B-side "Open Mind" Recorded 1998 Length 3:28 | Released 8 June 1998 Genre Soul, pop | |
Format CD single, CD maxi, 12" maxi | ||
"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 8 June 1998. This song remains Des'ree's biggest hit, peaking at number one in Austria, Malawi, Italy and the Netherlands "Life" is also the theme song for the Japanese drama To Heart.
Lyrics and music video
Taking an "innocuous tone", this playful song mixes "stories about superstitions, phobias and travels around the world". The melody is "upbeat and jubilant". However, the banal lyrics and simplistic rhymes have been widely derided, with the song winning the "worst ever pop lyric" in a BBC poll, 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. A crop duster flies overhead, but instead of spraying pesticide, it drops a host of butterflies. The video was directed by Mike Lipscombe.