Ok, so normally here at LingoCulture our focus is helping people learn French. So what’s the story behind today’s post where we review every c’est la vie song we could track down on YouTube?

Well, in addition to our priority on providing the best content for learning French grammar and vocabulary, we also love sharing fun posts about French culture. And one of our most popular cultural posts is an exploration of the actual meaning of “c’est la vie” in French, given that this French expression has clearly been adopted into the English language too!

We decided to dig a bit deeper this week, looking at how c’est la vie is used in a cross-section of pop culture. We scoured YouTube to bring you this week’s post, digging up as many videos as we could find that feature this expression. If you’re looking for a particular c’est la vie song, it’s probably here!

We’ll start off with a wide variety of c’est la vie songs in English, representing genres from hip hop to alt-rock to heavy metal. From there we go international, starting with a Brazilian girl band group who does a great cover of the poppiest ‘90s-era English-language track that you’ll probably recognize. Believe it or not, we then feature c’est la vie songs sung in Russian, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, and German! Those last couple of tracks are actually bilingual, sung partly in French, so from there we’ll feature a bunch of French c’est la vie songs.

The most famous c’est la vie song is undoubtedly “You never can tell,” originally performed by Chuck Berry. His classic track has been reprised by so many artists, so in our last section we have over a dozen different versions where we enjoy hearing everyone’s interpretation of “C’est la vie, said the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell!”

C’est La Vie songs in English

The majority of our French learners here at LingoCulture are native English speakers, so many of these c’est la vie songs are probably familiar to you already.

Yung Gravy, bbno$, and Rich Brian – C’est La Vie

This fast-paced contemporary hip hop song is so peppy, with a colorful animated video that belies its lascivious intent. With its nonchalant focus on women, booze, and money, the artists tell us that this fabulous lifestyle is just the way it is: “Let me live my life, baby, c’est la vie!”

The Killers – C’est La Vie

This peppy eclectic composition evokes the ups and downs of life through metaphors. While the song’s tone definitely merits its inclusion among our c’est la vie songs, not to mention its actual title, “C’est la vie” actually only appears once in the lyrics:

Well, sometimes, you’re the prisoner
And sometimes, you’re thе free
Just let your conscience bе your guide
When heartbreak hits you, c’est la vie

Stereophonics – C’est La Vie

This thrashing Brit-pop party video starts by encouraging everyone to get up and live life. Going deeper, however, the lyrics are a bit more of a melancholic lament on trying to fit in, and on short-lived relationships.

Come on baby take a chance with me
Stick around on the town if you wanna see
We don’t belong anywhere is what she said to me
So come on, take a dance and spin around with me

She said, “Shout now baby, set me free, c’est la vie”
I said, “A stand by me and stick around with me”
And when the street lights fall, you can buy my beer
‘Cause when the morning light comes, I’ll be gone, c’est la vie

Protest the Hero – C’est La Vie

In this heavy metal track, Protest the Hero offers a commentary on the suicide epidemic, especially among American military veterans. It tells the story of a person who jumps off a building in search of concrete evidence of an afterlife.

The title of this song, “C’est La Vie,” is used metaphorically and with a sense of resignation, as a lament of the way society deals with mental health and a commentary on the way society deals with these serious issues. By suggesting that “that’s life,” this c’est la vie song is rather criticizing society’s apparent indifference to the problem with a sense of irony, instead highlighting the tragedy of the situation.

Zerbin – C’est La Vie

This contemporary alt-rock tune features catchy guitar riffs and heavy ever-present percussion. The singer promises love through the whole song, hinting that the object of his affection needs a bit more convincing. The video is audio-only, but the lyrics are very clear:

Isn’t this a love worth fighting for?
Everything I wanted, everything more
Isn’t this love worth fighting for?
C’est la vie
I’ll be yours

Bobby Bazini – C’est La Vie

This song is a laid-back, mellow tune that talks about the ups and downs of life. Between the video’s melancholic imagery of the artist in the rain, and his deeply soulful voice, we can understand how he really wants to move on and accept that “c’est la vie.”

Whoa, c’est la vie
Sometimes you gotta let things be
You can fight it if you want to
But there’s nothing you can do
Let it go and love will set you free

Martin Solveig – C’est La Vie

This is a dance-worthy electro-synth pop track whose catchy refrain proclaims “I just wanna be free… c’est la vie!” The video is especially trippy, evoking a dreamy replication of the self.

Robbie Nevil – C’est La Vie

R&B-style ‘80s pop lament on mundane life, with its refrain of “C’est la vie, that’s just the way it goes.” The video references working-class life in contrast to the glamorous life many of us may otherwise aspire to.

Zoë – C’est La Vie

This sweet Austrian chanteuse gives us a peppy upbeat-sounding song, even as her lyrics keep bringing up life’s challenges. The message remains optimistic though, letting us know that this is how life goes and things will turn around again soon enough:

And when you’re down, you will be high again, you’ll see
Cause everything will turn out fine cause c’est la vie
And in the end the bottom line is: C’est la vie, c’est la vie, c’est la vie

Emerson, Lake & Palmer – C’est La Vie

In this sentimental prog-rock ballad on lost love, the singer uses poetry and repetition as he ponders thoughts of his ex. The inevitable conclusion every time in this song: “C’est la vie.”

B*Witched – C’est La Vie

This catchy ‘90s song comes across as an upbeat girl band pop tune that encourages listeners to live in the moment and to enjoy life. It’s also unabashedly filled with innuendos, in stark contrast to the video’s innocent appearance with its four smiling singers dancing in a meadow of wildflowers.

C’est La Vie songs in other languages

The sentiment espoused by “c’est la vie” crosses cultures, so of course there are many songs out there that talk of a general acceptance of whatever life dishes out. Think of expressions like es lo que es in Spanish, meaning literally “it is what it is,” or “tudo passa” in Portuguese, meaning “everything passes.”

We’ve found several songs in other languages that share this same sentiment even though they don’t explicitly include the lyrics “c’est la vie,” as well as a couple which repeat the French expression “c’est la vie” in their respective languages!

Rouge – C’est La Vie

We’ll start our section on foreign c’est la vie songs with a cover of the last English-language pop track we saw. This is a Brazilian remake of the B*Witched track by another poppy girl band, with its catchy Brazilian Portuguese refrain:

Diz que vai, diz que quer (Say you will, say you want)
Faz melhor se quiser (Do it better if you want)
Diz que sim, diz pra mim (Say yes, say to me)
C’est la vie (C’est la vie)

Diz que vem, diz que vai (Say you will, say you want)
Mas na hora, bye, bye (But now, bye, bye)
Tudo igual, sempre assim (It’s all the same, always like this)
C’est la vie (C’est la vie)

Túlia Lek and Di Ferrero – Tudo Passa

In this song, whose title translates as “everything passes,” this young Brazilian R&B duo reminds their fans that life is full of changes, encouraging people to make the changes that will make them happy. This track doesn’t hide the challenges of life, but rather admits that they’re part of life: “tudo passa!”

Na vida tudo passa (In life, everything passes)
Não importa o que tu faça (No matter what you do)
…
Tudo muda (Everything changes)
Tudo troca de lugar (Everything changes places)
…
Que alterar pra poder se encaixar (What should you change to be able to fit)
Se não for pra ser feliz é melhor largar (If it’s not making you happy, better to drop it)

Shirley Bassey – La Vita

The legendary chanteuse, Shirley Bassey, belts out this lament on “La vita” to a live audience in this 1968 performance in San Remo, Italy. Deftly switching from English lyrics about seeing her life in the great big world, to the Italian refrain on how we often don’t even see it passing by:

Ah..la vita (Ah, life)
Che cosa di più vero (What thing more true)
Esiste al mondo (Exists in the world)
E non ce ne accorgiamo (And we don’t even notice it)

Валерий Меладзе (Valeria Meladze) – Се ля ви (Se la vi)

This dramatic Russian video depicts the trials and tribulations of an international spy-type, evoking love, lust, and betrayal, with an explosive finale. Even though the rest of the lyrics are in Russian, the French expression c’est la vie can be clearly heard as a recurring conclusion every few stanzas.

Marc Anthony – Vivir mi vida

In this iconic Latin American anthem, Marc Anthony describes his philosophy on the ups and downs of life. His take on the c’est la vie song is to leave your pains in the past, to look forward, and remember to laugh and dance:

Voy a reír, voy a bailar (I’m going to laugh, I’m going to dance)
Vive, sigue (Live, go on)
Siempre pa’ lante, no mires pa’ atrás (Always forward, don’t look back)
¡Eso, mi gente! (That’s it, people!)
La vida es una (You only live once)

Voy a reír, voy a bailar (I’m going to laugh, I’m going to dance)
Vivir mi vida la la la la (Live my life, la la la la)
Voy a reír, voy a gozar (I’m going to laugh, I’m going to enjoy)
Vivir mi vida, la la la la (Live my life, la la la la)

Shakira and Ozuna – Monotonía

We’re including this recent Shakira track, co-produced with Puerto Rican artist Ozuna, in our list of c’est la vie songs because of the underlying resignation she describes. The story is of love dying out slowly due to monotony, the fault of neither partner in her (former) relationship but rather just a logical next step.

Een Beetje Geluk – Frans Bauer

The name of this upbeat Dutch tune translates directly to “A little bit of luck,” and it’s all about keeping positive regardless of the circumstances. The very feel-good song is well-known across the Netherlands, which we include here as a c’est la vie song because of its emphasis on happiness over any ostentatious manifestations of a good life.

Het leven duurt maar even (Life only lasts a while)
Alles gaat zo weer voorbij (Everything passes in a moment)
Geef me maar een gulle lach dat maakt mij miljonair (Give me a big smile that makes me a millionaire)
Want met duizend tranen daarmee kom je niet zover (Because with a thousand tears you won’t get far)

C’est La Vie songs in French

Now let’s ease into our French c’est la vie songs, starting with the two that are actually bilingual. The rest are entirely in French, showing how we use “c’est la vie” in French too.

Khaled – C’est La Vie

We’re making the switch to French-language c’est la vie songs with an Algerian artist here, as Khaled is very well-known in the French music scene. This bilingual song of his is upbeat and catchy, with a danceable chorus in French repeating through the whole tune:

On va s’aimer, on va danser (We’ll dance, we’ll love each other)
Oui, c’est la vie, la la la la la (Yes, that’s life, la la la la la)

In contrast to the carefree spirit suggested by the French lyrics, however, the two Arabic verses allude to partners’ flings, while espousing loyalty and healing. That too, apparently is life: “Oui, c’est la vie.”

Line Renaud – C’est La Vie

This simple yet catchy WWII-era song by the classy French performer Line Renaud recounts some of the simple constants in life, namely how people try to find themselves a partner. Performed here mostly in German, but with a handful of lines in French, she even throws in a flirty “ooh là là” as she makes the rounds of the smoky venue.

Jede Frau (Every woman)
Träumt von einem Mann (Dreams of a man)
Denn sie lieben kann (Who she can love)
Pour une nuit! (For one night!)
C’est la vie.

Joe Dassin – C’est La Vie Lily

This is considered one of the most beautiful songs by legendary French singer Joe Dassin, with a mix of admiration, poetry, and alliteration. He sings to Lily, speaking of her beauty over the course of her lifetime, alluding to the fact that attractiveness and aging are indeed part of life: “C’est la vie, Lily.”

Natasha St-Pier – John

From her album “Esprit de Famille,” this is essentially a love song to the singer’s younger brother, John, as she spreads her wings and moves out of the home where they grew up together. She reminds him that their childhood, so close to their hearts, will never be forgotten, but that now it’s time for her to pursue her own dreams. Because in the end, “John c’est la vie qui veut ça, c’est comme ça.”

Peter & Sloane – C’est la vie d’château avec toi

This ‘80s track isn’t really a c’est la vie song in the same spirit as the others on our list, but we include it here nonetheless since it’s in French and it has our target phrase in the title. Rather than encouraging acceptance of life’s challenges, this song is rather an über-cheesy love song between the two singers, whose title translates essentially as “being with you is like living life in a castle.”

Marc Lavoine – C’est La Vie

This c’est la vie song by popular French artist Marc Lavoine has a particularly melancholic take on life. A very lyrical tune, it describes life as a repetitive routine that leaves him feeling trapped and stranded, his childhood dreams extinguished, because “c’est la vie” that hurts.

Je suis coincé, comme un révolté (I’m stuck, like a rebel)
Faut marcher, ne jamais s’arrêter (Just need to walk, never stop)
J’suis piégé comme un naufragé (I’m trapped, like a castaway)
À marcher, jamais se retourner (To walk, and never look back)

C’est la vie, la vie c’est du vent (That’s life, life, it’s wind)
Qui nous souffle les rêves d’enfant (That blows out childhood dreams)
C’est la nuit qui descend (It’s night that falls)
C’est jamais comme avant (It’s never like it was before)

Charles Aznavour – Oublie Loulou

Aznavour is a legend, well known by several generations of French society, so it’s fitting that we include his music here. This fun tune of his isn’t strictly a c’est la vie song since its main focus is on forgetting about a woman named Loulou, but the conclusion he reaches is that he still needs to forget her because “c’est la vie.”

The song is almost a tongue twister, filled with alliteration, that it’s fun to hear even if it’s tough to actually follow along with the quick lyrics!

Oublie oublie Loulou (Forget forget Loulou)
Mais oublie, mais oublie Loulou (But forget, but forget Loulou)
Oublie-la donc (So forget her)
Oublie, oublie Loulou (Forget, forget Loulou)
Mais oublie, mais oublie Loulou (But forget, but forget Loulou)
Oublie-la donc (So forget her)

Et en parcourant la ville (And walking through the city)
J’ai trouvé une autre idylle (I found another ideal woman)
Qui m’a dit: Mon ami (Who said to me: My friend)
C’est la vie (That’s life)
Mais oublie, mais oublie-la (But forget, but forget her)

Zaz – Oublie Loulou

Zaz is a contemporary artist on the French music scene, who pays homage to Aznavour by reprising his fast-paced tune. Her version sounds like a ragtime ditty, sung so fast, really rising to the alliterative challenge in getting the words right. This video was filmed live with a studio audience.

C’est la vie, say the old folks

We’ll close out our post on c’est la vie songs with a dedicated section on the legendary Chuck Berry track, since we’ve found over a dozen worthy videos to share of this same song. A few are official audio versions of well-known artists, a few are live shows of lesser-known bands doing decent covers, and a few are absolute gems in their own right. Let’s start off with the original, and then move through the ages to see how all the other artists in this series pay homage to Chuck Berry and his classic, “You Never Can Tell.”

Chuck Berry – You Never Can Tell

Here’s the original classic Americana rock‘n’roll groove released in 1964, with its iconic refrain talking about the way life goes: “C’est la vie, say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell.” There are plenty of Chuck Berry videos out there where he performs this track, so it was hard to choose which one to share here. Since our first pick was removed, we’ve opted to just share this music-only verion of the remastered track posted by the record company. Still, we recommend surfing YouTube a bit more for some live versions posted by fans!

John Travolta and Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction

Chuck Berry’s classic c’est la vie song may have been immortalized into its legendary status when Travolta and Thurman faced off on the dance floor in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, so of course we have to include this video here, interspersed with black-white-clips of the original artist performing it live.

Status Quo – You Never Can Tell (It Was A Teenage Wedding)

We love this colorful video of Status Quo doing a decent cover in a very similar musical style to the original, complete with the accordion, a guitar solo, fancy piano work, and a wall of speakers lining the rear of the stage. Status Quo also released an official 30th-anniversary remastered audio-only version that’s pretty clean, though honestly a little more sanitized than the live video we’re sharing here.

Messina and Loggins – You Never Can Tell

This audio-only reprise from 1975 has some pretty sweet piano riffs.

John Prine – You Never Can Tell

Another audio-only reprise, remastered, with John Prine’s signature American accent giving the track his own flavor, and a strong instrumental backup throughout.

Bob Seger – You Never Can Tell

Bob Seger’s rendition may even be up there with Chuck Berry’s original version in claiming a spot in the canon of classic Americana tunes. Although this official video is audio-only, it’s a version of this iconic c’est la vie song that you’re likley to recognize.

Emmylou Harris – (You Never Can Tell) C’est La Vie

Another beautiful remake of the Chuck Berry classic, recorded live by Emmylou Harris and her Hot Band in 1977.

New Riders of the Purple Sage – You Never Can Tell

This Californian psychedelic rock band from the ‘70s does a worthy rendition of the track in this grainy live video from a New Year’s Eve show, with synchronized lyrics and lots of slide guitar.

The Jerry Garcia Band – You Never Can Tell

Given that his Grateful Dead bandmates had been playing the song since their involvement in the New Riders of the Purple Sage, it’s no surprise that Jerry also included it on his ample playlist.

This recording from a live show in 1991, relatively late in Garcia’s illustrious career, syncs a great audio recording over pieced-together video from four different fans (the band encouraged fans to bring recording equipment to their shows!). His guitar riffs hit hard, as always, and the keyboard is rocked by none other than Bruce Hornsby at this show.

This rendition is the longest c’est la vie song in our video collection here, lasting over 9 minutes, true to the spirit of Jerry Garcia and his jams. Clearly, this is one of our favorite versions of any c’est la vie song we’re showcasing here!

Chely Wright – You Never Can Tell

The American country music artist Chely Wright and her band reprise this track live at a German music awards show, with a decent guitar solo in the middle.

The Pelicans – You Never Can Tell

Swiss group The Pelicans share this video of their rendition on their YouTube channel, performed live at a club in the little town of Lupsingen. Their Swiss accents give some local flavor to the American classic, showing just how internationalized the song has become.

Buster Shuffle – You Never Can Tell

This contemporary British ska band does a very energized version, with a lot of jazzy liberty on the piano riffs. This live recording at the 2015 edition of the Freedom Sounds Festival in Germany has the added bonus of raucous guest drummer Vom Ritchie of Die Toten Hosen! The band also released an audio-only studio recording that really highlights the lead singer’s British accent in the lyrics.

Espen Just – You Never Can Tell

Piano virtuoso Espen Just and his rockin’ band do such a fast-paced live rendition of this track at an outdoor venue in Denmark, with raucous guitar riffs, a sweet bass line, dueling pianos, and the lead singer’s howling voice, that it’s hard not to groove along with the music here.

Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Horns – C’est La Vie

Though the Jerry Garcia groovin’ jam and Espen Just’s fast-paced rendition were definitely close contenders, we’ve selected this massive live show as our top pick among all the Chuck Berry remakes. Get ready for Springsteen’s spontaneous live rendition of the classic track, backed up with panache by his band’s live horn section.

Conclusion: C’est La Vie songs

Wow. We didn’t know what we were getting into when we started preparing this post, and it’s honestly been quite the trip getting to listen to every c’est la vie song we could find, as well as getting to analyze all their lyrics.

If you came looking for a specific song with “c’est la vie” in it, did we have it for you? And did you at least check out another couple of c’est la vie songs that piqued your interest while you were here? There’s so much variety to choose from!

All in all, we sincerely hope you enjoyed this post collecting all these manifestations of French culture in the form of videos and songs with “c’est la vie” in them. And if it wasn’t already part of your regular lexicon, perhaps you now also feel compelled to use the French expression c’est la vie in conversation, whether in English or French.

C’est la vie, say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell!

What does “C’est la vie” mean? A cultural exploration