Have you ever heard a song that had the meaning of life spot on?

What a Beautiful World. Louis Armstrong.

This one nails it, in my mind.

“Belief” by John Mayer,

Joni Mitchell
Bows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere
I’ve looked at clouds that way.

But now they only block the sun
They rain and they snow on everyone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way.

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all.

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels
The dizzy dancing way that you feel
As every fairy tale comes real
I’ve looked at love that way.

But now it’s just another show
And you leave ‘em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know
Don’t give yourself away.

I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love, really don’t know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud
To say “I love you” right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds
I’ve looked at life that way.

Oh, but now old friends they’re acting strange
And they shake their heads
And they tell me that I’ve changed
Well, something’s lost but something’s gained
In living every day.

I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all

You put your backside in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Pokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!

@ratboy just imagine if that really is what it’s all about

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

This one.

Truckin’ by the Grateful Dead nailed something for me with this line:

“Lately it occurs to me,
What a long, strange trip it’s been”

Just about every song recorded by The Bee Gees fits your question.

“Some climb some rise some fall…..to get to terrapin

Parting of the Sensory by Modest Mouse

Whenever I need bringing back down to earth I get my Johnny Cash CD’s out, crack open a bottle & reminisce……. :-/

A Comet Appears by The Shins

Hundred Years Five For Fighting

“And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but it’s sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but you’re older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death”

@Hypocrisy_Central That is one of my favourite verses in one of my favourite songs of Pink Floyd.

I also love this one:

“Forward he cried from the rear
and the front rank died
And the General sat, as the lines on the map
moved from side to side”

It pretty much sums up war.

That’s life, that’s what all the people say.
You’re riding high in April,
Shot down in May
But I know I’m gonna change that tune,
When I’m back on top, back on top in June.

I said that’s life, and as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks,
Stompin’ on a dream
But I don’t let it, let it get me down,
‘Cause this fine ol’ world it keeps spinning around

I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate,
A poet, a pawn and a king.
I’ve been up and down and over and out
And I know one thing:
Each time I find myself, flat on my face,
I pick myself up and get back in the race.

That’s life
I tell ya, I can’t deny it,
I thought of quitting baby,
But my heart just ain’t gonna buy it.
And if I didn’t think it was worth one single try,
I’d jump right on a big bird and then I’d fly

I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate,
A poet, a pawn and a king.
I’ve been up and down and over and out
And I know one thing:
Each time I find myself laying flat on my face,
I just pick myself up and get back in the race

That’s life
That’s life and I can’t deny it
Many times I thought of cutting out
But my heart won’t buy it
But if there’s nothing shakin’ come this here july
I’m gonna roll myself up in a big ball and die
My, My

Paul Robeson singing Ol’ Man River

Carrie Newcomer’s “Bare to the bone”—includes the line, “Between here and now-and-forever, is such precious little time/ what we do in love and kindess, is all we’ll ever leave behind.” She has some other songs that hit the nail right on the head, too. www.carrienewcomer.com

Don’t Look Back In Anger (Gallagher) – Oasis, 1995.

This one is it for me…Cat’s in the cradle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSwL9deXNW8&feature=related

You’ve got what I need – Biz Markie

This is my anthem!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEEzbFxEbB8

You Set The Scene by Love especially the bit that goes:

This is the time and life that I am living
And I’ll face each day with a smile
For the time that I’ve been given’s such a little while
And the things that I must do consist of more than style

“A Hot Time in the Old Town”

Slide Show by Travis

Hallelujah written by the great Leonard Cohen, most aptly performed by the late Jeff Buckley

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving
But how can they know it’s time for them to go?
Before the winter fire, I will still be dreaming
I have no thought of time
For who knows where the time goes?
Who knows where the time goes?
-Sandy Denny Who Knows Where The Time Goes

If not that, then…

I’m comin up so you better get the party started
-Pink