After a brief spell in the US Army, Vinton was signed to Epic Records in 1960 as a bandleader: "A Young Man With a Big Band." Two albums and several singles were not successful however, and with Epic ready to pull the plug, Vinton found his first hit single literally sitting in a reject pile. The song was titled "Roses Are Red (My Love)." It spent four weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Arguably, his most famous song is 1963's "Blue Velvet" that also went to No.1. 23 years later, David Lynch named his movie Blue Velvet after the song. In 1964, Vinton had two #1 hits, "There! I've Said It Again" and "Mr. Lonely", the latter now being the basis for Akon's hit "Lonely."
In the 1970s, the "Polish Prince" continued to hit the Top 40, notably with "Ev'ry Day of My Life" and "Sealed With a Kiss" in 1972. That same year, Epic Records decided to end its relationship with Vinton and ended his recording contract. Undeterred, Vinton spent $50,000 of his own money on a self-written song sung partially in Polish: "My Melody of Love." After Vinton was turned down by 7 major labels, ABC Records bought Vinton's idea, and the result was a multi-million selling single that hit #1 on the AC charts in 1974. A gold album, Melodies of Love, followed as well as a successful half-hour variety show "The Bobby Vinton Show" (which aired from 1975 to 1978). He also starred in two John Wayne movies: Big Jake and The Train Robbers.
In the course of his career, Vinton has sold over 75 million records (singles, albums, compilation inclusions, etc) and is still performing on tour and at the Bobby Vinton Blue Velvet Theatre in Branson, Missouri.
The Way We Were
Bobby Vinton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Misty water-colored memories of the way we were
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were
Can it be that it was all so simple then
Or has time rewritten every line
If we had the chance to do it all again
Could we?
Memories may be beautiful and yet
What's too painful to remember
We simply choose to forget
So it's the laughter we will remember
Whenever we remember
The way we were
The way we were
The lyrics to Bobby Vinton's song The Way We Were reflect on the past and the memories that are associated with it. The opening line "Memories light the corners of my mind" sets the tone for the nostalgic reflections that follow. The lyrics describe the memories as misty water-colored, which creates a dreamlike quality to them. The scattered pictures referred to suggest a broken connection, possibly indicating that the events that happened in the past were enjoyable but disconnected from the present. The smiles that are remembered are a true reflection of the good times that were had, which are the "way we were."
The second verse poses a question that is common when reflecting on the past; "Can it be it was all so simple then?" It is a sentiment that is echoed by many who feel that the world was a better place in the past. However, the line "Or has time rewritten every line?" suggests that it is easy to forget the negatives that came with the good times. When the lyrics say "If we had the chance to do it all again, tell me, would we? Could we?" it suggests that the past was also full of regrets and that the possibility of repeating those errors hinders the desire to relive it.
The final verse reflects on the concept that the memories that endure are those filled with laughter. Both the good and the bad are remembered, but rather than dwelling on the pain, the song chooses to focus on the laughter, which is a far more positive memory to preserve. The concluding lyrics of "the way we were" reinforce the idea that the memories that last are of the happy moments and that the past is best remembered with a positive outlook.
Line by Line Meaning
Memories light the corners of my mind
The singer talks about how their memories only reside in the corners of their mind, emphasizing how their memories are foggy and hazy.
Misty water-colored memories of the way we were
The singer's memories of the past and of their loved ones are fuzzy, similar to blurred watercolors - which can give a dreamlike feeling to a memory.
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
The singer has scattered pictures of people who they shared happy moments with. These pictures help the singer remember the people and the moments they had together.
Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were
The people in the pictures and the artist shared a special connection ('the way we were') that brought smiles to their faces.
Can it be that it was all so simple then
The artist wonders if their past was just plain and simple or are they looking at it with rose-colored glasses, making it seem better than it was.
Or has time rewritten every line
The singer ponders if time might have altered or twisted their memories, including the people and the moments that they shared together in the past.
If we had the chance to do it all again
The singer contemplates whether, if given the opportunity, they would make the same choices that led to the same past they are reminiscing about.
Tell me, would we?
The artist poses a rhetorical question, asking if they and their loved ones would live their past the same way if they had the choice again.
Could we?
The artist is skeptical about whether they would or would not have the ability, meaning, or motivation to make the same choices again.
Memories may be beautiful and yet
The artist acknowledges the beauty of fond memories yet they also know that not all memories are positive or happy.
What's too painful to remember
The singer recognizes that there may be aspects of their past that are too painful to remember or to face.
We simply choose to forget
In order to avoid feeling any pain, the artist acknowledges that they've made a choice to forget certain painful memories.
So it's the laughter we will remember
Despite all the memories, the singer knows that it is through laughter and humor that they prefer to remember their past fondly.
Whenever we remember
The singer is reminded that every time they remember the past, it is the moments filled with joy and happiness that will stick with them the most.
The way we were
The singer is cherishing the memories of the particular moments they had with their loved ones, as they share a kind of intimacy that is unique - it was simply 'the way they were'.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
Written by: Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Chernofsky
I know it is almost 3 years since you posted this but thanx anyway.A song I missed all the years from one of his obscure albums.