“That’s Life” turns 4 – Handwritten Lyrics – Giveaway
“Get up and dance and romance, before the book closes.”
We decided to dedicate a page, no, two pages, out of that book today to celebrate the 4th anniversary of “That’s Life” and fill them with hand-written lyrics for two select MLT Club members to win.
Each of us created a lyric sheet for the song, employing our very best handwriting (that translates to “trying to keep it legible” ;-)) that we want to mail out to two of you!
All you have to do is leave a comment below this post telling us what you think life is all about. Because quite frankly – 4 years later – though hopefully a little wiser, we still haven’t *really* got a clue.
Is it about trying to move the world closer towards a place of harmony? Is it about licking the unbaked cookie dough from a bowl? Getting up early and taking your dog for a walk as the birds are starting to wake? Is it about infusing the world with as much colour as you can? Is it all about finding peace through helping others? Is it all about discovering truth? About friendship? Falling in love? Family? … 42???
Of course, your answer can be serious, funny, nonsense or a heartfelt opinion. We’re going to pick a winner at random so no pressure ???? And hey, maybe the ultimate truth gets discovered right here in the MLT Club. Making the universe implode … nice!
Winners will be announced next Friday!
GOOD LUCK!
I was looking around the website and found this page. What a deep subject. My thoughts were a few lines from a poem:
“and I forget what life’s about,
kids and flowers
and friends and trout,
dogs and fiddles
and butterflies,
and my grandma’s
blackberry pies.”
I have to say this whole post of comments are a real gem of wisdom and great insight about the “meaning of life”. Really enjoyed reading everyone’s input. Where else can you go on the internet and find something as wonderful as this, except at the MLT Club. Thanks Mona and Lisa for this!
OK, it’s Friday. Who won? If it’s not me, I’ll never speak to you again. LOL. (Just kidding, of course)
The post went live just now 🙂 https://test4.monalisa-twins.com/thats-life-giveaway-draw/
Life can lift you up and knock you down as well.
So it needs to take it, as it comes.
Life is all about finding out what life is all about.
I believe life is about making a positive difference in the lives of other people; family, friends or strangers.
Life’s about leaving behind more than you take out.
I have to say “That’s Life” was not the first song on Orange that I honed into. Like, “You’re Going To Lose That Girl”, on Help! I circled back to it and now it’s a staple I cherish. I’m always amazed as how some can master a language that it’s not native to them, especially since I understand the challenges. For me, “That’s Life” hints at the meaning of life without being preachy and while telling a story. Going from it’s “too mean to figure out”, it’s “hell” to it’s like “shelter in the rain”, where it’s love that has made the difference. We have to get up and dance even if it’s not coming up roses for us since we got a right to live, before the book closes. I love all the brilliant metaphors which just roll so smoothly. The phrasing is perfect. Words are flowing effortlessly within the music stream, giving deep meaning to a carefree melody.
It may not always be sugar and honey, unless I listen to the MonaLisa Twins, or reach into my pantry.
Love is all you need and in the end is equal to 42. 😉
Life is about staying GROOVY!!!
Life is a gift we have been blessed with. from then on it is what you make it. Not always straight forward and not always easy but can be tailored to suit you the individual. Do not waste opportunities and take all the chances you need to, and as goes without saying, enjoy it and include MLT.
Life is the beautiful present that I received allowing me among so many beautiful things, to discover you, to see you, to listen to you and to meet you, you amazing MonaLisa Twins.
The meaning of life ? To ensure that Death shall have no dominion.
Live, love, laugh ,order a pizza.
You two certainly are tough taskmasters! No easy assignments here in The Club!
OK, so first of all let’s dispel the myth that there is “A” meaning of life. Even though it’s tempting to think that there is a single meaning of life for everyone, and that all we have to do is eventually discover it, the truth is we each will develop what the meaning of life is and it will be uniquely our own. For me, one key about life’s meaning is that it’s definately a process of development. So far, here’s some other keys for me:
-Life is a crazy mixture, so take the time to relish the joys and gain perspective (wisdom) from the pain.
-Be amazed! Explore new sources that could provide amazement.
-Put your time and effort into the things and people that you love.
-Don’t be fooled into thinking you can be in control.
-Do your best at what you truly enjoy. Share the results of your efforts with others and become an inspiration to them.
-Keep it up! Never stop doing these things because if you do, even though you’re still alive your life will have ended.
I find it incredible that the two of you could write such an astute and insightful song about life at your age. But, I must say I find everything you do incredible and a source of beauty, joy and inspiration. I am so glad to have found you and made you a wonderful part of my life. Please keep sharing!
Well, we could go very deep with this question. Philosophers have been debating this issue for a couple of millennium, particularly Classical Greek philosophers. More recent philosophers like René Descartes even contemplated whether we really existed and how we could know we weren’t just dreaming. His response was “Cogito, ergo sum”, I think, therefore I am.
We could also consider the life of Siddhārtha Gautama (aka Gautama Buddha) as follows:
There is suffering in the universe.
One can get free from suffering by attaining nirvana.
No one can defy karma.
One is responsible for their own actions and it will seed their future success or demise (karma).
Nothing is permanent
Nine virtues attributed to the Buddha
Buddho – Awakened
Sammasambuddho – Perfectly self-awakened
Vijja-carana-sampano – Endowed with higher knowledge and ideal conduct.
Sugato – Well-gone or Well-spoken.
Lokavidu – Wise in the knowledge of the many worlds.
Anuttaro Purisa-damma-sarathi – Unexcelled trainer of untrained people.
Satthadeva-Manussanam – Teacher of gods and humans.
Bhagavathi – The Blessed one
Araham – Worthy of homage. An Arahant is “one with taints destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached the true goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and is completely liberated through final knowledge.”
As for me, I’m just a simple soul and believe life is like a game of cards. Some people are dealt the king or queen while others are dealt two’s or three’s. What’s important is not what we are dealt, but how we play the game!
“Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
-Monty Python- The Meaning of Life
(Just had to do it…lol)
I’m old, and I’m still waiting to become wiser. I am as confused as anyone else about the meaning of life. I love your perspective, “You better not bet that it’s always coming up roses. Life, give it a chance. Get up and dance and romance before the book closes!”
Then in “Once Upon A Time” you talk about us being nothing more than footprints in the sand, but go on to say, “And yet I cannot help but think there must be more to it than that…” I agree. 🙂
Humankind evolved like all other species, survival of the fittest. We are slowly moving away from that mentality and, in order to survive as a species, I think we must. If we don’t learn to love each other in spite of our differences, we will destroy each other. As The Beatles said, “All you need is love…”
and of course, Stay Groovy (because it accomplishes the same thing – Groovy is love,)
That’s life, that’s what 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 in June.
For me, life is about to learn. I think we are here to learn to get along with each other, to increase our love and spread it out, so simple.
To me, life is about others. Everyone will leave a legacy when they depart this life and will be remembered for something which will live on long after. My feeling is that those who are remembered for what they did for other people, putting them before themselves will leave the greatest legacy, no matter how large or small the memories may be. Taking your eyes off of yourself and putting them on those around you, making others happy and helping whenever able is the true secret of happiness in life. Every kind act is rewarded in some way. That’s Life! 🙂
Guilt stains on my pillow
Blood on my terraces
Torsos in my closet
Shadows from my past
Life is real, life is real
Life is real, so real
Sleeping is my leisure
Waking up in a minefield
Dream in just a pleasure dome
Love is a roulette wheel
Life is real, life is real
Life is real, oh yeah
Success is my breathing space
I brought it on myself
I will price it, I will cash it
I can take it or leave it
Loneliness is my hiding place
Breast feeding myself
What more can I say?
I have swallowed the bitter pill
I can taste it I can taste it.
Nice Marian!
Life is having fun !!
Those handwritten lyric sheets look insanely cool even from a distance. How wonderful to be able to have MLT song lyrics personally hand written by the both of you!!! We will have some very lucky and happy winners indeed!
I heard a funny joke recently that for me has profound implications about humanity and life in general.
“There are these 2 snails sitting on the back of a big old turtle, and one snail turns to the other and says, ‘hold on Fred, here we go’…”
In the grand scheme of things, we are all quite small and insignificant in this vast universe, and all the things we fight and fret over all our lives really is quite insignificant. It’s good to maintain perspective. The only thing that will really matter in the end are the things we do to make this world better for others, and the ones we love, and the time we made for them in our relatively short lives in the grand scheme of things in our tiny little corner of the world. I guess love is the only thing greater than the vast universe.
Also I think the child like wonder and amazement we once had for even the simplest things, is what makes us feel alive. Unfortunately as we get older and “wiser”, we tend to lose that wonder and amazement, so it’s important to never lose that.
Like the reference to “Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy”
Life, as a great man once said, is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.
Peace and Love
For years I thought life was all about sitting on the couch watching a black-and-white movie with an all-toddler cast. But recently I ran across this argument: you wouldn’t want to be told where to live, or whom to marry, or what job to do, so why would you want to be told the meaning of life? Life has whatever meaning you choose to assign to it.
That being said, I agree with many of the posters here that the most significant thing we can do with our time here is to help others. Outside this small fragile planet the universe is quite hostile to life, so we’re all that we have. If all people would use their natural talents to make their little corner of the world a slightly better place, when you multiply that by eight billion, the whole world becomes a significantly better place.
Life is about using one’s abilities to help others along their life’s journey and leave the world a better place
Life.. really is a great mystery..and no one who is living will decipher.. then.. we go trough it trying to hit, or miss the least possible., learning day by day, and enjoying the days when we receive ” roses” and being patient on days when ” the roses don’t come.. but.. “”Only a few ” roses” that we receive is enough for the life to be Worth “”
Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. JL
Mankind hasn’t improved. Only the toys have gotten better. REM
Being, despite the odds.
What a very nice thing to do, I’m sure it will bring great happiness whomever receives them
Life is. That’s it – life IS. To exist, to experience, to survive. To acknowledge the inevitable specter of death, the loss of being, and go on anyway. To fill your life with as much love and happiness as possible because you know life is fleeting. To relish every moment with the other people in our life who are experiencing their own too short journey.
Choice is what life is all about. Once we are here our life develops because of choices. Life is made by a moment in time that become a minute, measured minute become an hour, a series of hours make a day, days make months, months make years and years make a lifetime.
The choices we did not get to make is what gender we were to be nor did we get to choose when we were to be born, no choice who our parents are. There is no choice of what ethnic or origin history we would come from. We had no choice what siblings we would have. There was no choice who are relatives are. Then we’re born from a starting point. Born with what is like a computer with nothing in it, all of us. Then by our own choices we make our life.sharing and caring with others doing together making choices, one moment at a time. The choices are endless and we have within ourself the power to adjust and change our choices along the way. Never fear making changes or adjustments along the way. We are all here to help one another. We find that our family is more than who we were born into. Family is always first. Strangers can develop into being a part of family.
Life is love in and from any direction that can be unexpected, anticipated including unconditional. It is sometime handbrake with multi emotional feelings. Life is knowing that we are all here temporarily. Life is choices made with as little regrets as possible. Helping one another along the way. What we leave behind for others. A memory, paintings, a book and yes music documented for others to hear nanny many generations later. They will see and hear it all for the first time. Just like we did from those who came before us.
No matter what you do in life and how you do it, you should always strive to be the best ‘you’ that you can be
Well, we’re all here because of our parents. It was their whole idea to begin with. At 61 years old I still haven’t a clue myself what it’s all about but I am kind of glad I am here most of the time. Everyone will obviously have their own idea(s), each one unique. I DO know that I’m glad I found you twins “before the book closes”. You’ve added much joy to my life since I found you last July.
Life is a puzzle. You have to collect all of the pieces and assemble them one at a time until the picture is complete. Collecting the pieces and fitting them in their respective positions is what makes us who we are. The goal is to assemble a beautiful picture that you will be proud to leave for the world to see.
The song “That’s Life” is such a simple but strong title. For you guys to use that title that was also used by Frank Sinatra and make an even more powerful song is a tribute to your strong musical writing abilities. The video uses cute & simple ways to show the many types of emotions that we encounter each & every day. Hard to say but for me this song is in the top 3 of all your original songs.
All of us “clubbers’ owe the entire Wagner family so much thanks for making us all smile when listening to your music. Thank you so much!!!
Well… Life to me is summed up like this:
It can be of rainbows and storms
The Quirky and Norms
A flower Blooms and Blossoms
Also comes along the bad crap and thankfully the Awesomes
Cultivate and Create
It’s up to one to navigate
Like a stew
Everything in equal parts goes in
Stir it up
Cook it up
Tasty but true
To embrace
To face
Tears and fears
Pain
Contentment
Insane
Wild and tame
Not one thing is the same
Be And Do
Just live life
How it suits you…
©JackiHopper2019
That’s the best way I can describe what Life means for/to me!!
Life is a continual learning process.
They say you learn more your first 2 years than you do the rest of your life.
But I think, at times, you learn just as much.
You all for example, when your learning a song, I suspect you practice it endlessly. Then you practice endlessly to polish it.
You get ready for a gig, you practice till it’s perfect.
Every thing in life is a learning process. No matter how well you know something, there will always be new challenges and things that will come up or be updated that you need to learn.
You want to be good at something. Learn all you can or practice till its perfect.
I think perhaps one of the main things that describes who you are in life is how you treat others.
Pay it forward. Do what you can to bring others joy.
Its not about any rewards or acknowledgements. The feeling you get inside is more than enough.
A smile on someone’s face, the joy they get, or the emotion they display is life’s biggest reward. Be kind, and treat others as you would like to be treated.
You make a mistake or do something wrong, its what you learn from that lesson and do with it is what will define you.
May life continue to bless you both and your magnificent team. You all are rare gems in this great big world.
Life is about trying to always do the right thing; and about appreciating and enjoying whatever you do at a certain point in time, without hurting or ruining the fun for others.
To me, the hinge pin that life swings on is relationships. What is good about life – love, joy… and the sad things too, loss and heartbreak, is all built around the relationship between us and others. We all have the ability to choose how we interact with other people and regardless of we are treated, we can choose to kindness and love to those who really don’t want or deserve it. Ghandi said we should be the change we want to see in the world. The Beatles told us how. All you need is love. My favorite philosopher, John Lennon, said Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. Life is a choice to rise above the mess, and love others. “That’s Life, that’s what you get…”
Bad English is really my first language…it should read “We all have the ability to choose how we interact with other people and regardless of we how are treated…” : )
….how we are treated…
“When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” — John Lennon