Life Aint What It Seems

John Butler Trio is a band from Australia led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler. Their music is a mix of reggae, country, and bluegrass. They are an eclectic roots/jam band. John Butler Trio has toured the U.S supporting Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer. They have multiple CDs, four studio albums, and two live albums. John Butler Trio has a soothing sound that is easy to listen to.

John Butler Trio's "Life Aint What It Seems," has a deep meaning if you listen closely to the lyrics. The song starts off with one form of the chorus. "Sometimes life you know it ain't what it seems," is the second line in the song. It is informing the listening what the song is about. This line is repeated multiple times throughout the song for emphasis. There is also a simile in the next line which goes along with the previous one, "It's like going to war to make peace." It is comparing life not being what it seems and going to war to make peace. War is a horrible event in many eyes, however we do it to make peace with the situation. This could also be considered a paradox. In the lines, "Like the old man out there he lives on the streets. And now he's asking for a dollar off everybody he meets. Never knew he used to be a millionaire on wall street," it is explained that you could see someone on the streets and never expect their lives before the way they are now. Thus the line, "Life aint what it seems." These lines are also ironic, a man going from rich to poor in a short time. The next verse is also ironic, "Just like that plane you're late for leaving without you. And now it changes all your plans and puts you in a bad mood. And the plane ends up crashing but at the time man you would not have a clue. That being late would be so good and life is strange this true." Missing a plane would completely mess your plans up. However that simple action could also save your life. "Life is strange," is also a metaphor meaning we cannot predict the events of everyday life. Life is unscripted. Within the next chorus there is a paradox and a metaphor in the same line, "Sometimes good presents come in bad wrapping." It is a paradox in the sense that good presents and bad wrapping are contradicting each other. The metaphor comes from it being interpreted as something other than presents and wrapping. The line is saying not to judge something by the way it seems on the outside. The allusion to the Prime Minister is seen in the line, "Just like our Prime Minister with his new policy," in the next verse. In the next verse, there is an allusion to Shell gas station, "Just like that environmental day sponsored by Shell." "It's like Bunnings saying they're supporting your community. While they're chopping it right down," explains that even though Bunnings says they're helping the community to be better, they are cutting things down which worsens it. The line, "Sometimes life you know it ain't what it seems," is a metaphor on its own. It is comparing life and the unexpected. As the song says, "That everything, you know it's happening, happening for a reason."