That's All
Willie Nelson; Wynton Marsalis Lyrics

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"I remember when I was a very little girl, our house caught on fire.
I'll never forget the look on my father's face as he gathered me up in his arms
And raced through the burning building out to the pavement.
I stood there shivering in my pajamas and watched the whole world go up in flames.
And when it was all over I said to myself,
'Is that all there is to a fire?'"

Is that all there is?

Is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends,
Then let's keep dancing.
Let's break out the booze
And have a ball
If that's all there is.

"And when I was 12 years old, my father took me to the circus,
The greatest show on earth.
There were clowns and elephants and dancing bears
And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads.
And as I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle,
I had the feeling that something was missing.
I don't know what, but when it was over I said to myself,
'Is that all there is to a circus?'"

Is that all there is?
Is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends,
Then let's keep dancing.
Let's break out the booze
And have a ball
If that's all there is.

"Then I fell in love with the most wonderful boy in the world.
We would take long walks by the river
Or just sit for hours gazing into each other's eyes.
We were so very much in love. Then one day, he went away.
And I thought I'd die, but I didn't.
And when I didn't, I said to myself,
'Is that all there is to love?'"

Is that all there is?
Is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends,
Then let's keep dancing.

"I know what you must be saying to yourselves.
'If that's the way she feels about it why doesn't she just end it all?'
Oh, no. Not me. I'm in no hurry for that final disappointment.
For I know just as well as I'm standing here talking to you,
When that final moment comes and I'm breathing my last breath,
I'll be saying to myself"

Is that all there is?
Is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends,
Then let's keep dancing.
Let's break out the booze

And have a ball
If that's all there is.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "That's All" by Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis tell a story of a woman reflecting on her experiences with disappointment and loss. She recalls witnessing her childhood home burning down and feeling underwhelmed by the event, leading her to question the meaning of such disasters. Likewise, her experience at the circus left her feeling like there was something missing, while the end of a relationship made her wonder if love really lived up to the hype it's given. Through all of these moments, she ultimately realizes that life might not be all that it's cracked up to be, but rather than dwelling on the disappointment, she decides to keep dancing and enjoy what she can while she can.

The song, originally recorded by Peggy Lee, is a commentary on the human experience and the search for meaning in life. It speaks to the idea that sometimes we build things up in our own minds, expecting them to be larger than life or more meaningful than they end up being, and this can lead to disappointment. However, it also shows that we can choose to focus on the joy to be found in the present moment, even if it doesn't meet all of our expectations.

Line by Line Meaning

I remember when I was a very little girl, our house caught on fire.
I recall when I was a young girl, our house caught fire.

I'll never forget the look on my father's face as he gathered me up in his arms And raced through the burning building out to the pavement.
My father's expression is ingrained in my memory as he saved me from the fire.

I stood there shivering in my pajamas and watched the whole world go up in flames.
As I stood there in my pajamas, I watched everything burn and shook with coldness.

And when it was all over I said to myself, 'Is that all there is to a fire?'
After the fire was extinguished, I couldn't help but wonder if that is all there is to it.

Is that all there is? Is that all there is? If that's all there is, my friends, Then let's keep dancing. Let's break out the booze And have a ball If that's all there is.
If that is all there is to life, then let us enjoy ourselves and keep dancing and drinking.

And when I was 12 years old, my father took me to the circus, The greatest show on earth.
When I was twelve, my father brought me to see the greatest show on earth, the circus.

And as I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle, I had the feeling that something was missing.
As I watched the fantastic scenes unfold, I realized that something was lacking.

I don't know what, but when it was over I said to myself, 'Is that all there is to a circus?'
I didn't know what it was, but after the show, I pondered if the circus is all there is to it.

Then I fell in love with the most wonderful boy in the world.
I met the most amazing guy and fell in love with him.

We were so very much in love. Then one day, he went away.
We had a great love, but he left one day.

And I thought I'd die, but I didn't.
I thought I would perish, but I didn't.

And when I didn't, I said to myself, 'Is that all there is to love?'
After surviving the loss of love, I wondered if that is all there is to it.

I know what you must be saying to yourselves. 'If that's the way she feels about it why doesn't she just end it all?' Oh, no. Not me. I'm in no hurry for that final disappointment.
I know what you might be thinking, 'Why not just end it all?' but I don't want to hasten my final letdown.

For I know just as well as I'm standing here talking to you, When that final moment comes and I'm breathing my last breath, I'll be saying to myself
I know that when the end is near, I will likely ask myself...

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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