Alan Parsons had dabbled with live performance in his late teens as a folk/… Read Full Bio ↴Alan Parsons had dabbled with live performance in his late teens as a folk/blues acoustic player and as a lead guitarist with a blues band in the late sixties. But as soon as he landed a job at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London at the age of 19, it became clear that the world of sound recording was to dominate his career. He was fortunate enough to work as assistant engineer on the last two albums by The Beatles and after he qualified as a fully-fledged recording engineer, he went on to work with Paul McCartney and The Hollies among many others. But it was his contribution as engineer on Pink Floyd’s classic Dark Side Of The Moon that really got him world attention. That soon led to striking successes as a producer – notably with Pilot’s Magic, John Miles’ High Fly and Music, and Steve Harley’s (Come Up And See Me) Make Me Smile.

He also produced the hugely successful Year Of The Cat album with Al Stewart and two albums with American progressive rock band Ambrosia. In 1975 he met Eric Woolfson who not only became his manager, but joined forces with Alan as a songwriting and performing partner for what became known as The Alan Parsons Project. The APP’s debut album, Tales Of Mystery And Imagination, based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, paved the way for a signing to Clive Davis’ newly launched Arista label and a string of hit albums, namely I Robot (1977), Pyramid (1978), The Turn of a Friendly Card (1980), Eye in the Sky (1982), Ammonia Avenue (1984), Vulture Culture (1985), Stereotomy (1986) and Gaudi (1987). A brief venture into musical theatre resulted in Freudiana in 1990.The show ran for over a year in the historic Theater An Der Wien in Vienna. Eric and Alan then went separate ways. Eric devoted his career to the musical theatre while Parsons felt the need to bring his music to the live concert stage and to continue to record conceptual symphonic rock music. With his long-standing previous APP collaborators, guitarist Ian Bairnson, drummer Stuart Elliott and orchestral arranger Andrew Powell, Alan dropped the "Project" identity for Alan Parsons - Try Anything Once in 1994. The partnership continued for On Air in 1996 and The Time Machine in 1999. During this time the first incarnation of "Alan Parsons Live Project" toured to sell-out audiences throughout the globe.

Following Alan’s relocation to California, a new Live Project band was formed in 2003. The album A Valid Path, Alan’s foray into Electronica was released in 2004 and featured Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, The Crystal Method, Shpongle, Uberzone, PJ Olsson and Alan’s son, Jeremy. 2008 saw the reissue of all the Alan Parsons Project albums in expanded form, containing never-before-heard bonus material and a 2-CD compilation called The Essential Collection. One of the most familiar Project tracks is Sirius, perhaps best known as the Chicago Bulls theme and more recently as walk-on music for The New Orleans Saints at their triumphant Superbowl game in 2010.

Alan’s latest venture is an instructional series about recording called The Art And Science Of Sound Recording. See www.artandscienceofsound.com. All Our Yesterdays, a song written especially for the series, features some of LA’s finest musicians and a rare performance by Alan on lead vocals. Alan lives in Santa Barbara, California with his wife Lisa and her two daughters, Tabitha and Brittni, four dogs, a lop-eared rabbit, and an 18-hand Clydesdale called Dante.

Day After Day
Alan Parsons Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Gaze at the sky
And picture a memory
Of days in your life
You knew what it meant
To be happy and free
With time on your side

Remember your daddy

When no one was wiser
Your ma used to say
That you would go further
Than he ever could
With time on your side

Think of a boy with the stars in his eye
Longing to reach them but frightened to try
Sadly, you'd say, someday, someday

But day after day
The show must go on
And time slipped away
Before you could build
Any castles in spain
The chance had gone by

With nothing to say
And no one to say it to
Nothing has changed
You've still got it all to do
Surely you know
The chance has gone by

Think of a boy with the stars in his eye
Longing to reach them but frightened to try
Sadly, you'd say, someday, someday

But day after day
The show must go on
And you gaze at the sky
And picture a memory
Of days in your life
With time on your side

With time on your side
(Day after day, the show must go on)
With time on your side
(Day after day, the show must go on)
With time on your side
(Day after day, the show must go on)
With time on your side
(Day after day, the show must go on)

With time on your side
(Day after day, the show must go on)

Overall Meaning

"Day After Day" by Alan Parsons is a song about missed opportunities and the passage of time. The lyrics describe the reminisces of someone who is reflecting on the past and the choices they have made. The opening lines, "Gaze at the sky, and picture a memory; Of days in your life, you knew what it meant; To be happy and free," are a nostalgic memory of a happier and simpler time in life. The memory evokes a sense of longing and regret for the loss of that carefree time.

The lyrics go on to allude to a relationship with the singer's father, who was not wise but supportive, and a mother who believed in the singer's potential. The singer thought they would surpass their father, but the opportunity had passed unfulfilled. The second verse talks about a boy who has dreams of reaching the stars but is afraid of failure. The phrase "someday, someday" suggests that the singer believed they had more time to achieve their goals, but time continued to slip away until eventually, the chance had passed, and nothing had been accomplished.

Overall, "Day After Day" is a song that speaks to the universality of missed opportunities, regret, and the passage of time. It is a poignant reminder of how quickly life can pass us by and the importance of making the most of the time we have.

Line by Line Meaning

Gaze at the sky
Take a moment to look up and consider your surroundings

And picture a memory
Visualize a time from your past

Of days in your life
Recollect moments when you felt alive

You knew what it meant
You understood what it was like

To be happy and free
To feel content and unencumbered

With time on your side
When you had time enough for everything

Remember your daddy
Recall the relationship with your father

When no one was wiser
When he knew best

Your ma used to say
Your mother used to tell you

That you would go further
That you were destined for great things

Than he ever could
More than he had accomplished

Think of a boy with the stars in his eye
Imagine a young boy with dreams of greatness

Longing to reach them but frightened to try
Desiring to achieve those goals but too scared to pursue them

Sadly, you'd say, someday, someday
You spoke of achieving those goals in the future, but never took action

But day after day
Each day that passed

The show must go on
Life never stops moving forward

And time slipped away
Without you realizing it, time has passed

Before you could build
You didn't have enough time to establish

Any castles in spain
Ambitious desires that never materialized

The chance had gone by
The opportunity was lost

With nothing to say
Having no direction or goals

And no one to say it to
Without anyone to tell it to

You've still got it all to do
You still have everything to accomplish

Surely you know
You must realize

The chance has gone by
The opportunity to achieve your dreams has passed

With time on your side
When you still had plenty of time

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Life continues to move forward

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Each day brings new challenges and obstacles to overcome

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Life never stops, regardless of whether or not you feel ready

(Day after day, the show must go on)
No matter what happens, you need to keep pushing forward

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Don't give up on your dreams because life continues to move forward

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Each day you must face the challenges put before you and carry on

And you gaze at the sky
Take a moment to reflect on your life

And picture a memory
Remember a moment from your past

Of days in your life
A time when you felt complete

With time on your side
In a time when you had plenty of time to achieve your goals

With time on your side
When life gave you ample opportunity to make your dreams come true

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Life never stops, so you must keep going, even when it's hard

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Despite the challenges, you must keep pursuing your goals

(Day after day, the show must go on)
You must keep moving forward in life, even when it seems impossible

(Day after day, the show must go on)
You can't give up on your dreams because life doesn't stop for anyone

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Every day is an opportunity to take control of your life and make a difference

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Even when things seem bleak, you must press forward and not give up

With time on your side
When you have the opportunity to take charge of your future

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Life never stops moving, and you must keep up with it

(Day after day, the show must go on)
You can't let life's challenges stop you from making your dreams a reality

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Every day you must fight to make your dreams a reality

(Day after day, the show must go on)
Don't let life's obstacles defeat you - you must keep striving forward

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN PARSONS, ERIC WOOLFSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Jonni IInferno

4y↑16

Gaze at the sky
And picture a memory
Of days in your life
You knew what it meant to be happy and free
With time on your side

Remember your daddy
When no one was wiser
Your ma used to say
That you would go further than he ever could
With time on your side

Think of a boy with the stars in his eye
Longing to reach them but frightened to try
Sadly you'd say someday, someday

But day after day
The show must go on
And time slipped away
Before you could build any castles in Spain
The chance had gone by

With nothing to say
And no one to say it to
Nothing has changed
You've still got it all to do
Surely you know
The chance has gone by

Think of a boy with the stars in his eye
Longing to reach them but frightened to try
Sadly you'd say someday, someday

But day after day
The show must go on
And you gaze at the sky
And picture a memory of days in your life
With time on your side

With time on your side
(Day after day the show must go on)
With time on your side
(Day after day the show must go on)

רחלי מיכאלי

התוצאות הראשיות

הביטו בשמיים
Gaze at the sky

ותמונה זיכרון של
And picture a memory of

ימים בחייך
Days in your life

ידעת מה זה אומר להיות מאושר וחופשי
You knew what it meant to be happy and free

עם הזמן בצד שלך
With time on your side

זכור את אבא שלך
Remember your daddy

כשאף אחד לא היה חכם יותר
When no one was wiser

אמא שלך הייתה אומרת
Your ma used to say

שתלך רחוק יותר ממה שהוא יכול אי פעם
That you would go further than he ever could

עם הזמן בצד שלך
With time on your side

תחשוב על ילד עם הכוכבים בעין
Think of a boy with the stars in his eye

משתוקק להגיע אליהם אבל מפחד לנסות
Longing to reach them but frightened to try

למרבה הצער, היית אומר
Sadly, you'd say

מתישהו, מתישהו
Someday, someday

אבל יום אחרי יום
But day after day

המופע חייב להימשך
The show must go on

והזמן חמק
And time slipped away

לפני שהצלחת לבנות טירות כלשהן בספרד
Before you could build any castles in Spain

ההזדמנות חלפה
The chance had gone by

בלי מה להגיד
With nothing to say

ואין למי להגיד את זה
And no one to say it to

שום דבר לא השתנה
Nothing has changed

עדיין יש לך הכל לעשות
You've still got it all to do

בטח אתה יודע
Surely you know

ההזדמנות חלפה
The chance has gone by

תחשוב על ילד עם הכוכבים בעין
Think of a boy with the stars in his eye

משתוקק להגיע אליהם אבל מפחד לנסות
Longing to reach them but frightened to try

למרבה הצער, היית אומר
Sadly, you'd say

מתישהו, מתישהו
Someday, someday

אבל יום אחרי יום
But day after day

המופע חייב להימשך
The show must go on

ואתה מביט בשמיים
And you gaze at the sky

ותארו לכם זיכרון של ימים בחייכם
And picture a memory of days in your life

עם הזמן בצד שלך
With time on your side

עם הזמן בצד שלך (יום אחרי יום)
With time on your side (day after day)

(המופע חייב להימשך)
(The show must go on)

עם הזמן בצד שלך (יום אחרי יום)
With time on your side (day after day)

(המופע חייב להימשך)
(The show must go on)

עם הזמן בצד שלך (יום אחרי יום)
With time on your side (day after day)

(המופע חייב להימשך)
(The show must go on)

עם הזמן בצד שלך (יום אחרי יום)
With time on your side (day after day)

(המופע חייב להימשך)
(The show must go on)

עם הזמן בצד שלך (יום אחרי יום)
With time on your side (day after day)

(המופע חייב ללכת...)
(The show must go...)

All comments from YouTube:

emkkahn

4y↑55

This song. My life didn't turn out anything like the 12 year old who bought this album expected: astronaut, drummer, writer...
But now as "grandpa" with a family I never knew I needed, I've made peace with this song. I actually started singing it today when mowing my lawn with my grand daughter looking at me.... Which is why I looked it up on YouTube...
It's good to have dreams when you are a child, but don't cripple yourself with regret if life throws you a curve ball. Just lean into it...

Ott Zuercher

2y↑1

@emkkahn Yes I thought of the same as well until I got a better stereo system Lol. It is definitely Castle in Spain! I love this song because if this song I became a fan of APP! Timeless my favorite album of all times!! Ps. I believe lots of people thought it was Castle in Space.

david wineland

2y↑2

@Starky Don't quit, there is a reason your here. I'm 61, still searching for my purpose, even tho my heart may be empty, my soul continues to push me on. Your not alone, God's blessings.

Starky

4y↑4

emkkahn I sincerely appreciate the advice and the openness to talk!

emkkahn

4y↑4

@Starky I don't know your personal situation, upsidedown.
I only know that I was a pretty awkward/depressed/out of sorts young adult and it took me real time to find my place in society. Of course finding yourself back "in the day" was easier: we had no internet and no Social Media at all to compare ourselves too.
Hang in there! And try not to worry about what other people do or say. You are an individual with your own identity and path.
These are not "normal" times, that's for sure. If you ever want to talk, hit me up!

Starky

4y↑9

I’m 26 and am completely lost. I’m currently trying to deal with life not currently being quite what I thought it would be. It’s very hard, but I’ll try and remember your words next time I get down. This song helps too.

3 More Replies...

Timothy Bessemer

5y↑55

This song should be dedicated to all who had broken dreams. It is lovely and says so much about how we must go on despite the shattered illusions.

Niven42

This is the story of my life.

John Donwood

2y↑1

Then there's the people who never had a dream at all.

Mark Dresslar

3y↑1

Well put.
The chance has gone by..

Shane Tanner

Yah ma used to say that you would go farther the he ever could with time on ya side..😣

Robert Byrd

4y↑2

@Timothy Bessemer Dont give up, EVER. Michael Jordan has said that he has lost 300 games and blew the game winning shot 26 times. DOn't Quit. You dont learn by winning. Thats the reward for diligence and persistence.

2 More Replies...

Eugene Pembleton

3y↑15

Created tears when i was 18. Creates tears at 63. Tears that heal.

Craig Patterson

2y↑5

Even in 2022 , this Song still means so much to me .
The very first time I heard it , I think I was 13 , now at 55 .... Who would've known that those Lyrics were connected to Life and more future experiences that we all must accept coming at us and just do the best that we can .
The show must go on .
I wish everyone the best !
And a great journey ❤️

Andy Boerger

4y↑40

It is not surprising that an exceptional group of wounded, beautiful souls have found their way to this song, and the comments section. May blessings be upon you all :)

Craig Patterson

1y↑1

But I'm gonna bless you First , for blessing me ❤️🙏🏾✌🏾

Eric Andrei Mejia

3y↑28

This song made me cry, thinking in the broken dreams and mostly,
in the failures throughout my life.

emkkahn

2y↑1

Me too. Until I started to look at the people in my life that relied on me to help them along with their lives...

MarcSchmidt

Wow... Look at that. I dreamed of my first wife, just before I noticed that she was an squizo
..

Eric Andrei Mejia

3y↑3

@Hector Velos Fo sho, need to keep going, keep breathing.

Hector Velos

3y↑4

As the most of us in here buddy, time is no longer in our side, but, Day after Day, the show must go on

Greg Szwec

3y↑11

The slide guitar on this work is slept on way too much. It's absolutely fantastic.

Electric Sailor

4y↑13

This song touches me in such a deep place in my soul that only the music of Brian Wilson's most sensitive work with the Beach Boys does for me. When I think all the times in my life that I was a failure, and couldn't measure up to the level of success that my parents had in life, the words of this song come back to haunt me with Woolfson's tender vocal delivery as the therapy I need to reassure me

Joe DiSantis

Beautiful melancholy song. Takes you back to your childhood daydreams and the wonder of how your life might turn out.

Alex Eastwood

7y↑42

Such a beautiful song with a bittersweet message...

CaroleAnn_21

3y↑1

AMEN TO THAT, GORGEOUS

Daniel Garcia Arias

@hit The Show Must Go On

Tommy Baird

2y↑3

One of my favorites, this song helps me through life

Jonni IInferno

4y↑16

Kihm Sanders

I was in college, at UMass Amherst in 1977, and these two hip New Yorkers in a dorm room down the hall turned me on to both Graham Parker and the Alan Parsons Project. Totally different kinds of bands, but both pinnacles of excellence in thoughtful, evocative and progressive music. I don't remember the names of these two fellows, but I am forever in their debt for sharing their musical knowledge with me.

Malcolm Stockbridge

3y↑3

One of Alans best, it uses one of his common tricks of a repeating harmony in the background through the entire track, its something that can also be found on the Vulture Culture album and others, it just pulls you in and you are hooked every time :)

Malcolm Stockbridge

2y↑1

@BrainEatingApe ps forgot to mention....this track of Alans was used at Laserium the laser show in London back many decades ago...and you are right when coupled with the lightshow and lasers it 100% touched my mind.

Malcolm Stockbridge

2y↑1

@BrainEatingApe I just love that last sentence :)....I think I might be using that one myself...thanks

BrainEatingApe

2y↑1

I love that trick that Parsons uses. In this song it's six notes that repeat over and over, but are played in an ambiguous manner so that your brain switches back and forth as it tries to figure out which of the six notes the "accent" is on. It's Parsons' clever devices like this that have led me to tell people "The Beatles touch my heart, Jean-Luc Ponty touches my soul, and Alan Parsons touches my mind."

Kevin Trontl

Heard this for the first time on an all night album replay, W4 in Detroit when it was a rock station. I would join the Navy the next year, see the world, and come back home. My life experience was much larger than I could ever have dreamed. Still is today. Better than I could ever dream. Not rich, not poor, and doing a job that's tough but not too crazy.

Thierry Meyer

I really love this song!

Andre Thompson

2y↑1

Can't remember listening to this song while I was in high school and not being high. I would just let the cassette roll, that's right the cassette 😌

jhillst

3y↑3

This is one of those early APP songs that makes me wish Alan had let Eric sing lead prior to 1980. His voice would have been perfect for this song -- ditto for a few other early tracks, like To One In Paradise, Don't Let It Show and Shadow of a Lonely Man.

Cheez Head

3y↑4

Beautiful perfection

Biorage

4y↑17

Best song Pink Floyd never wrote!

Niven42

2y↑1

It's pretty likely that Alan was doing some of these tracks at the same time that Floyd was in the room next door at Abbey Road.

Nay Mello

3y↑1

It surely is very floydish, reminds me of Fat Old Sun

Lone Spokesperson

I agree completely. I moves everyone who had a boyhood.

luna sea

4y↑4

Alan parsons project es el padre de bandas como air

jamochashake57

3y↑4

wow, it's like they know me personally. but i guess far too many of us can relate. truly my chance has gone by

Kirke182

4y↑3

Had at least two members of Pilot on this track: Stuart Tosh on drums and Dave Paton on bass. Might have Ian Bairnson on guitar which would make 3 members of Pilot.

Rob Heywood

4y↑12

Who is this 1 thumbs down? I feel bad for them.

Chris Austin

Bill Gates gave it a thumbs down.

Kjell Siimon

Capo on 2:nd fret does the trick if one was to play this tune on guitar. Lovely song.

Snarkapotamus

Key of D...C#/F#.

רחלי מיכאלי

topsy

3y↑5

If you could travel back in time, would you? I suspect it'd be a wasted effort. The fact is, even if you are a young adult and time is on your side, a point comes where you can see life sliding into dreams unfulfilled and maximum effort can be made to prevent that from happening. But in the end, despite the herculean effort, it still doesn't work out. By the time you get around to trying again, time isn't on your side any longer.