That's Life

Album: That's Life (1966)
Charted: 44 4
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  • That's life (that's life), that's what all the people say
    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, back on top in June

    I said, that's life (that's life), and as funny as it may seem
    Some people get their kicks
    Stompin' on a dream
    But I don't let it, let it get me down
    'Cause this fine old world it keeps spinnin' 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 (that's life), I tell ya, I can't deny it
    I thought of quitting, baby
    But my heart just ain't gonna buy it
    And if I didn't think it was worth one single 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 layin' flat on my face
    I just pick myself up and get back in the race

    That's life (that's life), that's life
    And I can't deny it
    Many times I thought of cuttin' out but my heart won't buy it
    But if there's nothing shakin' come this here July
    I'm gonna roll myself up in a big ball and die
    My, my Writer/s: Dean Kay, Kelly L. Gordon
    Publisher: DEMI MUSIC CORP. D/B/A LICHELLE MUSIC COMPANY
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 11

  • Daniel from Ireland I believe the song brings to light all the things we think about while we go through life, there are times when we want to roll ourselves up and die metaphorically. However, I believe the roller-coaster feeling from the song just shows how them feelings can change through time.
  • FI agree with Gregg, this isn't a feel good song but it sounds like it at first which is great. It's a song saying he is going to kill himself because life is s--t.
  • Gregg from Tokyo, JapanI'm confused why this is considered an optimisitc song when it ends with a suicide promise. That twist at the end would seem to turn the meaning of entire rest of the song from a song of optimism into a song of pessimism as in "I've tried and tried and nothing is working so if something doesn't change soon I'm going give up soon and just kill myself".
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 10th 1966, "That's Life" by Frank Sinatra peaked at #1 (for 3 weeks) on the Cash Box Magazine Top R&B Singles chart...
    On November 13th, 1966 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on December 18th, 1966 it peaked at #4 (for 2 week) and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
    And on Christmas Day 1966 it reached #1 (for 3 weeks) on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
    The song was from his album of the same name; the album peaked at #6 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart...
    In 1986 David Lee Roth covered it; his version peaked at #85 on the Top 100...
    May Mr. Sinatra R.I.P. (1915 - 1998).
  • Steve Dotstar from Los Angeles, Cahey, frank did a great verion of this on one of his 60s tv specials with riddle conducting and artie kane? on organ?
  • Erik from Los Angeles, CaMan, the first time I heard this, I felt like he was singing about the last little bit of my life: I was "ridin high in April, shot down in May," but with school ending in a couple weeks and the whole Summer to turn life around however I wanted, I knew I'd be "back on top in June."
  • John from Fort Worth, TxThis old man agrees with the first two posters, It's a great feel-good song that only Sinatra could do justice to.
    John Martin, 46
  • Joshua from La Crosse, WiDavid Lee Roth covered this on his 1986 album Eat 'em And Smile. He did mangle some of the lyrics, which may explain why it never got very far on the charts.
  • Howard from St. Louis Park, MnThis was Frank Sinatra's first big hit after Strangers in the Night. It's a great song with the classic lyrics "I've been a puppet a pauper a pirate a poet a pawn and a king."
  • Dennis from Chicagoland Burrows, IlThis is a good one when your feeling in the sh*tter, or just in need of a reality check. Its a good montra to have handy.
  • Scott Recs from Toronto, CanadaThis puts it all in to proportion when I'm down. It's a great song.
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