Live Is Life

"Live Is Life"
Single by Opus
from the album Live Is Life/ Up and Down (U.S. version)
B-side	"Again and Again" "Up and Down"
Released	1985 2008
Format	7" single
Genre	Pop rock reggae[1]
Length	4:15
Label	Polydor OK
Writer(s)	Ewald Pfleger Kurt Rene Plisnier Gunter Grasmuck Niki Gruber Herwig Rüdisser
Certification	see below
Opus singles chronology
"Flying High" (1982) "Live Is Life" (1985) "Flying High" (live) (1985)
"Gimme Love" (1992) "The Power of Live Is Life" (1994) "Live Is Life 08" (2008) Alternative covers Austrian release

"Live Is Life" is a song originally recorded in 1984 by Austrian pop rock group Opus. It was a European number-one hit in the summer of 1985; in the Americas, the single also reached the top position in Canada and was a top 40 hit in the US in 1986. It was covered by many artists throughout the years.

Background and chart performance

"Live Is Life" is their second single, released in 1985, and achieved huge success, topping the charts of many countries, including Austria (eight weeks), Germany, France (seven weeks) and Sweden (four weeks). In France, the song is the 149th best-selling single of all time with about 857,000 units sold.^[2]

The song was created during a concert in Oberwart, on 2 September 1984, while the group celebrated its eleventh anniversary. Recorded in a live version, the audience also sings the verses. In the lyrics, the song expresses "the enthusiastic attachment of the group to the stage".^[3] The song was performed during the 1985 charity campaign Austria für Afrika.

In 1994, on the occasion of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Opus published another version of "Live Is Life", which made it again into the top ten in Austria. The song was re-recorded once more by the group in 2008, both in a solo version and featuring Jerry.

Maradona's warming up

On 19 April 1989, during the warming up in Munich before the UEFA Cup semi-final return between FC Bayern Munich and S.S.C. Napoli, Diego Maradona did a keepie uppie exhibition while the song was heard on the stadium's loudspeakers. This has become a classic among football fans.

Some confusion persists by those who dispute that it took place in Munich. Among others Jürgen Klinsmann has been quoted claiming that it happened during the final in Stuttgart:

There were 70,000 people in the stadium and Maradona went on the field. We’re on the other side of the field, warming up like Germans: seriously, focused. There's music playing, the song "Live is Life", and to the rhythm of the song Maradona started juggling the ball. So we stopped our warm-up. What's this guy doing? He's juggling off his shoulders. And we couldn't warm up anymore because we had to watch this guy.^[4]

However the Belgian sports anchor Frank Raes, whose video montage of the warm up has become a famed clip on YouTube and elsewhere (it is part of a documentary on Maradona), has always asserted that this warm up took place just before the semi final in Munich. According to Raes, this can easily be verified by visual cues in the clip, such as the advertisements around the pitch, for example the numerous Commodore boards which were one of Bayern's main sponsors at the time. The same advertisements can be spotted in the match summaries of the 19th April semi-final while the final in Stuttgart has distinctively different advertising.

By 2013, Frank Raes' Maradona video clip had garnered almost two million views on YouTube.^[4] The 25th anniversary of Maradona's warming up was noted internationally, with newspapers commenting on his skills and on the transformative effect he had on Napoli and southern Italy.^[5][6]

Track listings

1985 release

• 7" single (1984 release)

1. "Live Is Life" – 4:15
2. "Again and Again" – 3:51

• 7" single (1985 release)

1. "Live Is Life" – 4:15
2. "Up and Down" – 3:49

1994 release

• CD maxi

1. "The Power of Live Is Life" (Bingoboys radio mix) – 3:58
2. "Live Is Life" (original version) – 5:06
3. "The Power of Live Is Life" (Bingoboys club mix) – 6:33
4. "Live Is Life" (radio version) – 3:16

2008 release

• CD single

1. "Live Is Life 08" (reggae version) – 4:17
2. "Live Is Life 08" (rock version) – 3:38

• CD maxi

1. "Live Is Life 08" (reggae version) – 4:17
2. "Live Is Life 08" (rock version) – 3:38
3. "Live Is Life 08" (reggaeton version) – 3:56
4. "Touch the Sky" by Opus – 3:47

Charts and sales

Weekly charts Chart (1985–86) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[7] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 2 Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[9] 2 Canada (CHUM)[10] 1 Canada (The Record)[11] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12] 7 France (SNEP)[13] 1 Germany (Official German Charts)[14] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 4 Italy (FIMI)[16] 6 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17] 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] 3 Norway (VG-lista)[19] 2 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[20] 2 Spain (AFYVE)[21] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 2 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[24] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 32 US Cash Box[26] 35 Chart (1994)^1 Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[27] 3 Chart (2008)^2 Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[28] 16 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[29] 60 ^1 "The Power of Live Is Life" ^2 "Live Is Life 08", featuring Jerry (in Austria)

Year-end charts Chart (1985) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[30] 4 Germany (Media Control Charts)[31] 1 Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)[32] 82 Italy (FIMI)[16] 38 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[33] 48 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[34] 47 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 1 Chart (1986) Position Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles)[36] 78 Certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Canada (Music Canada)[37] 2× Platinum 200,000 France 857,000[2] Germany (BVMI)[38] Gold 250,000 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[39] Gold 25,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[40] Silver 250,000 ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Chart successions

Laibach versions

"Life is life/Opus Dei"
Single by Laibach
from the album Opus Dei
A-side	Opus Dei/Life is life
B-side	Germania
Released	1987
Format	7" single
Genre	Industrial
Length	4:30
Laibach singles chronology
"Die Liebe" (1985) "Life Is Life / Opus Dei" (1987) "Geburt einer Nation" (1987)

Slovenian avant-garde band Laibach recorded two martial-style covers of the song in their 1987 album Opus Dei. The first version, "Leben Heißt Leben" was sung in German. The second version, "Opus Dei", was promoted as a single, and its promotional video (which used the title "Life is Life") was played extensively on American cable channel MTV.^[41] Opus Dei retained some of the original song's English lyrics, but was delivered in a musical style that left the meaning of the lyrics open to further interpretation. Laibach's subversive interpretation turned the feel-good anthem into a triumphant, rolling military march. With the exception of the promotional video, the refrain is at one instance translated into German, giving an example of the sensitivity of its lyrics to context.

Hermes House Band version

"Live Is Life (Here We Go)"
Single by Hermes House Band featuring DJ Ötzi
from the album Today Is the Day
B-side	Remix
Released	24 June 2002
Format	CD single CD maxi
Genre	Electronic
Length	3:30
Label	Universal Records Polydor
Producer(s)	Klaus Biedermann Jim Binapfl Jake Buck Mark Duran John Lehmkuhl Claus Marcus Christian Seitz
Hermes House Band singles chronology
"Que sera sera" (2001) "Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (2002) "Those Were the Days" (2003)

The Hermes House Band and DJ Ötzi released a version of the song in 2002. The single had his highest peak position in France, where it reached number two for five weeks.^[42] The song was used as a soundtrack for the German youth film Das Jahr der ersten Küsse.^[43] As of August 2014, the song was the 23rd best-selling single of the 21st century in France, with 537,000 units sold.^[44]

Track listings

• CD single

1. "Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (Here We Go/video mix) – 3:30
2. "Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (jump mix) – 3:33

• CD maxi

1. "Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (Here We Go/video mix) – 3:30
2. "Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (jump mix) – 3:33
3. "Football's Coming Home" (three lions) (radio) by Hermes House Band – 3:48
4. "Everytime You Touch Me" (fireplace mix) by Hermes House Band – 3:21
5. "Hey Mama" by Hermes House Band – 3:10
6. Enhanced Multimediatrack : "Live Is Life" – 3:30

Charts and sales

Weekly charts Chart (2002–03) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[45] 28 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[46] 16 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[47] 30 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[48] 5 Denmark (Tracklisten)[49] 11 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[50] 9 France (SNEP)[42] 2 Germany (Media Control Charts)[51] 15 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 30 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[52] 61 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[53] 55 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[54] 46 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[55] 26 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[56] 50 Year-end charts Chart (2003) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[57] 27 France (SNEP)[58] 7 Sales and certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Belgium (BEA)[59] Gold 25,000 France (SNEP)[60] Platinum 518,000[61] ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone Other versions The song was covered by many other artists, including Stargo (number 10 in France in 1985),[62] Starkoo and Quebec singer René Simard covered the song in French, "La vie chante". A modified version with the chorus changed from "Life is life" to "Geiz ist geil" ("Miserliness is cool") is used in radio ads for the German electronics store chain Saturn. Sofia Carson's "Love Is the Name" features an interpolation of "Live is Life".[63] References Leland, John (May 1986). "Singles > Sideswipes". Spin 2 (2): 41. ISSN 0886-3032. "Les Meilleures Ventes Tout Temps de 45 T. / Singles" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 24 October 2010. Habib, Elia (2002). Muz hit. tubes (in French). Alinéa Bis. p. 47. ISBN 2-9518832-0-X. Woitalla, Mike (25 September 2013). "Klinsmann recalls Maradona's 'Live is Life' warm-up". Soccer America. Retrieved 20 June 2014. Luckhurst, Samuel (19 April 2014). "Diego Maradona's Live Is Life Warm-Up: 25 Years Ago Today". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 June 2014. "Video: Diego Maradona – even warming up he was a bit special". The Daily Telegraph. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2014. "Austriancharts.at – Opus – Live Is Life" (in German). 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"austriancharts.at – Opus – The Power Of Live Is Life". Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 July 2013. "Austriancharts.at – Opus feat. Jerry – Live Is Life 08" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014. "Dutchcharts.nl – Opus feat. Jerry – Live Is Life 08" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014. "Jahreshitparade 1985" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2008. "Jahrescharts – 1985" (in German). Officialcharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 January 2014. "Top Singles - Volume 43, No. 16, December 28, 1985". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 7 January 2014. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 September 2010. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1985" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 January 2014. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1985" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2008. "Top Singles - Volume 45, No. 14, December 27, 1986". RPM. 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"Top 100 des singles les plus vendus du millénaire en France, épisode 8 (30-21)". Chartsinfrance. PureCharts. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2015. "australian-charts.com – Hermes House Band & DJ Ötzi – Live Is Life (Here We Go)". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2008. "austriancharts.at – Hermes House Band & DJ Ötzi – Live Is Life (Here We Go)". Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2008. "ultratop.be – Hermes House Band & DJ Ötzi – Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2008. "ultratop.be – Hermes House Band & DJ Ötzi – Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2008. "danishcharts.com – Hermes House Band & DJ Ötzi – Live Is Life (Here We Go)". Danishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2008. "Billboard Hits of the World". Billboard 115 (28): 45. 12 July 2003. ISSN 0006-2510. "Single – Hermes House Band & DJ Ötzi – Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (in German). 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Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. "French single certifications – Hermes House Band – Live Is Life (Here We Go)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. "Les Singles de Platine" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 7 January 2014. "lescharts.com – Stargo – Live Is Life" (in French). Lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2010. Cantor, Brian (29 March 2016). "Sofia Carson's Debut Single "Love Is The Name" Makes Radio Premiere On 4/7". Headline Planet. Retrieved 12 April 2016. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics