Today’s selection comes from the long list of songs I enjoyed while the blog was on hiatus.
The title “Life Is Yours” seems a good fit as I reflect on the retirement party I mentioned in yesterday’s post. It was great to see so many of my former colleagues and reconnect with several of them. At the end of the night, I realized there were a few I didn’t get to speak with, including my former boss. Almost comically, despite living near each other, he and I have been trying to arrange a meet-up since last summer, without luck, so far, anyway.
In the context of last night’s celebration, the mantra “life is yours” is meaningful in the many stories I heard from people, like the deliberate choice to end a long career of public service and look ahead to travel and other fun, to take valuable skills and experience and put them to work elsewhere, or even to reclaim one’s own time for health and wellness despite the voracious and insatiable demands an employer places on its people. Self-care too often takes the place of consideration by organizations. Anyway, the main thing was I am so glad I could see so many folks, to wish them well, and be wished well, too.
“Life Is Yours” blasts off with a celebratory, disco-esque, rush-to-the-dance floor vibe ushering in a song that its composer and the lead singer of British alternative rock band Foals, Yannis Philippakis says (in the Apple Music album notes), “…is set along that coast between Seattle and Vancouver, where my partner is from, conversations that happen in private in car journeys along the Pacific Northwest.”
“Now that I’m less hungover
I can finally hear all the words you say
Driverless cars all end up in the ocean
Even when they think they know the way
Now that the great storm is over
I can finally learn all the things you know
All good roads lead us back to the ocean
Even if you cannot bear to go
Life is yours
Break away
Life is yours
I heard you say
Now that I’ve proved my devotion
I can see the start of a brand new day
At the edge of the Pacific Ocean
Life is yours, I heard you say
Life is yours
Break away
Life is yours
I heard you say
Life is yours
Break away
Life is yours
We’ll find a way
The choice is yours
Don’t be late
Escape your fate
And break away
The choice is yours
Don’t be late
Escape your fate
And break away
Life is yours
Break away
Life is yours
I heard you say
Life is yours
Break away
Life is yours
I heard you say”
“Life Is Yours,” by Jimmy Smith, Yannis Philippakis, Jack Bevan.
Official lyrics retrieved from the YouTube video post notes.
About the 2022 album Life Is Yours, the Apple notes go on to say, “‘It’s a positive and fun record made for communal moments, but the title is quite solemn advice,’ (guitarist and lead singer Yannis Philippakis) says. ‘It’s meant as an antidote to depression. On every record, there’s been a balancing act that goes on between the levels of melancholy.’”
The opening, title track’s funky beat brings back memories of some of the 1980s music I heard in cabarets with my “friends 2.0” and Philippakis’s vocal has hints of The Human League’s lead singer and songwriter, Philip Oakley.
Life is full of change, though the band is on the right track giving “solemn advice” and serving it up with a generous side dish of fun. (No cilantro, please and thank you.)
Now you know a little about why this is my Song of the Day for Today. Thanks for joining me here, and please enjoy.
Here’s the official music video from the Foals YouTube channel:
With my best wishes,
Steve
Song of the Day for Today 
Definitely feels like a fun song when you first listen to it but when I read the lyrics I noticed they’re quite deep.
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That’s true. It’s interesting how many songs I’ve felt were positive until reading the lyrics and going, “whoa… that’s serious.” These guys were intentional about it, but I wonder if that’s always the case. Thanks for your thoughts, Pooja!
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Yes, absolutely. A number of songs sound uplifting till you listen to the lyrics. I think usually it’s intentional. Like the contrast between uplifting music and deeper lyrics is usually something musicians do on purpose. At least that’s what I think.
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That’s the first time I heard anything by the Foals, I enjoyed it. I did hear that kind of Human League sound you mentioned but had I not known who the band was when the music started I would have thought I was listening to the Talking Heads. This, of course, ended when the lyrics kicked in.
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Cool! I wondered if it was just me, thanks for confirming. Will re-listen and see if I get Talking Heads, too. Cheers
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