Live Is Life
Encyclopedia
"Live Is Life" is a popular song originally recorded in 1984 by Austria
n pop
-rock
group Opus
. It was successful and was covered by many artists throughout the years.
, released in 1985, and achieved huge success, topping the charts of many countries, including Austria (eight weeks), Germany, France (seven weeks) and Sweden (four weeks). In France, the song is the 149th best-selling single of all time with about 857,000 units sold.
The song was created during a concert in Oberwart
, on September 2, 1984, while the group celebrated its eleven years of existence. Recorded in a live version, the audience also sings the verses. In the lyrics, the song expresses "the enthusiastic attachment of the group to the stage".
Finnish
Ice Hockey
team Tappara
have been using "Live Is Life" as their goal song since the mid-80s.
The New York Islanders
adopted it as their official goal song for the 2010-2011 NHL season
.
In 1994, Opus published another version of their hit "Live Is Life", which made it into the top-ten by Austria
and to honor the 1994 FIFA World Cup
has been released. Diego Maradona
also did a warm up at FIFA while a cover version of the song played, with lyrics re-recorded by him.
The song was re-recorded by the group in 2008 in a solo version and featuring Jerry.
1 "The Power of Live Is Life"
2 "Live Is Life 08", featuring Jerry (in Austria)
, as a guest, released a version with the Hermes House Band
in 2002 (worldwide) and 2003 (francophone countries). The single had his highest peak position in France where it reached number two for five weeks. The song was used as a soundtrack from Das Jahr der ersten Küsse. It is the 523rd best-selling single in France, with about 518,000 units sold.
band Tormentor
, W&R (2002).
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
-rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
group Opus
Opus (band)
Opus is a pop-rock group from Graz, Austria. Formed in 1973, the group remains active today. The band is especially well known for its 1985 single release, "Live Is Life."-History:...
. It was successful and was covered by many artists throughout the years.
Background and writing
"Live Is Life" is their second singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, released in 1985, and achieved huge success, topping the charts of many countries, including Austria (eight weeks), Germany, France (seven weeks) and Sweden (four weeks). In France, the song is the 149th best-selling single of all time with about 857,000 units sold.
The song was created during a concert in Oberwart
Oberwart
Oberwart or Felsőőr is a town in Burgenland in southeast Austria on the banks of the Pinka River, and the capital of the district of the same name...
, on September 2, 1984, while the group celebrated its eleven years of existence. Recorded in a live version, the audience also sings the verses. In the lyrics, the song expresses "the enthusiastic attachment of the group to the stage".
Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Ice Hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team Tappara
Tappara
Tappara is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga. They play in Tampere, Finland at Tampereen jäähalli. The team have won 15 league championships ....
have been using "Live Is Life" as their goal song since the mid-80s.
The New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
adopted it as their official goal song for the 2010-2011 NHL season
2010–11 New York Islanders season
The 2010–11 New York Islanders season was the 39th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 6, 1972.The Islanders posted a regular season record of 30 wins, 39 losses, and 13 overtime/shootout losses for 73 points, failing to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs...
.
In 1994, Opus published another version of their hit "Live Is Life", which made it into the top-ten by Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and to honor the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
has been released. Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona is a retired Argentine football player and widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. Over the course of his professional club career Maradona played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell's Old Boys, setting...
also did a warm up at FIFA while a cover version of the song played, with lyrics re-recorded by him.
The song was re-recorded by the group in 2008 in a solo version and featuring Jerry.
1985 release
- 7" single (1984 release)
- "Live Is Life" — 4:15
- "Again and Again" — 3:51
- 7" single (1985 release)
- "Live Is Life" — 4:15
- "Up and Down" — 3:49
1994 release
- CD maxi
- "The Power of Live Is Life" (Bingoboys radio mix) — 3:58
- "Live Is Life" (original version) — 5:06
- "The Power of Live Is Life" (Bingoboys club mix) — 6:33
- "Live Is Life" (radio version) — 3:16
2008 release
- CD single
- "Live Is Life 08" (reggae version) — 4:17
- "Live Is Life 08" (rock version) — 3:38
- CD maxi
- "Live Is Life 08" (reggae version) — 4:17
- "Live Is Life 08" (rock version) — 3:38
- "Live Is Life 08" (reggaeton version) — 3:56
- "Touch the Sky" by Opus — 3:47
Peak positions
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 3 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 1 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 4 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 32 |
| Chart (1994) 1 | Peak position |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Chart (2008) 2 | Peak position |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 16 |
| Dutch Mega Top 100 | 69 |
1 "The Power of Live Is Life"
2 "Live Is Life 08", featuring Jerry (in Austria)
Year-end charts
| Chart (1985) | Position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 48 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 1 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Gold | 1985 | 250,000 |
| UK | Silver | September 1, 1985 | 200,000 |
Hermes House Band version
DJ ÖtziDJ Ötzi
DJ Ötzi is the stage name of Gerhard Friedle , an Austrian entertainer and singer. Successful mainly in German-speaking countries, he is best known in the English-speaking world for his 2001 cover version of the Bruce Channel song "Hey Baby".-Biography:DJ Ötzi was born Gerhard Friedle in St...
, as a guest, released a version with the Hermes House Band
Hermes House Band
The Hermes House Band is a Dutch pop band, established in 1984 by members of the Hermes fraternity/sorority in Rotterdam, Netherlands. They have released more than twenty five albums and singles.-History:...
in 2002 (worldwide) and 2003 (francophone countries). The single had his highest peak position in France where it reached number two for five weeks. The song was used as a soundtrack from Das Jahr der ersten Küsse. It is the 523rd best-selling single in France, with about 518,000 units sold.
Track listings
- CD single
- "Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (Here We Go/video mix) — 3:30
- "Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (jump mix) — 3:33
- CD maxi
- "Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (Here We Go/video mix) — 3:30
- "Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (jump mix) — 3:33
- "Football's Coming Home" (three lions) (radio) by Hermes House Band — 3:48
- "Everytime You Touch Me" (fireplace mix) by Hermes House Band — 3:21
- "Hey Mama" by Hermes House Band — 3:10
- Enhanced Multimediatrack : "Live Is Life" — 3:30
Peak positions
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 28 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 16 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 11 |
| Dutch Mega Top 100 | 61 |
| German Singles Chart | 15 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 30 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 46 |
| UK Singles Chart | 50 |
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 30 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 5 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 26 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2003) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 27 |
| French Singles Chart | 7 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Gold | 27 September 2003 | 20,000 |
| France | Platinum | 24 September 2003 | 500,000 |
Other cover versions
The song was covered by many other artists, including Stargo (number ten in France in 1985), Starkoo, HungarianHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
band Tormentor
Tormentor
Tormentor is a black metal band formed in 1986 in Budapest, Hungary. Tormentor was one of the first black metal bands using synthesisers to create a more atmospheric sound. They recorded their first album, Anno Domini, in 1988, but were unable to release it until the end of communism. The album...
, W&R (2002).
- SloveniaSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n avant-gardeAvant-garde musicAvant-garde music is a term used to characterize music which is thought to be ahead of its time, i.e. containing innovative elements or fusing different genres....
music group LaibachLaibach (band)Laibach is a Slovenian avant-garde music group associated with industrial, martial, and neo-classical musical styles. Laibach formed June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia . Laibach represents the music wing of the Neue Slowenische Kunst art collective, of which it was a founding member in 1984...
covered the song in two languages on Opus DeiOpus Dei (album)Opus Dei is the fourth album by Laibach, released in 1987. It features "Geburt einer Nation", a German cover of Queen's "One Vision" and two reworkings of Austrian band Opus' sole hit single "Live Is Life". The Opus song became the German language "Leben heißt Leben" and the English language "Opus...
: as "Leben heißt Leben" (Life is life) in GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and as "Opus Dei" in EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The first of these two interpretations was the opening song on the Laibach album Opus DeiOpus Dei (album)Opus Dei is the fourth album by Laibach, released in 1987. It features "Geburt einer Nation", a German cover of Queen's "One Vision" and two reworkings of Austrian band Opus' sole hit single "Live Is Life". The Opus song became the German language "Leben heißt Leben" and the English language "Opus...
(1987), and was sung in GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. The second version, "Opus Dei", was promoted as a singleSingle (music)In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, and its promotional video (which used the title "Life is Life") was played extensively on American cable channel MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. "Opus Dei" retained some of the original song's EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
lyrics, but was delivered in a musical style that left the meaning of the lyrics open to further interpretation. Whereas the original is a feel-good pop anthem, Laibach's subversive interpretation twists the melody into a triumphant, rolling military march. With the exception of the promotional video, the refrain is at one instance translated into German, giving an example of the sensitivity of its lyrics to context. - EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n comedy pop band Kuldne Trio covered the song in EstonianEstonian languageEstonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
with parodying lyrics as "Laip on laip" (Corpse is corpse). - The SpanishSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
band Los Manolos covered the song like a rumba. - Tropikal Forever parody cover band modified the lyrics in Spanish and titles itself 666 ("meaning the six pack of beer").
- PortuguesePortuguese peopleThe Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
-Danish singer Mikkel Solnado (son of famous actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedianComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Raul SolnadoRaúl SolnadoRaul Solnado, GCIH was a popular Portuguese actor and comedian. He was born in Lisbon's Madragoa neighborhood, and first appeared on stage there...
) covered it with the common misnaming "Life is Life". This version was used in a Super BockSuper BockSuper Bock is a Portuguese brand of strong pale lager from the Unicer brewery which produces a range of beers under the same name. Established in 1927, Unicer is based in Leça do Balio, just outside the city of Porto, Portugal...
commercial during the 2010 World Cup - BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian band "Os Melhores" recorded a version called "Como é bom te amar" (How good is to love you), in which a submissive boy tells about his love for a girl who treats him with a sadistic demeanor. - The QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
singer René SimardRené SimardRené Claude Simard is a pop singer from Quebec, chiefly popular in the 1970s. He was discovered and managed by Guy Cloutier...
covered the song in french, "La vie chante".