Grant Lee Buffalo is a Los Angeles-based rock band, consisting of Grant-Lee… Read Full Bio ↴Grant Lee Buffalo is a Los Angeles-based rock band, consisting of Grant-Lee Phillips (vocals and guitar), Paul Kimble (bass) and Joey Peters (drums). All three were previously members of another LA band, Shiva Burlesque. As GLB, they released four albums: Fuzzy (1993), Mighty Joe Moon (1994), Copperopolis (1996) and Jubilee (1998, without Kimble who had left the band the previous year). After the release of Jubilee, the band broke up and Phillips continued to pursue a successful solo career. In 2010 the band reunited and they will be touring again in 2011.

Grant Lee Buffalo has an Americana-tinged sound, clearly influenced by the likes of Neil Young and elements of old-fashioned country music, and often tackled political and social issues in their lyrics (for example, "Lone Star Song" from Mighty Joe Moon references the infamous Waco siege). They toured with major bands of the early-to-mid 1990s such as R.E.M., Pearl Jam and the Smashing Pumpkins.

It's the Life
Grant Lee Buffalo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If the life you have created
Has buried you with luxuries out-dated
And you ask what is the purpose
Too weak to claw your way up to the surface

You resent all of your trophies
They belittle human spirit like a timepiece
That is ticking in your breast pocket

And so you long to reach in and stop it

Then your heart it will be broken
And every sour word that you have spoken
About everybody else
Will return to act upon yourself

If the life you have created
Is founded on jealousy and hatred
It's too late to ask questions
For you're much too old to take any suggestions

It's the life you have created
It's the life you have created
It's the life
It is the life
It is the life
It is the life
It's the life you have created
It is the life you have created
It is the life
It is the life
It is the life

It is the life
It is the life

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Grant Lee Buffalo's song "It's the Life" bring attention to the consequences of living a life that lacks fulfillment and purpose. The song speaks to those who have fallen into the trap of accumulating material possessions, social status, and power, believing that these things will bring happiness and satisfaction. However, they end up feeling imprisoned and burdened by their own creations, unable to escape the lifestyle they have built for themselves.

The singer suggests that those who live this life often feel lost and disconnected, unable to grasp the true meaning of their existence. They become bitter towards others and resentful of their own achievements, realizing that they are nothing more than hollow trophies that do not bring any real value or joy. The lyrics describe a sense of despair, as the person realizes that they have been living a life based on superficial standards that have left them feeling empty and unfulfilled.

The song's message is about the importance of introspection, of looking inside oneself to find the purpose, meaning, and passion that can drive one's life towards true fulfillment. The singer warns that it may be too late for some, but that it is never too late to start living a more purposeful and fulfilling life.

Overall, "It's the Life" speaks to the human struggle of finding meaning and purpose in life, of overcoming the societal pressures that dictate what success looks like, and of ultimately finding one's own path to happiness.

Line by Line Meaning

If the life you have created
If the life you've built for yourself

Has buried you with luxuries out-dated
Has filled you with outdated pleasures that are now suffocating you

And you ask what is the purpose
And you question what your life's true purpose is

Too weak to claw your way up to the surface
But you feel powerless to change your situation

You resent all of your trophies
You're fed up with all of the overvalued material possessions you've collected

They belittle human spirit like a timepiece
These possessions weigh you down and devalue the soul within you, like a ticking clock

That is ticking in your breast pocket
Which you carry with you, relentlessly ticking away

And so you long to reach in and stop it
You wish you could silence it and free yourself from its pressure

Then your heart it will be broken
But even if you do stop it, you will be left with a broken heart

And every sour word that you have spoken
All the hurtful words you have said

About everybody else
About others, being critical of them