Essence of Life
Sylvan Lyrics


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Hey, did I ever tell 'bout cute tick called Pete
He lived his life quite well,
Though he was a complete freak
You should believe me,
He's the kind of tick you wanna meet
Led a lone life in peace – oh yeah
He was quite tough…tick Pete
Oh sweet little Pete
That's your life…

Little Pete once was in a nasty mood
And so he asked himself:
"What is the reason that I don't feel good?"
He had a feeling that was rather strange
And so Pete knew that all
He needs was just a blood group change
Once someone told him of a place somewhere,
So he left home although he knew
That it would be hard to get there
You see his planning was quite terrific,
That's why I told you our Pete was such a cool, tough tick

Walking away…
Walking away my friend…

Life – what does it mean to you?
However you get through,
Each has another real essence of …
Life – who can make sense of it?
Some may think life's just shit
Some think that blood is the (es)sense of life!

Travelling from host to host - always alone.
No matter the time it costs – so far from home.

When he got there, it was like paradise.
A new sensation – you should have seen his eyes.
And Pete was quite pleased –
Blood in variety.
So he did not even see
The impending tragedy
How should he know – just a
Stranger after all – but blood in
Soho may contain alcohol.

Most of his time Tete was in a sort of – let's say – delirium
He lost from time to time his style and equilibirium
You might conclude: in a city – what a pity – but he will lose the day
But drugs create indifference,
So Pete doesn't care, anyway!

They fade away – the pheromones of bygone days.
What's left to say…ha, different priorities!





Drifting away…

Overall Meaning

The song "Essence of Life" by Sylvan tells the story of a tick named Pete who lived a solitary life and found himself feeling unwell one day. Pete realized that he needed a change in his blood group to feel better, so he set out on a journey to find a place that offered the blood he needed. After arriving in Soho, Pete found a variety of blood types to choose from, but he didn't realize that some of the blood contained alcohol. As a result, he lost his sense of balance and style, but he didn't care because he was indifferent to the effects of the drugs. The song concludes by reflecting on the different priorities in life and how they can lead one astray.


The lyrics of "Essence of Life" are open to interpretation, but some possible insights can be gleaned from the story of Pete. One could see Pete as a symbol of people who feel disconnected and alone in life, searching for a way to feel better. The journey he takes could represent the quest for self-discovery and the willingness to take risks to find what one needs. However, the tragic ending of the story shows the dangers of indulging in vices and losing one's sense of self in the pursuit of pleasure. The song asks the listener to reflect on what truly matters in life and to find their own unique essence of existence.


Line by Line Meaning

Hey, did I ever tell 'bout cute tick called Pete
Let me tell you a story about a tick named Pete


He lived his life quite well,
He lived a good life


Though he was a complete freak
Despite being different


You should believe me,
Trust me,


He's the kind of tick you wanna meet
He's worth knowing


Led a lone life in peace – oh yeah
He lived a peaceful, solitary life


He was quite tough…tick Pete
He was a strong and resilient tick


Oh sweet little Pete
A term of endearment for Pete


Little Pete once was in a nasty mood
Pete was once in a bad mood


And so he asked himself:
He pondered


"What is the reason that I don't feel good?"
"Why am I feeling unwell?"


He had a feeling that was rather strange
He experienced a peculiar sensation


And so Pete knew that all
He realized


He needs was just a blood group change
All he needed was a change in blood type


Once someone told him of a place somewhere,
Someone told him of a certain location


So he left home although he knew
He departed despite knowing


That it would be hard to get there
That the journey would be difficult


You see his planning was quite terrific,
His planning was exceptional


That's why I told you our Pete was such a cool, tough tick
That's why I said Pete was a strong and resilient tick.


Walking away…
Leaving


Walking away my friend…
Departing, my friend


Life – what does it mean to you?
What does life mean to you?


However you get through,
Regardless of how you cope,


Each has another real essence of …
Each person has their own unique essence of life


Life – who can make sense of it?
Who can truly understand life?


Some may think life's just shit
Some may view life negatively


Some think that blood is the (es)sense of life!
Some believe that blood is the essence of life


Travelling from host to host - always alone.
Moving between hosts, always solitary.


No matter the time it costs – so far from home.
Regardless of the time it takes, far from home.


When he got there, it was like paradise.
Upon arriving, it was like heaven.


A new sensation – you should have seen his eyes.
An unfamiliar feeling - you should have seen the excitement in his eyes.


And Pete was quite pleased –
Pete was content


Blood in variety.
Different types of blood


So he did not even see
He was oblivious to


The impending tragedy
The unfortunate event that would soon occur


How should he know – just a
How could he have known - he was just a


Stranger after all – but blood in
A stranger in the end - but blood in


Soho may contain alcohol.
May contain alcohol from Soho.


Most of his time Tete was in a sort of – let's say – delirium
He spent most of his time in a state of confusion


He lost from time to time his style and equilibirium
He occasionally lost his coordination and balance


You might conclude: in a city – what a pity – but he will lose the day
One might think he would fail in the city, but in the end he will fail anyway


But drugs create indifference,
But drugs create apathy


So Pete doesn't care, anyway!
Pete doesn't care either way!


They fade away – the pheromones of bygone days.
The scent of the past fades away.


What's left to say…ha, different priorities!
Nothing much to say... different priorities, haha!


Drifting away…
Floating away




Contributed by Miles J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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