c'est la vie
Greg Lake Lyrics


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C'est la vie
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

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Greg Lake's song C'est La Vie are about lost love and the uncertainty of the future. The opening lines talk about the leaves turning brown and being scattered around, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the relationship that has come to an end. 'C'est la vie' means 'that's life' in French, which emphasizes the acceptance of the situation and the inevitability of change.


The chorus repeats the phrase "who knows, who cares, for me" which is a reflection of the singer's feelings of abandonment and loneliness. The lyrics continue to explore whether the person he loves still feels the same way and wonders if they are too afraid to show it. A metaphor is used to describe the love being too deep to show and taking a storm before flowing for the singer. In this sense, the storm could be interpreted as a difficult time that tested the relationship, and even though it passed, the love remained hidden.


Line by Line Meaning

C'est la vie
This is life.


Have your leaves all turned to brown
Have you aged and gone past your prime?


Will you scatter them around you
Will you let go of the past and move forward?


Do you love
Do you have feelings of affection?


And then how am I to know
And how will I be able to tell?


If you dont let your love show for me
If you don't express your love towards me.


Oh c'est la vie
Oh, this is life.


Who knows, who cares, for me
No one knows or cares about me.


In the night
During the nighttime.


Do you light a lover's fire
Do you have passionate feelings towards someone?


Do the ashes of desire for you remain
Do you still have unfulfilled desires?


Like the sea
Like the ocean.


There's a love to deep to show
Feelings of love that are too intense to be expressed.


Took a storm before my love
My love needed a significant event to be realized.


Flowed for you
Directly shown towards you.


Oh c'est la vie
Oh, this is life.


Who knows, who cares, for me
No one knows or cares about me.


Like a song
Like a piece of music.


Out of tune and out of time
Not matching up with expectations or reality.


All I needed was a rhyme for you
All I needed was the right words or actions towards you.


Do you live from day to day
Do you live life casually or without much planning?


Is there no song I can play for you
Do I not have anything I can offer you?


Oh c'est la vie
Oh, this is life.


Who knows, who cares, for me
No one knows or cares about me.




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
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@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.



All comments from YouTube:

@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.

4 More Replies...

@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

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