Lyrics from Game Called Life

It’s all about a “Game Called Life,” quite literally. In 2008, bassist Austin Nicholsen stepped into singer Shirli McAllen’s Los Angeles home with a ukulele and a tune, to which McAllen innately sang along, leading to the creation of not only the Leftover Cuties, but also the indie pop band’s debut track off their first EP (2009) and, later, the theme song for Showtime’s series “The Big C” (2010). Shortly after their first release, the duo expanded to feature drummer Stuart Johnson, bassist Ryan Feves and keyboardist Mike Bolger. The band notably gathered attention for their cover of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” in 2009. They went on to record their next two albums, Places to Go (2011) and Departures (2012).