Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)

"Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)/ To Step Aside"
Single by Pet Shop Boys
from the album Bilingual
A-side	"To Step Aside" (US)
B-side	"Betrayed", "How I Learned to Hate Rock & Roll"
Released	12 August 1996 (UK) 1 April 1997 (US)
Format	7", 12", CD
Genre	Latin pop, dance-pop, Axé
Length	4:02
Label	Parlophone – R 6443 (UK) Atlantic – 85430 (US)
Writer(s)	Nego Do Barbalho / Wellington Epiderme Negra / Ademario / Neil Tennant / Chris Lowe
Producer(s)	Pet Shop Boys, Chris Porter
Pet Shop Boys singles chronology
"Before" (1996) "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)/ To Step Aside" (1996) "Single-Bilingual" (1996)

"Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" is a Pet Shop Boys song that was released as a single on 12 August 1996, and reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart.

The single was one of the most widely played records on UK radio in 1996 and its video set in a water park was shown on both MTV and VH1 on a regular basis that summer.

It was the second single to be lifted from the album Bilingual, which saw the duo take on a Latin influence as a reaction to the Britpop explosion that was prevalent at the time.

In the US, the single was released by Atlantic Records in April 1997 with "To Step Aside" as a double A-side. Thirteen mixes of the track were commissioned and spread over various formats, several of them promotional only. The single did not chart in the States, but following its success in the UK it became a major success all over Europe.

Music video

The video for the single was shot at the Wet 'n Wild water theme park in Orlando, Florida and features the actress Eva Mendes in a small role as a teenager with her friends at the theme park. The piece was directed by Bruce Weber.

Translation

The correct English translation of "Se a vida é" from Portuguese is actually "If Life Is...". "That's the way life is" would be "É assim que a vida é..." or "A vida é assim".

Track listing

7": Parlophone / RLH 6443 (UK)

1. "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" – 4:01
2. "Before (Single Edit)"

CD: Parlophone / CDR 6443 (UK)

1. "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" – 4:01
2. "Betrayed" – 5:18
3. "How I Learned to Hate Rock 'n' Roll" – 4:40
4. "Se a vida é" (Pink Noise mix) – 5:37

CD: Parlophone / CDRS 6443 (UK)

1. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiottis Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
2. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiottis Shelter dub) – 8:40
3. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish Liquid remix) – 9:57
4. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish dub) – 11:45

CD: Atlantic / 85430-2 (US)

1. "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" (Album version) – 4:01
2. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
3. "To Step Aside" (album version) – 3:48
4. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Disco vox) – 9:07
5. "The calm before the storm" – 2:45
6. "Betrayed" – 5:17

CD: Atlantic / n/a (US)

1. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights mix) – 8:59
2. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights radio mix) – 4:08
3. "To Step Aside" (Quiet mix) – 3:46
4. "To Step Aside" (Brazilian Anthem dub) – 9:00
5. "To Step Aside" (Champagne beats) – 3:57
6. "To Step Aside" (a cappella – verse 1 chorus) – 1:06
7. "To Step Aside" (a cappella – verse 2 chorus) – 0:58
8. "To Step Aside" (a cappella – bridge) – 0:18
9. "To Step Aside" (a cappella – verse 3 chorus) – 1:19

• US CD-R promo "Vinnie Vero Mixes" studio acetate

2x12": Parlophone / 12RD 6443 (UK)

1. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
2. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark instrumental) – 7:58
3. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Shelter dub) – 8:40

1. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish Liquid mix) – 9:57
2. "Se a vida é" (Pink Noise mix) – 5:37
3. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish dub) – 11:45
4. "Se a vida é" (radio mix) – 4:01

• limited edition, dayglow green/yellow vinyls

2x12": Atlantic / 85430-0 (US)

1. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
2. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish Liquid mix) – 9:57
3. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Disco vox) – 9:07
4. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights mix) – 8:50

1. "To Step Aside" (Davidson Ospina dub) – 7:30
2. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Old School dub) – 7:33
3. "To Step Aside" (Brutal Bill mix) – 7:30
4. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's House vox 2) – 7:32

12": Specialty Records / DMD-2412 (US)

1. "To Step Aside" (Brutal Bill mix 2) – 10:03
2. "To Step Aside" (Quiet mix) – 3:42
3. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Old School dub 2) – 9:14
4. "To Step Aside" (Davidson Ospina dub 2) – 7:29

Remixers

Deep Dish

1. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish Liquid mix) – 9:57
2. "Se a vida é" (Deep Dish dub) – 11:45

Richard Morel

1. "Se a vida é" (Pink Noise mix) – 5:37

Mark Picchiotti

1. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark vocal) – 7:58
2. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Deep and Dark instrumental) – 7:58
3. "Se a vida é" (Mark Picchiotti's Shelter dub) – 8:40

Ralphi Rosario

1. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Disco vox) – 9:07
2. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Old School dub) – 7:33
3. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's House vox ii) – 7:32
4. "To Step Aside" (Ralphi's Old School dub 2) – 9:14

Vinnie Vero

1. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights radio mix) – 4:08
2. "To Step Aside" (Hasbrouck Heights mix) – 8:50
3. "To Step Aside" (Brazilian Anthem dub) – 9:00
4. "To Step Aside" (Champagne beats) – 3:57
5. "To Step Aside" (Quiet mix) – 3:42

Davidson Ospina

1. "To Step Aside" (Davidson Ospina dub) – 7:30
2. "To Step Aside" (Davidson Ospina dub 2) – 7:29

Bill Marquez (Brutal Bill)

1. "To Step Aside" (Brutal Bill mix) – 7:30
2. "To Step Aside" (Brutal Bill mix 2) – 10:03

Chart performance

Chart (1996)	Peak position
Australia	11
Austria	14
Finland	3
France	40
Germany	18
New Zealand	24
Spain (AFYVE)[1]	4
Sweden	12
Switzerland	17
UK	8

References

1. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.