Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)

"Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Bilingual
B-side "Betrayed", "How I Learned to Hate Rock & Roll"
Released 12 August 1996 (1996-08-12) (UK)
1 April 1997 (1997-04-01) (US)
Format 12", CD
Genre Latin dance-pop, synthpop
Length 4:02
Label Parlophone – R 6443 (UK)
Atlantic – 85430 (US)
Writer(s) Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, Ademario, Wellington Epiderme Negra, DoBarbalho
Producer Pet Shop Boys, Chris Porter
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Before"
(1996)		 "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)"
(1996)		 "Single-Bilingual"
(1996)

"Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" is a Pet Shop Boys song that was released as a single on 12 August 1996, and reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart.

The single was one of the most widely played records on UK radio in 1996 and its video set in a water park was shown on both MTV and VH1 on a regular basis that summer.

It was the second single to be lifted from the album Bilingual, which saw the duo take on a Latin influence as a reaction to the Britpop explosion that was prevalent at the time.

In the US, the single was released by Atlantic Records in April 1997 (1997-04) with "To Step Aside" as a double A-side. Thirteen mixes of the track were commissioned and spread over various formats, several of them promotional only. The single did not chart in the States, but following its success in the UK it became a major success all over Europe.

Contents

Music video

The video for the single was shot at the Wet 'n Wild water theme park in Orlando, Florida and features the actress Eva Mendes in a small role as a teenager with her friends at the theme park. The piece was directed by Bruce Weber.

Translation

The correct English translation of "Se a vida é" from Portuguese is actually "If Life Is...". "That's the way life is" would be "É assim que a vida é..." or "A vida é assim".

Track listing

7": Parlophone / R 6443 (UK)

  1. "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" – 4:01
  2. "Betrayed" – 5:18

CD: Parlophone / CDR 6443 (UK)

  1. "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" – 4:01
  2. "Betrayed" – 5:18
  3. "How I Learned to Hate Rock 'n' Roll" – 4:40
  4. "Se a vida é" (Pink Noise mix) – 5:37

CD: Parlophone / CDRS 6443 (UK)

  1. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiottis Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
  2. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiottis Shelter dub) – 8:40
  3. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish Liquid remix) – 9:57
  4. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish dub) – 11:45

CD: Atlantic / 85430-2 (US)

  1. "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" (Album version) – 4:01
  2. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
  3. "To Step Aside" (album version) – 3:48
  4. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Disco vox) – 9:07
  5. "The calm before the storm" – 2:45
  6. "Betrayed" – 5:17

CD: Atlantic / n/a (US)

  1. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights mix) – 8:59
  2. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights radio mix) – 4:08
  3. "To Step Aside" (Quiet mix) – 3:46
  4. "To Step Aside" (Brazilian Anthem dub) – 9:00
  5. "To Step Aside" (Champagne beats) – 3:57
  6. "To Step Aside" (a cappella – verse 1 chorus) – 1:06
  7. "To Step Aside" (a cappella – verse 2 chorus) – 0:58
  8. "To Step Aside" (a cappella – bridge) – 0:18
  9. "To Step Aside" (a cappella – verse 3 chorus) – 1:19

2x12": Parlophone / 12RD 6443 (UK)

  1. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
  2. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark instrumental) – 7:58
  3. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Shelter dub) – 8:40
  1. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish Liquid mix) – 9:57
  2. "Se a vida é" (Pink Noise mix) – 5:37
  3. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish dub) – 11:45
  4. "Se a vida é" (radio mix) – 4:01

2x12": Atlantic / 85430-0 (US)

  1. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
  2. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish Liquid mix) – 9:57
  3. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Disco vox) – 9:07
  4. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights mix) – 8:50
  1. "To Step Aside" (Davidson Ospina dub) – 7:30
  2. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Old School dub) – 7:33
  3. "To Step Aside" (Brutal Bill mix) – 7:30
  4. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's House vox 2) – 7:32

12": Specialty Records / DMD-2412 (US)

  1. "To Step Aside" (Brutal Bill mix 2) – 10:03
  2. "To Step Aside" (Quiet mix) – 3:42
  3. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Old School dub 2) – 9:14
  4. "To Step Aside" (Davidson Ospina dub 2) – 7:29

Remixers

Richard Morel

  1. "Se a vida é" (Pink Noise mix) – 5:37
  2. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish Liquid mix) – 9:57
  3. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish dub) – 11:45

Mark Picchiotti

  1. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
  2. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark instrumental) – 7:58
  3. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Shelter dub) – 8:40

Ralph Rosario

  1. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Disco vox) – 9:07
  2. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Old School dub) – 7:33
  3. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's House vox ii) – 7:32
  4. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Old School dub 2) – 9:14

Vinnie Vero

  1. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights radio mix) – 4:08
  2. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights mix) – 8:50
  3. "To Step Aside" (Brazilian Anthem dub) – 9:00
  4. "To Step Aside" (Champagne beats) – 3:57
  5. "To Step Aside" (Quiet mix) – 3:42

Davidson Ospina

  1. "To Step Aside" (Davidson Ospina dub) – 7:30
  2. "To Step Aside" (Davidson Ospina dub 2) – 7:29

Bill Marquez (Brutal Bill)

  1. "To Step Aside" (Brutal Bill mix) – 7:30
  2. "To Step Aside" (Brutal Bill mix 2) – 10:03

Chart performance

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Germany 18
Austria 14
Finland 3
France 40
Sweden 12
Switzerland 17
Australia 11
New Zealand 24
UK 8
Pet Shop Boys
Studio albums
Compilation albums
Remix albums
Live albums
Extended plays
Soundtracks and scores
Singles
Other songs
Film, stage and television
Notable tours and concerts
Related articles
Book