This Is My Life
Recording Artist: The Cast of Pretty Woman: The Musical
Writers: Jim Vallance
Bryan Adams
Date Written: January-March 2017, New York and London
Album: Pretty Woman: The Musical (Atlantic Records / 2018)
Audio:
 
Vocal: Samantha Barks
 

Will Van Dyke: keyboards, conductor, music supervisor, orchestrator and arranger
Patrick Sulken: keyboards
Brian Koonin: guitar
Nate Brown: guitar
Steve Gilewski: bass
Sammy Merendino: drums
Juliette Jones: violin
Jocelin Pan: viola
Susan Mandel: cello

 
Produced by Jim Vallance and Bryan Adams. Recorded and edited by Derik Lee at Power Station and Atlantic Studios, New York (assisted by Ebonie Smith, Joe Pomarico, Dan Fyfe, Brett Mayer, Neal Shaw). Mixed by Neal Avron at The Casita, Hollywood, CA (assisted by Scott Skrzynsk). Mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound, New Jersey.
Comments:
For this scene, the original directorial request called for a Country song (Vivian grew up in rural Georgia). In fact, we wrote two different Country songs for this spot, approximately a year part, one titled "Why Me" and the other titled, "It Never Works Out That Way". I liked both songs, but Jerry encouraged us to write yet another song.
Lyrics: THE FIRST GUY I LOVED WAS A LOSER
THE SECOND GUY WAS EVEN WORSE
IF THERE WAS A BUM WITHIN FIFTY MILES
I WAS DRAWN TO HIM LIKE A CURSE

I FOLLOWED BUM NUMBER THREE TO L.A.
HE LEFT ME THERE ON MY OWN
SO THERE I WAS - NO FRIENDS, NO MONEY
TOO ASHAMED TO GO HOME

THIS IS MY LIFE
TAKE A LOOK AT MY LIFE

I WORKED AT A COUPLE OF FAST FOOD JOINTS
I PARKED CARS, DID WHATEVER I COULD
THAT'S WHEN I MET KIT
SHE WORKED THE STREET
SHE MADE IT SOUND SO GOOD

SO ONE DAY I DID IT
I CRIED THE WHOLE TIME
I WAS COMING APART AT THE SEAMS
IT'S NOT LIKE ANYBODY PLANS IT - NO
IT WASN'T MY CHILDHOOD DREAM

THIS IS MY LIFE
TAKE A LOOK AT MY LIFE

AIN'T IT FUNNY HOW THE BAD STUFF
IS SO EASY TO BELIEVE
IT WEARS YOU DOWN
AND SOME DAYS IT REALLY HURTS

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ME
MY HEART'S HERE ON MY SLEEVE
I'M SO TIRED OF LETTIN EVERYBODY ELSE BUT ME
DEFINE A WOMAN'S WORTH

THIS IS MY LIFE
THE STORY OF MY LIFE