JONNY BOSTON excelled in music at Chris… Read Full Bio ↴Singer, Saxophonist & Songwriter
JONNY BOSTON excelled in music at Christ's Hospital, a school where he was nurtured and encouraged. He debuted aged 15 with Bahrain Jazz Quartet in the Middle East. Legendary cornetist Phil Mason first heard him busking on the Underground, which led to tours throughout Europe with Max Collie Rhythm Aces by the age of 18. Jonny left Max to study at Leeds College of Music, where he sailed through his Graduate Diploma in Jazz & Contemporary Music with Honours! While there, he won the Yorkshire TV Young Jazz Player of the Year. The judges included Chris Barber, who later invited Jonny’s band, Boston Tea Party, to perform with his Jazz & Blues Band.
Since returning to London, in 1998, he has played with such bands as Phil Mason’s New Orleans All Stars, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra, King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys, Barry Martyn & The Young Bloods, Ginger Pig Band and TJ Johnson’s Bourbon Kick. He's also played with Ken Peplowski, Roy Hargrove, John Dankworth, Guy Barker, Georgie Fame, Jamie Cullum and even Eddie Izzard to name a few. Venues of note include Blenheim Palace, Royal Festival Hall, The Ritz, St David’s Hall, and London clubs The Boisdale Club, The 606 Club, Ronnie Scott's, and the much frequented 100 Club on Oxford St. He has even played alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra!
That's Life
Jonny Boston Lyrics
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You're riding' high in April
Shot down in May.
But I know I'm gonna change that tune,
When I'm back on top in June.
That's life, funny as it seems.
Some people get their kicks,
But I don't let it get me down,
'Cause this ol' world keeps spinning around.
I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate,
A poet, a pawn and a king.
I've been up and down and over and out
And I know one thing:
Each time I find myself flat on my face,
I pick myself up and get back in the race.
That's life, I can't deny it
I thought of quitting
But my heart just won't buy it.
If I didn't think it was worth a try,
I'd jump right on a big bird
And then I'd fly.
I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate,
A poet, a pawn and a king.
I've been up and down and over and out
And I know one thing:
Each time I find myself flat on my face,
I pick myself up and get back in the race.
That's life, I can't deny it,
I thought of quitting,
But my heart just won't buy it.
But if nothing's changing come this here July
I'm going to roll myself up in a big ball and die.
The song "That's Life" by Jonny Boston is a powerful, motivational anthem about the ups and downs of life. The song opens with the classic phrase, "That's life, that's what people say," which sets the tone for the rest of the song. Boston speaks about how life can be filled with highs and lows, using the metaphor of being "riding high in April, shot down in May." However, he refuses to let these setbacks get him down, and knows that he will change his luck and be "back on top in June."
The chorus of the song further delivers this message of resilience, with Boston acknowledging that life can be "funny as it seems" and that some people may try to bring us down by "stepping on dreams." However, he believes that the world keeps moving forward and we should do the same. Despite experiencing many different roles throughout his life, such as a puppet, pauper, pirate, poet, pawn and king, he has learned that the key to success is to never give up and to always pick himself back up "each time I find myself flat on my face."
Towards the end of the song, Boston expresses that he has thought about quitting at times, but his heart just won't buy into that idea. He knows that life is worth a try and that he will continue to persevere. However, he also acknowledges that if nothing changes come July, he may consider giving up, as a last resort.
Overall, "That's Life" is a powerful and uplifting song that encourages listeners to never give up and always keep pushing forward, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
That's life, that's what people say
People often use the phrase 'that's life' to refer to the ups and downs of human existence
You're riding' high in April
At times, life can be going well
Shot down in May.
But things can easily take a turn for the worse
But I know I'm gonna change that tune,
The singer is confident that things will get better
When I'm back on top in June.
And predicts that he will be doing great again come June
That's life, funny as it seems.
Life can be strange and unpredictable at times
Some people get their kicks, Steppin' on dreams;
Unfortunately, some people take pleasure in crushing others' hopes and aspirations
But I don't let it get me down,
But the singer refuses to let these negative forces bring him down
'Cause this ol' world keeps spinning around.
He draws comfort from the fact that the world keeps turning, and things will eventually change
I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate,
The singer has experienced many different roles and situations in life
A poet, a pawn and a king.
He's gone from being penniless to successful, and everything in between
I've been up and down and over and out
Overall, he's experienced both highs and lows
And I know one thing:
But he's learned an important lesson through it all
Each time I find myself flat on my face,
Regardless of how many times he's been knocked down
I pick myself up and get back in the race.
He always gets back up and keeps trying to succeed
That's life, I can't deny it
The singer acknowledges that life can be tough at times
I thought of quitting
He's been tempted to give up before
But my heart just won't buy it.
But ultimately, his passion for life won't let him give up
If I didn't think it was worth a try,
He wouldn't keep going if he didn't believe it was worth it
I'd jump right on a big bird, And then I'd fly.
He'd escape from his problems if he could, but he knows that's not the answer
That's life, I can't deny it,
Once again, the singer acknowledges that life can be tough
I thought of quitting,
And once again, he's thought of giving up
But my heart just won't buy it.
But he's ultimately decided to keep pushing forward
But if nothing's changing come this here July
However, he also knows that there's a limit to how long he can keep going without seeing results
I'm going to roll myself up in a big ball and die.
And if things don't improve, he'll reach a breaking point and give up for good
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, IMAGEM MUSIC INC, SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: VERNON DUKE, E. Y. HARBURG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind