Dream Theater – This is the Life

"This is the Life" as written by John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess....
In the heart of your most solemn barren night
When your soul's turned inside out
Have you questioned all the madness you invite
What your life is all about

Some of us choose to live gracefully
Some can get caught in the maze
And lose their way home
This is the life we belong to
Our gift divine

Have you ever wished that you were someone else
Traded places in your mind
It's only a waste of your time

Some of us choose to live gracefully
Some can get caught in the maze
And lose their way home
This is the life we belong to
Our gift divine

Feed the illusion you dream about
Cast out the monsters inside

Life begins with an empty slate
Fragile left in the hands of fate
Driven by love and crushed by hate
Until the day
The gift is gone
And shadows remain

Some of us choose to live gracefully
Some can get caught in the maze
And lose their way home
Memories will fade
Time races on
What will they say
After you're gone
This is the life we belong to
Our gift divine
Our gift divine


Lyrics submitted by Idan, edited by Octavarium64

"This Is the Life" as written by Jordan Rudess John Petrucci

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

This is the Life song meanings
Add your thoughts

11 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +2
    General CommentWow, what a introspective and powerful song. This is much bigger than MP related. "Time races on. What will they say after you're gone". Love it
    SkyPyroon September 20, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General CommentOne of the most beautiful songs from Dream Theater. I think the lyrics are pretty self explanatory. Don't waste time wishing you were someone else (Have you ever wished you were someone else - Traded places in your mind - it's only a waste of time). But also, you are the master of your own destiny (Feed the illusion you dream about).

    Basically, instead of dreaming about being someone else, get off your butt and do something about it.
    penmark71on November 16, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General CommentOne of the most "beautiful" songs...

    Truly Great

    I only wish for the part 5:50-6:26 was bigger.
    FoXfOxFoXon September 04, 2011   Link
  • +1
    My InterpretationI'm someone who beats up on myself a lot and compares myself to other people too much. I interpreted this song as a message to stop berating yourself and accept where you are in life...of course it's written by people who are self-actualized about 10 times over, so I think "easy for you to say" but I think it can be about appreciating the life you have, whatever that is.
    spacedyeon August 06, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIt's hard not to think that this is not Portnoy related.
    One of the most beautiful song by Dream Theater in a while.

    -cheers from the Philippines-
    damnation1928on September 05, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI think the title explains it, and it explores how life works
    corerulezon September 14, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My InterpretationHaving lived my life in a maze a few years back, this song speaks from experience and is simply beautiful.
    Living gracefully...smells like freedom to me-
    Desperado70on October 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIt's about living life to the fullest even though people will drag you down, don't give up. The recent passing of Whitney Houston, made me think of these lyrics.
    Disspositionon February 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis song is too much like the movie "Being John Malkovich", where a puppeteer finds a portal that transports him to the mind of John Malcovich for about 15 minutes where he is then spit out and transported somewhere else. You ask why? Because he wishes to be John Malcovich because someone he loves is involved with him, in the end SPOILERS:

    He gets trapped in the body of his lover and ex wife's (Lesbians) daughter (John Malcovich's and his lover's biological daughter) where he stays there for ever. Thus being lost in the maze and can't find the way home, driven by love and crushed by hate until the day the gift is gone and shadows remain.The puppeteer is now the puppet because he can't control the daughter. They even mention in the movie about some people life gracefully while some lose the way home (In a way).
    Psych0tr0non October 19, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My OpinionThis song is too much like the movie "Being John Malkovich", where a puppeteer finds a portal that transports him to the mind of John Malcovich for about 15 minutes where he is then spit out and transported somewhere else. You ask why? Because he wishes to be John Malcovich because someone he loves is involved with him, in the end SPOILERS:

    He gets trapped in the body of his lover and ex wife's (Lesbians) daughter (John Malcovich's and his lover's biological daughter) where he stays there for ever. Thus being lost in the maze and can't find the way home, driven by love and crushed by hate until the day the gift is gone and shadows remain.The puppeteer is now the puppet because he can't control the daughter. They even mention in the movie about some people life gracefully while some lose the way home (In a way).
    Psych0tr0non October 19, 2013   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain