Life (1998) – Des’ree

Posted on December 17, 2023 by observationblogger — 1 Comment

Here endeth the trilogy that I alluded to in the Gabrielle post recently, where I cited three specific songs all completed within a decade of the other which had a certain cadence, feel and brand that I love in Pop form; namely No One by Alicia Keys which featured here back in September, Gabrielle with Out of Reach and now Life by British pop artist Des’ree. Listen to how Des’ree’s voice deepens in the line: Never walk under ladders. That’s baritone or bass material. It puts such a spring in my step and then the piano bridgesques lift it even further. I miss this music.

[Verse 1]
I’m afraid of the dark
Especially when I’m in a park
And there’s no one else around
Ooh, I get the shivers
I don’t want to see a ghost
It’s a sight that I fear most
I’d rather have a piece of toast
And watch the evening news

[Chorus]
Life, oh life, oh life, oh life
Doo, doo doo doo
Life, oh life, oh life, oh life
Doo, doo doo doo

[Verse 2]
I’m a superstitious girl
I’m the worst in the world
Never walk under ladders
I keep a rabbit’s tail
I’ll take you up on a dare
Anytime, anywhere
Name the place, I’ll be there
Bungee jumping, I don’t care

Life was the third single from Des’ree’s third album, Supernatural (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. Just like the other aforementioned songs, I love Des’ree’s voice and her style. It can get you motivated. The older you get, the better and deeper the lyrics get even though I probably scoffed them off way back then. It makes me feel sooooo good now.

Des’ree was born in Croydon, South East London, England, on 30 November 1968. Her mother is from British Guiana (now Guyana), and her father is from Barbados. She was introduced to reggae, calypso and jazz music by her parents. At the age of 22, and with no connections in the music industry, she was signed in 1991 to Sony 550 when she asked her boyfriend to send a demo to the label, and they quickly contacted her. I can see why.

References:
1. Life (Des’ree song) – Wikipedia