* Is That All There Is? *

                                                 Peggy Lee-Is That All There Is? (1969)

‘Is That All There Is’, zo beweert Wikipedia, “was inspired by the 1896 story Disillusionment (Enttäuschung) by Thomas Mann”. Nooit geweten, terwijl de No Wave/Disco-cover die zangeres Cristina Monet Palaci (kortweg Cristina) in 1980 uitbracht bij het New Yorkse ZE-label hier al decennia in de kast staat. Songschrijvers Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller (Elvis, Coasters e.v.a.) waren overigens ‘not amused’, en de Cristina-versie moest uit de handel. Ook wel weer begrijpelijk als je de teksten naast elkaar legt. Zo hadden L&S het oorspronkelijk bedacht:

Peggy Lee-versie: “Then I fell in love with the most wonderful boy in the world. We would take long walks by the river or just sit for hours gazing into each other’s eyes. We were so very much in love”
Cristina: “And then I met the most wonderful boy in Manhattan. We used to walk by the river, and he beat me black and blue and I loved it. I could kill for that guy”

Of de openings-scene bij Peggy Lee: 
"I remember when I was a little girl, our house caught on fire.
I'll never forget the look on my father's face as he gathered me up in his arms
and raced through the burning building out to the pavement.
I stood there shivering in my pyjamas and watched the whole world go up in flames.
And when it was all over I said to myself,
'Is that all there is to a fire?'"

Cristina: “I remember when I was a little girl, my mother set the house on fire, she was like that. I’ll never forget the look on my father’s face as he dragged me out of the building..” 

                                              Cristina-Is That All There Is? (1980)