"Elaborate Lives" is the tenth song from the concept album, Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida. The song was sung by Heather Headley.
When alone, Radames and Aida, no longer able to hold it back, admitted their love for one another. While they recognized that their situation was incredibly complicated and troubled, at that very moment, they merely wished to enjoy the moment they shared, and made love with one another, for as long as it lasted, and faced the outcomes some other time, together.
The reprised near the climax of the musical when Aida and Radames face death but feel relieved that they no longer need to hide their affair.
Lyrics[]
We all lead such elaborate lives
Wild ambitions in our sights
How an affair of the heart survives
Days apart and hurried nights
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to live like that
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to love like that
I just want our time to be
Slower and gentler, wiser, free
We all live in extravagant times
Playing games we can't all win
Unintended emotional crimes
Take some out, take others in
I'm so tired of all were going through
I don't want to live like that
I'm so tired of all were going through
I don't want to love like that
I just want to be with you
Now and forever, peaceful, true
I wish I had the courage
To tell you face to face
But I could wait forever
For the perfect time and place
We all lead such elaborate lives
We don't know whose words are true
Strangers, lovers, husbands, wives
Hard to know who's loving who
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to live like that
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to love like that
I just want to touch your heart
May this confession be the start
Radames: We all lead such elaborate lives
Wild ambitions in our sights
How an affair of the heart survives
Days apart and hurried nights
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to live like that
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to love like that
I just want our time to be
Slower and gentler, wiser, free
We all live in extravagant times
Playing games we can't all win
Unintended emotional crimes
Take some out, take others in
I'm so tired of all were going through
I don't want to live like that
I'm so tired of all were going through
I don't want to love like that
I just want to be with you
Now and forever, peaceful, true
This may not be the moment
To tell you face to face
But I could wait forever
For the perfect time and place
Both: We all lead such elaborate lives
We don't know whose words are true
Strangers, lovers, husbands, wives
Hard to know who's loving who
Aida: Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to live like that
Radames: Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to love like that
I just want to touch your heart
May this confession
Both: Be the start
Aida: We all lead such elaborate lives
Wild ambitions in our sights
How an affair of the heart survives
Days apart and hurried nights
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to live like that
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to love like that
I just want our time to be
Slower and gentler, wiser, free
We all live in extravagant times
Playing games we all can't win
Unintended emotional crimes take some out take others in
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to live like that
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to love like that
I just want to keep your heart
May this confession be the start
I know you'll give me courage
To face what I must face
With all these complications
In another time and place
Both We all lead such elaborate lives
We don't know whose words are true
An affair of the heart survives
All the pain the world can do
Radames: I'm so tired of all we're going through
I don't want to live like that
Aida: I'm so tired of all we're going through
I don't want to love like that
I just want to be with you
Now and forever peaceful, true