The Way Life Goes (song)

"The Way Life Goes"
Cover art for the official remix featuring Nicki Minaj
Single by Lil Uzi Vert featuring Oh Wonder
from the album Luv Is Rage 2
ReleasedOctober 3, 2017 (album version)
November 3, 2017 (remix)
Recorded2017
GenreEmo rap[1]
Length
  • 3:41 (album version)
  • 4:28 (remix)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Lil Uzi Vert singles chronology
"Raf"
(2017) 		"The Way Life Goes"
(2017) 		"Wanted You"
(2017)
Oh Wonder singles chronology
"High On Humans"
(2017) 		"The Way Life Goes"
(2017) 		"Superlove"
(2018)
Nicki Minaj singles chronology
"MotorSport"
(2017) 		"The Way Life Goes (Remix)"
(2017) 		"Plain Jane (Remix)"
(2017)
Music video
"The Way Life Goes (Remix)" on YouTube

"The Way Life Goes" is a song by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert featuring British indie pop group Oh Wonder from the former's debut album Luv Is Rage 2 (2017). According to Uzi, the song was meant for people that were going through hard times. It has been streamed over 1 billion times on Spotify. The song was released as the album's second single to urban contemporary radio on October 3, 2017. The track, produced by Don Cannon and Ike Beatz, samples vocals from Oh Wonder's 2015 song "Landslide".[2] It would debut at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, with the YouTube visual gaining over 138 million views as of April 2023.

The remix to the single was released on November 3 with a guest appearance from Trinidadian/Tobago-born rapper Nicki Minaj.[3] This version would peak at number 24 on the Hot 100. The music video for it was released on December 4, 2017, having gained over 80 million views as of April 2022.

Critical reception

Paul A. Thompson of Pitchfork opined that "[In] 'The Way Life Goes,' which is produced by Don Cannon and Ike Beatz, Uzi opens with a brief introduction to the other half of [their] failed relationship, punctuated with, "I like that girl too much, I wish I never met her." From there, [they launch] into a full interpolation of the first verse from Oh Wonder's "Landslide": "I know it hurts sometimes, but you’ll get over it/You’ll find another life to live." Uzi's less interested in the granular drama of the breakup than in the fallout, the moment three or four days later when reality starts to set in."[4]

Personnel

Credits adapted from YouTube and Tidal.[5]

  • Jaycen Joshua – mixing
  • Michael Piroli – mixing
  • Kesha Lee – engineering
  • Chris Athens – mastering
  • David Skinner - graphic design

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[15] Gold 45,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[16] Gold 25,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[17] Gold 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[19] 9× Platinum 9,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "See Lil Uzi Vert's Moody 'The Way Life Goes' on 'Colbert'". Rolling Stone. February 6, 2018.
  2. ^ "Lil Uzi Vert Samples A London Indie Duo On His New Song "The Way Life Goes"". Genius. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  3. ^ Breihan, Tom (November 3, 2017). "Lil Uzi Vert – "The Way Life Goes (Remix)" (Feat. Nicki Minaj)". Stereogum. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  4. ^ "Lil Uzi Vert: Luv Is Rage 2 Album Review". Pitchfork.
  5. ^ "Lil Uzi Vert - The Way Life Goes [Official Visualizer]". 10 October 2017 – via www.youtube.com.
  6. ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #446". auspOp. November 11, 2017. Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  7. ^ "Lil Uzi Vert Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  8. ^ "Lil Uzi Vert – The Way Life Goes". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  9. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  10. ^ "Lil Uzi Vert Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  11. ^ "Lil Uzi Vert Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  12. ^ "Lil Uzi Vert Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  13. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  14. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  15. ^ "Danish single certifications – Lil Uzi Vert feat. Oh Wonder – The Way Life Goes". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  16. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 21, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter The Way Life Goes in the search box.
  17. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Lil Uzi Vert feat. Oh Wonder – The Way Life Goes" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  18. ^ "British single certifications – Lil Uzi Vert ft Nicki Minaj – The Way Life Goes". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  19. ^ "American single certifications – Lil Uzi Vert – The Way Life Goes". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 24, 2019.