Can you help me figure out the lyrics to the song Sweet Life?

March 20, 2012 2:18 AM

I'm trying to figure out the lyrics to Sweet Life by Roberto Cacciapaglia, off The Ann Steel Album. I've figured out most of them, but there are some parts that I can't quite make out. Can you help? I've put what I've made out of the lyrics below the cut.

Sweet life, nothing but a candy bar
Nothing but a candy
Sweet life, nothing but a candy bar
Sweet life

Good morning, sounds on the radios
Good morning, here comes the milkman
Wake up, the sun is up high
Wake up, the postman is here
Wake up

[Come?], the aroma spreads around
Newspapers smell fresh [...]
Watch out, your toast doesn't burn
Watch out, you're late, there's no time
There's no time


[...] make me so happy
Living in a white plastic world
Gliding on the surface of days

Sweet life, nothing but a [...]
Nothing but a [...]
Sweet life, nothing but a [...]
Sweet life

[...] make me so happy
Living in a white plastic world
Gliding on the surface of days
Sweet life

Good morning, sounds on the radios
Good morning, here comes the milkman
Wake up, the sun is up high
Wake up, the postman is here
Wake up

[...] make me so happy
Living in a white plastic world
Gliding on the surface of days

Sweet life, nothing but a [...]
Nothing but a [...]
Sweet life, nothing but a [...]
Sweet life

[Incidentally, the lyrics are by Giada Manca Di Villahermosa.]

posted by Kattullus to media & arts (4 answers total)

Only could sort out one of the verses w/unknown words:
Coffee, the aroma spreads 'round
Newspapers smell fresh of print
Watch out, your toast doesn't burn
Watch out, you're late, there's no time
There's no time

The other words, I couldn't decipher. For the start of that next verse, it sounds like "[something] people make me so happy"; I thought it might be "office people" or "all these people." For the following verse, it's "nothing but it's [something] bar"--it's not quite "candy bar," like in the first verse; it almost sounds like "a candy" has been replaced with "it's cashy."
posted by neda at 8:48 AM on March 20, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yeah, that's definitely "coffee," and "of print" seems very plausible. The more I listen the more convinced that it's "All these people make me so happy." So now the only mystery is what "candy bar" has been replaced with in the later version of the chorus. To me it sounds like "nothing but a smashy bar" or "splashy par" or "fashion car," but nothing seems right.
posted by Kattullus at 4:13 PM on March 20, 2012

I agree with neda & you that "coffee" & "of print" & "all these people" are correct.

I think that the lead vocalist is still singing "candy bar", (which makes sense, because it's the chorus, and SOP in pop songs is that the verses change while the chorus stays the same) but there's another vocal track laid on top of that that I can't decipher - it may not be in English. And what's happening is the "shy" sound of the second track happens at the same time as the "andy bar" of the lead vocal track, which confuses the ear.

It doesn't help that the secondary vocal line is being sung by more than one person, so you don't really get the same clear articulation you could if there was only one voice singing.

If you go to Roberto's webpage (specifically here - discography) you can click on the "Ann Steel" album, then on the "tracklist" in the upper right corner and then click on each song and the lyrics will appear.

Before you get too excited, though, "Sweet Life" isn't on there. Doing a little research @ discogs.com, it seems that "Sweet Life" wasn't on the original vinyl album. In 2003 an Italian company did a CD reissue with the songs in different order and a couple of extra songs, including "Sweet Life."

But it does appear that Roberto is still alive and active (he's done concerts as recently as March 5th), so maybe you could email him and ask.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:04 AM on March 28, 2012

I still can't hear "candy bar" but what with all the stuff that's going on in the track, your argument is persuasive, soundguy99. I think I'll leave it at that, but if it continues to bug me, I'll e-mail Roberto Cacciapaglia (or at least his webmaster).
posted by Kattullus at 7:48 AM on March 28, 2012