Leben ist so oder so

Song Meaning

The narrator frames life as a game, a constant cycle of starting over. Even when things don't go their way, the immediate response is to try again, declaring "nochmal" (again). This isn't about avoiding hardship, but about a fundamental approach to existence where setbacks are just prompts for a new round. The lyrics suggest a resilient spirit, one that views challenges not as endpoints but as invitations to reset the board. The central tension lies in the narrator's relationship with loss and vulnerability. While they admit to disliking losing, they paradoxically state, "Doch manchmal war es mein herz / Das hab ich gerne verlorn" (But sometimes it was my heart / That I liked to lose). This suggests a willingness to risk emotional pain, perhaps seeing it as a necessary component of truly living or of the "risiko" (risk) inherent in life's game. The strength found in "leben" (life) is explicitly stated as being "Stärker als tod" (stronger than death). The most striking craft element is the insistent repetition of "So leb ich immer von vorne / Immer wieder von vorne" (So I always live from the front / Again and again from the front). This refrain, coupled with the chorus "leben ist so oder so" (life is one way or another), creates a powerful sense of forward momentum and acceptance of life's dualities – hot or cold, this way or that. The laughter in the chorus ("Ahahaha") adds a layer of defiant joy, a refusal to be weighed down by the inherent uncertainties. Ultimately, these lyrics resonate because they capture a spirit of unyielding optimism and a proactive embrace of life's unpredictability. The narrator isn't just surviving; they're actively playing the game, finding strength in the act of living itself and a peculiar comfort in the risk of losing their heart. It's a declaration that even in the face of trouble or loss, the game continues, and the only way to play is to keep starting over.