Friction with the band's label, EMI, resulted in legal action and countersuing. Webb departed, and the band switched to Polydor for their final studio album, 1991's Laughing Stock, but split soon afterwards. Singer Mark Hollis released one solo album in 1998 before retiring from the music industry; he died in 2019. The band's founding bass player and drummer, Paul Webb and Lee Harris, played in several bands together; long-term collaborator Tim Friese-Greene continued in the business as a musician and producer.
Discography
The Party's Over (1982)
It's My Life (1984)
The Colour of Spring (1986)
Spirit of Eden (1988)
Laughing Stock (1991)
Life's What You Make It
Talk Talk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't escape it
Baby, yesterday's favorite
Don't you hate it
Baby life's what you make it
Don't back date it
Baby, don't try to shame it
Beauty is naked
Baby, life's what you make it
Celebrate it
Anticipate it
Yesterday's faded
Nothing can change it
Life's what you make it
The song "Life's What You Make It" by Talk Talk conveys an important message about the significance of taking control of one's life and living in the present moment. The song's first line, "Baby, life's what you make it, can't escape it," introduces the idea that individuals cannot escape life, but they can determine how they respond to it. The line "Baby, yesterday's favorite, don't you hate it," suggests that dwelling on the past can be limiting and unproductive. The chorus repeats the message that "life's what you make it" and urges listeners to celebrate and anticipate the future. The final line, "nothing can change it, life's what you make it," reinforces the idea that individuals have the power to shape their own experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, life's what you make it
The choices you make in life bring consequences, both good and bad.
Can't escape it
It is impossible to avoid the outcome of your decisions.
Baby, yesterday's favorite
Holding onto past triumphs can be a disservice to your future endeavors.
Don't you hate it
Reflecting on past victories can lead to feelings of regret and dissatisfaction.
Don't back date it
Don't dwell on the past because it cannot be changed.
Baby, don't try to shame it
Don't be ashamed of your choices; every decision we make can have a positive impact on our lives in some way.
Beauty is naked
True beauty is found in the simple truth that life is what you make it, regardless of successes or failures.
Celebrate it
Embrace and celebrate the journey of life, recognizing that every decision has brought you to where you are today.
Anticipate it
Look forward to your future with optimism and hope, knowing that each new day offers new opportunities.
Yesterday's faded
The past is behind you; let go of old experiences that prevent forward progress.
Nothing can change it
Accepting responsibility for your decisions and not dwelling on the past can lead to a more fulfilling life in the present.
Life's what you make it
Ultimately, you are in control of your own happiness and success in life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mark David Hollis, Timothy Alan Friese-Greene
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lftoscano
This song reminds me of the time after I fell from my bike and broke my shoulder. I had just been fired and was struggling to get my sh*t together when I was forced to be at home, unable to carry my little 1yr old and feeling pretty much useless and a dead weight.
Never thought of s*icide or something like it, but a lot of times felt like dying by chance would not be bad at all. One night I couldn't sleep due to the pain that was such that not even the painkillers were working anymore. Somehow this song appeared to me and it hit hard.
It also carried me through the painful physiotherapy sessions and through the months in which I would gradually regain the movements of my arm, and then through the period in which I was searching for a new job, that eventually arrived.
After almost one year, I regained 95% of my arm's movement, which is pretty functional despite of the pain that sometimes comes back. The Doctor said I was lucky since the broken bone pieces could have severed some important nerves or even an artery, in which case I probably wouldn't be here now.
I'd love to tell my story with a happy ending, saying I am living happily ever after, but that's not how it works. New worries, pains, challenges and problems appear, inevitably. And when it happens I tune to this song and remember that "Life's what you make it", really. And it helps me to remember that in my way, I am a survivor. I survived once. I can survive again.
I read in an obituary for Mark Hollis that he always aimed for creating timeless songs. May I tell you, sir, wherever you are, you did it and you touched my life profoundly. And I will always be thankful for that. God Bless you.
@Doom0690
People really don't understand how phenomenal this song truly is and the impact that it still has today.
Rest Easy Mark and Thank You Sir.
@scottempesta5299
could not agree more.
@montebella1
Loved this song the moment I heard it - The whole album is superb.
@cyrilleobert9683
Alors tant pis pour eux😂😂, vive la musique !!!veilles 👂 de 52 ans , bonne écoute à tous
@user-vf3dr5qb7e
Isn't Mark a true genius? I mean, isn't Mark STILL a genius? Genius never dies. People rest in peace, but genius rests in production, right?
@Monitorreiniger
I think it is a shame that this song did not go up straight to number one. But over 88.000 thumbs up show that many people do know how phenomenal this song is.
@axlrose2335
That fucking piano riff and then the guitar. Genius
@VisioNOIR.
... and the drums, the bass, the vocals; everything. Genius!
@rmlfilms123
Incredible.
@nathanbutcher7720
Don't forget the synth and the hammond organ.