Story of My LIfe
John Tartaglia feat. Shrek Ensemble Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Pinocchio Spoken)
I'm not a puppet, I'm a real boy.
(Nose grows and he laughs)
(Guard Spoken)
That's your patch of mud down there.
(Pinocchio Spoken)
Oh, dumped on a swamp. Man, I tell you sometimes being a fairytale creature sucks pine sap.
Life is disappointing,
Woe is what I know.
Outed by my nose,
That's just how it goes,
For poor Pinocchio.
Story of my life,
Always doomed to fail.
Cheated by a fox,
Swallowed by a whale.
That's the story of my life, oh yeah,
That's the story of my life.
Strife is never ending.
(Guard Spoken)
Peter Pan!
Banished from the town
(Guard Spoken)
Ugly Duckling!
They dragged me from the pond.
They broke my magic wand.
They blew our condos down.
(Guard Spoken)
Wicked Witch!
Life is but a witch hunt.
Mama's in the mud,
Mama's in distress.
They ridiculed my hat.
They said that we were fat.
They tore my cotton granny dress,
And called me a hot and tranny mess.
(Guard Spoken)
Sugar Plum Fairy!
Story of my life.
Booted from the ball
Told to go away
Tumbled off the wall!
But that's the story of my life
(Guard Spoken)
You're late rabbit.
That's the story of my life.
(Guard Spoken)
Have fun you guys
That's the story of my life.
(Guard Spoken)
And remember if we find you back in the kingdom you will be executed.
I always dreamed I'd get a happy ending.
And this right here,
Not how it goes.
I always dreamed I'd get an ever after.
If this is it,
It blows (Spoken)
This is worse than the time I caught Dutch Elm Disease in Tijuana
Story of my life,
All the wasted prayers.
All the broken dreams.
All the broken chairs.
All the damage done
All the busted beds.
All the shattered falls
And the porridge on our heads.
That's the story of my life, yes sir.
That's the story of my life, oy vey.
That's the story of my,
Life
(Pinocchio Spoken)
crap!
The first part of the lyrics sees Pinocchio, a fairytale creature, being called forward and introduced as a puppet by the Guard. Pinocchio insists that he's a real boy but his nose grows, revealing his lie. He then expresses his disappointment with life, feeling that he's always doomed to fail, cheated by a fox, swallowed by a whale, and generally living a difficult existence. He bemoans the fact that he's always the one to suffer and that his life is one disappointment after another.
The second part of the lyrics sees other fairytale creatures joining in, each sharing their own story of disappointment and mistreatment. They've all been banished, ridiculed, broken, and left with shattered dreams. They feel like life is a witch hunt and that they're always the target. Despite their troubles, they express their desires for a happy ending, a fairytale-like conclusion to their lives. However, they understand that their dream may never come true and that their current reality or story is far from perfect.
Overall, the song highlights the struggles and disappointments inherent in life, particularly for those who are different or considered outsiders by society. It also speaks to the universal desire for a happy ending or a better life, while recognizing that such endings are not always attainable.
Line by Line Meaning
Alright, when I call your name step forward. Pinocchio, the puppet.
The character Pinocchio, referred to as a puppet, is summoned by name.
I'm not a puppet, I'm a real boy. (Nose grows and he laughs)
Pinocchio denies being a puppet and his nose grows, revealing the lie. He laughs at the situation.
That's your patch of mud down there. (Pinocchio Spoken) Oh, dumped on a swamp. Man, I tell you sometimes being a fairytale creature sucks pine sap.
Pinocchio is shown his new home, a patch of muddy swamp, which he complains about, reflecting on how difficult it is to be a fairytale creature.
Life is disappointing, Woe is what I know. Outed by my nose, That's just how it goes, For poor Pinocchio.
Pinocchio laments his difficult life, being outed as a liar by his growing nose.
Story of my life, Always doomed to fail. Cheated by a fox, Swallowed by a whale. That's the story of my life, oh yeah, That's the story of my life.
Pinocchio reflects on his life of misfortunes, including being tricked by a fox and swallowed by a whale.
Strife is never-ending.
Life is a continuous struggle for Pinocchio.
Banished from the town (Guard Spoken) Ugly Duckling! They dragged me from the pond. They broke my magic wand. They blew our condos down. (Guard Spoken) Wicked Witch! Life is but a witch hunt.
Other fairytale creatures share how they have been mistreated and wronged, painting life as a witch hunt.
Mama's in the mud, Mama's in distress. They ridiculed my hat. They said that we were fat. They tore my cotton granny dress, And called me a hot and tranny mess. (Guard Spoken) Sugar Plum Fairy!
More examples of mistreatment experienced by other fairytale creatures are given, showcasing the ridicule and discrimination they face.
Story of my life. Booted from the ball Told to go away Tumbled off the wall! But that's the story of my life (Guard Spoken) You're late rabbit. That's the story of my life. (Guard Spoken) Have fun you guys That's the story of my life. (Guard Spoken) And remember if we find you back in the kingdom you will be executed.
Additional tales of unfair treatment are shared, highlighting the consistent theme of misfortune in their lives.
I always dreamed I'd get a happy ending. And this right here, Not how it goes. I always dreamed I'd get an ever after. If this is it, It blows (Spoken) This is worse than the time I caught Dutch Elm Disease in Tijuana
Pinocchio expresses disappointment that his life has not turned out as he once hoped, and that his current situation is far from his dream ending.
Story of my life, All the wasted prayers. All the broken dreams. All the broken chairs. All the damage done All the busted beds. All the shattered falls And the porridge on our heads. That's the story of my life, yes sir. That's the story of my life, oy vey. That's the story of my, Life (Pinocchio Spoken) crap!
Pinocchio reflects on the damage and disappointment experienced in his life, ending with an exclamation of frustration.
Writer(s): TESORI JEANINE, LINDSAY-ABAIRE DAVID
Contributed by Maria P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@blu3-kid738
Am I the only one who died laughing at the cut off scream
@romanalfaro381
No
@theatrenerd2.068
No
@camryncrowe5684
I did
@halfway_brother6783
Same
@jacc.00
ok so it wasnt just me LOL
@windigowest8710
The fact that the Pinocchio actor hits a C6 at the end and then jumps to I believe an E6 is astonishing
@22xeanah54
totally! and the fact that (i believe) the pinocchio is a boy is even more jaw dropping!!
@pongo5000
I believe thats the Gingerbread actress who hits the highnotes at the end? She is in the productions I've seen of it for sure
@oscarotoole1163
Everyone: Singing about your Freak Flag
Pinocchio: What the fuck is that?