Best Years
Andy Stochansky Lyrics


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You go to bed before
Morning paper hits your door
Hope that mom and dad won't know
You just snuck through your window
Mother's in her Sunday best
Drags you out to go get blessed
Crazy neighbours down the hall
Always banging on the wall

Crazy neighbours down the hall
Always banging on the wall
Almost makes you kind of proud
You turn up your records loud
All those years were good
Really miss the neighbourhood

Oh, yeah, we will always be together
It doesn't matter how far away you are
Oh, yeah, it didn't last forever
They always said that these were the best years
These were the best years of our lives

You run through a backyard
Hiding from cops in unmarked cars
Friends would put you through a dare
There was chaos everywhere
And you know you can't back down
'Cause they'd run you out of town
Yeah, but when you need a friend
I will help and come defend

And you know you can't back down
'Cause you know they'll run you down
And the rumours travel fast
And you hope this will not last
Oh those years were good
Really miss the neighbourhood

Oh, yeah, we will always be together
It doesn't matter how far away you are
Oh, yeah, it didn't last forever
They always said that these were the best years
These were the best years of our lives

I hope you all survive
I hope you all made it out alive

Oh, yeah, we will always be together
It doesn't matter how far away you are
Oh, yeah, it didn't last forever




They always said that these were the best years
These were the best years of our lives

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Andy Stochansky's "Best Years" paints a picture of reminiscing the good old days - a time when childhood was filled with both innocent and rebellious activities, lessons learned through mistakes, and precious friendships made. The opening lines describe a secret late-night entry into one's room from the window, hoping not to get caught by their parents. Despite the possibility of reprimand, the singer seems to be proud of their rebellious behavior. The lyrics further describe Sunday church visits with their mother, who is always in her Sunday best, and their wacky neighbors who always bang on the wall. The singer also talks about the loud music heard in their room and how it makes them miss their old neighborhood. The chorus emphasizes that these were the best years of their lives and that they will always be together. The second verse talks about running through backyards and hiding from police officers in unmarked cars. The singer remembers participating in chaotic dares and knowing that they had to face the town bullies or risk being ostracized. However, the singer is also quick to mention that they would always be there for their friends when the need arises. The last few lines are a hopeful message to all listeners, wishing that they all survived and made it out alive.


Overall, "Best Years" is a nostalgic tribute to the past, where one's memories were shaped by the carefree yet reckless behavior of youth. The passion that comes through in the lyrics makes it almost impossible not to relate to the various situations described. Whether one is remembering their own past or experiences, "Best Years" serves as a reminder of how much fun times were when there were fewer responsibilities and only vague notions of consequences.


Line by Line Meaning

You go to bed before
You sleep early and miss the morning paper.


Morning paper hits your door
You miss the morning paper.


Hope that mom and dad won't know
You hope to keep your actions a secret from your parents.


You just snuck through your window
You entered your house through your window.


Mother's in her Sunday best
Your mother is dressed in her best clothes.


Drags you out to go get blessed
Your mother takes you to get blessed.


Crazy neighbours down the hall
Your neighbors are crazy and live nearby.


Always banging on the wall
Your neighbors make a lot of noise and bang on the wall.


Almost makes you kind of proud
The noise from your neighbors makes you feel proud.


You turn up your records loud
You turn up your music and make noise too.


All those years were good
You remember those years as good times.


Really miss the neighbourhood
You miss the neighborhood from those times.


You run through a backyard
You run through someone's backyard.


Hiding from cops in unmarked cars
You hide from the police who are driving unmarked cars.


Friends would put you through a dare
Your friends challenged you to do something daring.


There was chaos everywhere
There was a lot of chaos around.


And you know you can't back down
You can't give up because of peer pressure.


'Cause they'd run you out of town
Your peers would judge and ridicule you if you backed down.


Yeah, but when you need a friend
When you need a friend to stand by your side.


I will help and come defend
I will be there to protect and defend you.


And the rumours travel fast
Rumors spread quickly about the things you do.


And you hope this will not last
You hope that the rumors will stop.


I hope you all survive
I hope that everyone made it through those times.


I hope you all made it out alive
I hope that everyone made it through alive.


Oh, yeah, we will always be together
We will always be together no matter the distance.


It doesn't matter how far away you are
Our relationship isn't affected by distance.


Oh, yeah, it didn't last forever
Our time together didn't last forever.


They always said that these were the best years
People always said that those times were the best years of our lives.


These were the best years of our lives
Those times were the best years of our lives.




Contributed by Evan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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