This Is It by Kenny Loggins: "It's a Life Song"

by GirlSaturday Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:18 am

Whenever, I would hear the phrase This is It, I would be reminded of an old song of the same title. Most listeners of the song, This Is It, believed it be be a love song about a romance that's on the brink of falling apart. This wiki definition shows otherwise. It describes how an ailing man must choose life or death. Upon learning about the real meaning, it does add a new twist to the lyrics. Plus, the thought about a "life or death decision" that another man had to make recently does come to mind.

"This Is It" is a song by Kenny Loggins, from his 1979 album Keep the Fire. It reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #17 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
The song also features additional vocals by Michael McDonald, who also co-wrote the song with Loggins.
At one point in the song's evolution, its melody was underway, but the lyrics were incomplete. Loggins moved it forward after a visit to his ailing father, who had undergone a series of surgeries for vascular problems stemming from small strokes and was discouraged at the prospect of another. His perspective on the lyrics then changed: "'I've got it,' I announced to Michael, it's not a love song. It's a life song."^[1] The song won a Grammy in 1980 for best male pop vocal performance.
The song also spawned a weekend magazine program of the same name was featured on the ABC owned WPVI-TV in Philadelphia throughout the 1980s.
Among the artists who have covered it: Millie Jackson- For Men Only (1980) a slightly different version, Freddie Hubbard (1982)-instrumental, John Tesh, Stevie Holland- jazz version (2006), Kirk Franklin (2007). Maggie Newton has also been known to perform a cover of the song during her live performances.

There have been times in my life
I've been wondering why
Still somehow I believed
We'd always survive
Now I'm not so sure
You're waiting to hear
One good reason to try
But what more can I say
What's left to provide
You think that maybe it's over
Only if you want it to be
Are you gonna wait for your sign, your miracle
Stand up and fight
This is it
Make no mistake where you are
This is it
Your back's to the corner
This is it
Don't be a fool anymore
This is it
The waiting is over
No room to run
No way to hide
No time for wondering why
It's here
The moment is now
About to decide
Let him believe
Or leave him behind
But keep me near in your heart
And know, whatever you do
I'm here by your side
You said that maybe it's over
Not if you don't want it to be
For once in your life, here's your miracle
Stand up and fight
This is it
Make no mistake where you are
This is it
You're going no further
This is it
Until it's over and done
No one can tell you what you know
Who makes the choice of how it goes
It's not up to me this time
You know
There comes a day in every life
This is it
Make no mistake where you are
This is it
You're going no further
This is it
Until it's over and done
This is it
One way or another
This is it
No one can tell what the future holds
This is it
Your back's to the corner
This is it
You make the choice of how it goes
This is it
The waiting is over
This is it
No one can tell what the future holds
This is it
You're going no further