Life (Des'ree song)

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"Life"
Single by Des'ree
from the album Supernatural
B-side "Open Mind"
Released 21 June 1998
Format CD single, CD maxi, 12" maxi
Recorded 1998
Genre Soul, pop
Length 3:28
Label S2
Writer(s) Prince Sampson
Des'ree Weekes
Producer(s) Prince Sampson
Des'ree Weekes
Certification Platinum France, 1998
Des'ree singles chronology
"Fire"
(1998)
"Life"
(1998)
"What's Your Sign?"
(1998)
Music sample

"Life" is a popular song recorded by the British pop and soul singer Des'ree. It was the third single from her third album, Supernatural, and was released on 2 June 1998. This song remains Des'ree's biggest hit, peaking at number one in Austria, Italy and the Netherlands.

Lyrics and music video

On an "innocuous tone", this playful song mixes "stories about superstitions, phobias and travels around the world". The melody is "upbeat and jubilant".[1] However, the banal lyrics and simplistic rhymes have been widely derided, with the song winning the "worst ever pop lyric" in a BBC poll,[2] particularly for the verse:

I don't want to see a ghost
It's the sight that I fear most
I'd rather have a piece of toast
Watch the evening news

In the music video, the singer is sitting on the back seat of a black 1965 Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass convertible, driven by a chauffeur. Des'ree is initially sheltered from the sun by a black umbrella, which then flies away. The car passes through sugar cane fields, apparently in Guyana. An aeroplane flies overhead, but instead of spraying pesticide, it drops a host of butterflies. The video was directed by Mike Lipscombe.

Track listings

CD single – UK
  1. "Life" (single version) – 3:28
  2. "Open Mind" – 4:19
CD maxi 1 – UK
  1. "Life" – 3:28
  2. "Open Mind" – 4:19
  3. "Get a Life" – 3:32
  4. "I'm Kissing You" – 4:52
CD maxi 2 – UK
  1. "Life" (long version) – 4:22
  2. "Life" (cosmack mix) – 4:25
  3. "Life" (cosmack extended mix) – 7:45
  4. "Life" (Brooklin funk R&B mix – no rap) – 5:00
CD maxi – Australia
  1. "Life" (single version) – 3:28
  2. "Open Mind" – 4:19
  3. "Get a Life" – 3:32
  4. "Life" (cosmack mix) – 4:25
  5. "Life" (cosmack extended mix) – 7:45
12" maxi – UK
  1. "Life" (long version) – 4:22
  2. "Life" (cosmack mix) – 4:25
  3. "Life" (cosmack extended mix) – 7:45
CD single – Promo
  1. "Life" (cosmack radio edit) – 3:09
  2. "Life" (special radio mix) – 3:12
  3. "Life" (Brooklyn funk R&B radio edit) – 3:52

Charts and certifications

Chart successions

Preceded by Austrian number-one single (first run)
9 August 1998
Succeeded by
"Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)"
by Pras Michel feat. ODB and intr. Mýa
Preceded by
"De bestemming" by Marco Borsato
Dutch Top 40 number-one single
22 August 1998 – 19 September 1998
Succeeded by
"No Matter What" by Boyzone
Preceded by Austrian number-one single (second run)
23 August 1998 – 30 August 1998
Succeeded by
"Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)"
by Pras Michel feat. ODB and intr. Mýa

References

  1. Elia Habib, Muz hit. tubes, p. 431 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 "Life", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 24 February 2008)
  4. Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 24 February 2008)
  5. Italian Singles Chart Hitparadeitalia.it (Retrieved 24 February 2008)
  6. 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. "Life", UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved 21 August 2008)
  8. 1998 Australian Singles Chart aria.com (Retrieved 22 August 2008)
  9. 1998 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved 22 August 2008)
  10. 1998 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved 22 August 2008)
  11. 1998 French Singles Chart Ifop.com (Retrieved 22 August 2008)
  12. 1998 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved 22 August 2008)
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External links