Life (Toše Proeski song)

"Life"
Eurovision Song Contest 2004 entry
Country	Macedonia
Artist(s)	Todor Proeski
As	Toše Proeski
Language	English
Composer(s)	Jovan Jovanov
Lyricist(s)	Ilija Nikolovski
Finals performance
Semi-final result	10th
Semi-final points	71
Final result	14th
Final points	47
Appearance chronology
◄ "Od nas zavisi" (2002)
"Make My Day" (2005) ►

"Life" was the Macedonia's ^[1][2] entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, performed in English (the first time the Macedonian entry had not featured at least some of the country's native language) by Toše Proeski. A full Macedonian language version was recorded as "Angel si ti". In the Macedonian national finals, all Proeski's songs were performed in Macedonian.

Lyrically, the song is elliptical in meaning. Proeski sings about the need to make the most of life ("Life is a book and you gotta read it/Life is a story and you gotta tell it") and appears to be mourning the end of a relationship ("Roaming through my old emotions/I find new feelings of misery").

The song is well known for its unusual performance, which began with Proeski ostensibly alone on stage. As the opening bars of music were played, however, the arms of his backing dancers gradually engulfed him, eventually pulling him in various directions. This is to symbolise a confusion and turmoil. The arms have the same pattern sleeve as Proeski's jacket so that they look his own and symbolising that this suffering is possibly of his own mental doing.

As Macedonia had not competed in the 2003 Contest, the song was first performed in the semi-final. Here, it was performed fifteenth (following Cyprus' Lisa Andreas with "Stronger Every Minute" and preceding Slovenia's Platin with "Stay Forever"). At the close of voting, it had received 71 points, placing 10th in the 22-strong field and just qualifying Macedonia for the final. In the final, it was performed fifteenth (following Russia's Yulia Savicheva with "Believe Me" and preceding Greece's Sakis Rouvas with "Shake It"). At the close of voting, it had received 47 points, placing 14th in a field of 24 and thus returning Macedonia to the semi-final at their next Contest appearance.

It was succeeded as Macedonian representative at the 2005 Contest by Martin Vučić with "Make My Day".

Notes