Life’s Little Ups and Downs is a song about what truly lasts — love that stays steady through every high and low. Ricky Van Shelton sings it with the sincerity of someone who’s lived it, reminding us that life isn’t about grand moments, but about standing by each other when it’s hard and sharing joy when it’s good. In the end, the details fade, but the love you choose to keep every day is what remains.

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Introduction

Some songs don’t just tell a story — they give you a quiet truth you can carry for a lifetime. Life’s Little Ups and Downs is one of those rare gems.

When Ricky Van Shelton sings it, you feel the weight of someone who’s been through it all — the lean years, the sweet years, and everything in between. The song isn’t about big victories or dramatic heartbreaks. It’s about the steady love that stays, no matter what life throws at you.

It’s the story of standing beside someone when the bills pile up, celebrating together when the sun finally breaks through, and knowing that even the smallest shared moments can outshine the biggest troubles. Ricky’s voice wraps around those lyrics like an old friend’s reassurance: “We’ll get through this, like we always have.”

That’s why Life’s Little Ups and Downs still hits home decades later. It’s not just a song for couples — it’s a gentle reminder that what makes life beautiful isn’t avoiding the hard parts, but facing them together.

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Lyrics

I don’t know how to tell her
I didn’t get that raise in pay today
And I know how much she wanted
That dress in Baker’s window
And it breaks my heart to see her have to wait
And cancel all the plans she made to celebrate
I can count on her to take it with a smile
And not a frown
She knows that
Life has its little ups and downs
Like ponies on a merry-go-round
And no one grabs the brass ring every time
But she don’t mind
She wears a gold ring on her finger
And I’m so glad that it’s mine
The new house plans we’ve had so long
I guess will gather dust another year
And the daffodils are bloomin’
That she planted way last fall upon the hill
Over by the gate
Lord knows I hate to say again we’ll have to wait
But you can bet that she’ll just take it with a smile
And not a frown
She knows that
Life has its little ups and downs
Like ponies on a merry-go-round
And no one grabs the brass ring every time
But she don’t mind
She wears a gold ring on her finger
And I’m so glad that it’s mine
She wears a gold ring on her finger
And I’m so glad that it’s mine

Country Music

Released in 1986, Somebody Lied became Ricky Van Shelton’s breakthrough hit, turning a simple heartbreak ballad into a career-making moment. Originally recorded by Ed Bruce, Ricky’s version stripped it down to pure vulnerability—just a man quietly admitting that love didn’t last the way he was promised. With no theatrics, just his warm, honest voice, Ricky made the pain feel personal. It’s the story of a broken forever, told with the kind of sincerity that makes you think about your own.

Country Music

Ricky Van Shelton didn’t arrive in Nashville as a young rising star. He came in his thirties, carrying a voice full of truth and a heart marked by scars. And maybe that’s why, when he sang, people fell silent — because Ricky wasn’t just performing. He was revealing the things we all quietly carry inside. From “Statue of a Fool” to “Life Turned Her That Way”, every song felt like a raw slice of life — stories of love, loss, and the quiet longing for forgiveness. He once had it all: platinum records, bright lights, roaring crowds. But then he stepped away — not because he broke down, but because he needed peace after years of holding too much inside. Ricky Van Shelton never tried to be a legend. He simply lived honestly. Sang truthfully. And then quietly walked away… cradling the wounds that never quite healed — in the gentlest way a man can.

Country Music

This song isn’t new. “From a Jack to a King” was already a hit back in the 1960s — a country tune full of metaphors, comparing love to a game of chance. But when Ricky Van Shelton brought it back, everything suddenly felt more personal, more real. Because Ricky didn’t just sing about a man lucky in love — He told the story in a voice that felt like a quiet thank-you… As if to say: after all the heartbreaks, all the losses… this time, he finally held on to the one who mattered. “From a Jack to a King” was no longer just about winning or losing. In Ricky’s hands, it became a song about second chances, about faith coming back to life — and about the way love sometimes finds us… right when we’ve stopped expecting it.

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