Life Made Me Beautiful At Forty

(album: Thinking Jazz - 1991)

I've been through clouds and stormy skies
On different worlds, all filled with lives
I've traveled through the steams of lovers
And wiped my tears upon their covers
I've lived a life of rogue and queen
And died my hair to fit the scene
I've had my ups, I've had my downs
And sipped champagne with worldly crowns
I've been as honest as I could
And ashamed, the shame that knows I should
I've been loved and I've been lied to
And found a few shoulders I could cry to
And all those years I thought life naughty, ah-hah
Should make me beautiful at forty

For life's not been so bad to take
For now I've cut life's golden cake
Into a million tiny squares
And with each piece recall the years
The taste of life has not been so bad
Between the tears and joys I've had
But with some good and a little singing
She always allowed me to get a grin
And all those years I've spent on my youth
Thinking knowledge brought the truth
I know life has her games to play
And puzzles it, crackling play
So, graves are dug and wars are lost
But life goes on at any cost

I do think life has made me wiser
So there is no reason to disguise her
Even tried to rearrange her
She has been fair, I would not change her, hah-hum
She presents me life so simply
In a cup that's almost empty
With a little wine to tease me
But not enough to really please me
And if I drink, and let her take me
She is wise enough to wake me
But only after dreams and visions
Allowing me to see these decisions, ah-hah
All those years I thought life naughty
She made me beautiful at forty