| Life | |
| Cover: | Life_(Des'ree_song).jpg |
| Caption: | Single cover |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Des'ree |
| Album: | Supernatural |
| B-Side: |
|
| Genre: | Pop |
| Length: | 3:29 |
| Label: | Sony Soho Square, Dusted Sound |
| Producer: | Prince Sampson, Des'ree Weekes |
| Prev Title: | Fire |
| Prev Year: | 1998 |
| Next Title: | What's Your Sign? |
| Next Year: | 1998 |
"Life" is a song by the British pop and soul singer Des'ree. It was the third single from her third album, Supernatural (1998), and was released on 2 June 1998. This song remains Des'ree's biggest hit, peaking at number one in Austria, Hungary, Italy, and the Netherlands, as well as on the UK R&B Chart.
Taking 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 lyrics and rhymes have been widely derided, with the song winning the "worst ever pop lyric" in a 2007 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
J.D. Considine for Entertainment Weekly wrote in his review of the Supernatural album, "Whether she's testifying to the inner strengths that make her 'Proud to Be a Dread' or rattling off her insecurities in the drolly upbeat 'Life', Des'ree conveys a depth and complexity that go well beyond what's on the lyric sheet."[3]
A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Mike Lipscombe. It features the singer 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 as a crop duster flies overhead, but instead of spraying pesticide, it drops many butterflies.
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI)[10] | 5 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] | 1 |
| Hungary (Mahasz)[12] | 1 |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[13] | 6 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[14] | 1 |
| Japan (Oricon)[15] | 37 |
| Spain (AFYVE)[16] | 3 |
| Chart (1998) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[17] | 38 | |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[18] | 7 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[19] | 22 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[20] | 17 | |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[21] | 8 | |
| France (SNEP)[22] | 11 | |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[23] | 27 | |
| Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[24] | 49 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[25] | 6 | |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[26] | 7 | |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[27] | 21 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] | 12 | |
| UK Singles (OCC)[29] | 66 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 2 June 1998 | CD | |||
| United Kingdom | 8 June 1998 | [30] | |||
| Japan | 10 June 1998 | CD | Epic Japan | ||
| United States | 28 July 1998 | 550 Music | [31] |