fy
I was there......Omg.....full orchestra....what a fantastic band. I get goosebumps whenever I hear this song. Amazing!!!!!
@ConstantinCatalin
Sooo fortunately
@Notalwaysrightbutmostly
Remember listening to this album , it was brilliant.Greg Lake has a wonderful voice .Like so many musicians from this era a true artist. 70’s and 80’s were special