Life Is Sweet

cant believe nobody commented this .. songs speaks for itself and its so beautiful.

I agree with Nikkie.. so beautiful. I think it's about a girl being surrounded by terrible situations and troubled people, but Ms. Merchant is convincing her to stick with it because life will get so much better.

This song does speak for itself on many levels. I feel like I can relate to this song a lot for one my father was in war, even though he isn't all pro-war, "Iron man" anymore, but its just a way for me to relate to the song differently. I can relate to the lyrics while shes talking about your mama and your papa just because there have been times in my life where my parents are like the ones she speaking with, and I feel bad for them because they are prisoner of literally "what they cannot see".

Last Thursday Natalie explained that she wrote this song for the 13 year old daughter of a friend. The girl tried to kill herself and happily failed. Natalie wrote the song to show her that no matter how bad things are life is worth living. The girl's mother told Natalie that after she got the song and learned that Natalie had written it just for her she went into her room, turned the volume up and played it over and over again for the next two days. After Natalie told us this story she sang the song and before the end she was crying so hard she had to stop a couple of times to compose herself and so did everyone else.

(PS) The girl is fine now.

"Oh, your daddy, he's the iron man, a battleship wrecked on dry land."

The older I get, the more and more I understand some of my favourite music, and I find new meanings in it.

I know many of us hold an image of our dads, especially when we're little, a projection of power, majesty, integrity, something unimpeachable. This verse has always held a lot of meaning for me in that regard, but as I get older, I start to see the latter half of it more and more.

The verse is about that image we hold of him, the person we can hold on to when things are tough, and hide behind when we're scared, but also how as time goes on, we come to see the old warrior that has outlived its purpose, a relic of another era.

I've certainly felt that way for a while when I talk to my Dad, and I find out new things about him, like how he's a Trump supporter now, abandoning the reason and principle he once seemed to hold to in favor of that old time when maybe he saw himself as something so much more, too.

Of course, I'll never forget Natalie's caution in this song, either, that life is short, and to be thankful for what we've got.

Thanks, Natalie, for being one of my absolute favorite artists, and for helping me to see so much in life and express the feelings I always had difficulty in doing.

As inspiring at the history of the song as told by ianrobertson is, the actual story is bit less dramatic but more inclusive to all of us and can be found here: https://www.songfacts.com/facts/natalie-merchant/life-is-sweet

I think the fact that Ian's post was not necessarily the real story might be gleaned as Ian described the girl who inspired it as a "daughter of a friend." A friend who apparently is a "bitter bride" and "long suffering" who married an "iron man" and a "war machine". Not very complimentary description for friends.

This is my favorite Natalie Merchant song. And as beautiful as it is, what always moved me about this song was the ending, which -- as hopeful and inspiring the rest of the song is -- the ending is a real slap in the face.

But I tell you life is short Be thankful because before you know It will be over

'Cause life is sweet And life is also very short Your life is sweet

And then she repeats the last two lines over and over as it fades away. Life is short and that's what makes it sweet. Inspiring and haunting at the same time.

I was lucky to see her perform on her last anniversary tour. center stage 10 rows back. It was so lovely. A cherished moment in my life.