Legacy
Carole King Lyrics


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You used to be as a child
Full of hope and wonder
Hey, now, do you remember those days
Your mind was free and running wild
Now the sound of thunder
Has got you trapped in a corner hiding out
You're running in a rat maze
You better think about the legacy
That you want to leave behind
It's all getting burnt-out, used-up
Bought and sold to the bottom line
That ain't the way it's gotta be
You can leave a better world than you find
You can look down, turn aside, run away
But you can't put it out of your mind
'Cause it's your legacy

Don't it make your heart bleed
Passing through the meadowland
Wheel of fortune jackpot is what it looks like
That's okay, go on, run your motor at high speed
Rev it up to five grand
Shades on, top down
But as you barrel down the turnpike

You better think about the legacy
That you're gonna leave behind
Things are getting wasted out of hand
People stealing each other blind
Hey, that ain't the way it oughta be
You can leave a better world than you find
You can look down, turn around, run away
But you can't put it out of your mind
'Cause it's your legacy

It isn't easy when you think your voice
Doesn't matter to anyone
Maybe you believe there's nothing you can do
But if you just do nothing, you've made a choice
To perpetuate the destruction
Why don't you stand up, dig in
When it all comes down, it's gotta begin with you
It's you
It's your legacy
Baby, whatcha gonna do about it

You better think about the legacy
That you want to leave behind
Things are getting wasted, out-of-hand, burnt-out, used-up
Sold to the bottom line
Hey, that ain't the way it's gotta be
Oh, don't you want to leave a better world than you find
You can look down, turn aside, run away and hide
But you can't put it out of your mind
'Cause it's your legacy
Oh, your legacy

Look here
It's gotta start somewhere, Jack
If you don't go forward, you're gonna go back
Hey, you better get a plan of attack




'Cause that's the only way that you're gonna keep track
Of your legacy

Overall Meaning

The song Legacy by Carole King appears to be a call to action for people to take responsibility for the world they leave behind. The lyrics talk about a time when the listener was a carefree child with a wild imagination and an unburdened spirit. But as the listener has grown older, the world and its problems have taken a toll on that innocence. The lines "Now the sound of thunder/Has got you trapped in a corner hiding out/You're running in a rat maze" suggest a feeling of helplessness and being overwhelmed in the face of the world's problems.


However, the chorus urges the listener to think about the legacy they want to leave behind. The message seems to be that even though fixing the world's problems may seem daunting or even impossible, it's worth trying. The lines "Don't it make your heart bleed/Passing through the meadowland/Wheel of fortune jackpot is what it looks like" could be interpreted as a reference to the idea that nature and beauty are being destroyed by human greed and apathy. But the song is ultimately optimistic, with the verses encouraging individuals to take action and make a better world. The line "It's gotta start somewhere, Jack" suggests that every small step counts when it comes to making a positive impact.


Overall, Legacy is a song that encourages listeners to take responsibility for the world they inhabit and to try to make it a better place. It acknowledges the difficulty of that task while also highlighting the importance of individual action.


Line by Line Meaning

You used to be as a child
Back in the day, you were full of wonder like a kid.


Full of hope and wonder
Your heart was filled with dreams and anything could happen.


Hey, now, do you remember those days
Do you recall those happy times?


Your mind was free and running wild
There was no limit to what you could think of.


Now the sound of thunder
All the noise and confusion around is threatening your peace.


Has got you trapped in a corner hiding out
You feel stuck and can't escape the stress that surrounds you.


You're running in a rat maze
It feels like you're stuck in a never-ending cycle of stress and anxiety.


You better think about the legacy
It's important to reflect on what you'll leave behind for future generations.


That you want to leave behind
Think about the values and beliefs that matter to you.


It's all getting burnt-out, used-up
People are destroying everything, leaving a legacy of waste and destruction.


Bought and sold to the bottom line
Everything is about money and gain, sacrificing morals for profit.


That ain't the way it's gotta be
But it doesn't have to be like that. We can change the world for the better.


You can leave a better world than you find
You have a responsibility to make the world a better place for future generations.


But you can't put it out of your mind
You can't ignore your responsibility to make a positive change.


'Cause it's your legacy
It's up to you to make a positive impact on the world.


Don't it make your heart bleed
Doesn't it break your heart to see the world in such a state of disarray?


Passing through the meadowland
Passing through a natural, tranquil area.


Wheel of fortune jackpot is what it looks like
People are obsessed with luck and chance, forgetting what really matters.


That's okay, go on, run your motor at high speed
It's okay to live life to the fullest and have fun, but don't forget your responsibility.


Rev it up to five grand
Live life with gusto, but don't forget if your actions will have a negative impact.


Shades on, top down
Enjoy the moment, live in the present.


But as you barrel down the turnpike
While you're having fun, remember that it's important to think about the future.


That you're gonna leave behind
You should consider what you'll leave behind for future generations.


Things are getting wasted out of hand
The world is being wasted and destroyed at an alarming rate.


People stealing each other blind
People are prioritizing profit over morals, taking from others without remorse.


Hey, that ain't the way it oughta be
It doesn't have to be this way. We can make things better.


Oh, don't you want to leave a better world than you find
Surely, it's important to leave a better world for future generations.


You can look down, turn around, run away and hide
You can ignore the problems and run away, but it won't make them go away.


But you can't put it out of your mind
You can't ignore your responsibility to make a positive change.


'Cause it's your legacy
It's your responsibility to improve the world for future generations.


It isn't easy when you think your voice
It's hard to believe you can make a difference when you think no one will listen.


Doesn't matter to anyone
You might think your opinion doesn't matter, but it does.


Maybe you believe there's nothing you can do
Sometimes it feels like you can't make a difference, but that's not true.


But if you just do nothing, you've made a choice
Even by not taking action, you're making a choice to perpetuate the problem.


To perpetuate the destruction
By not doing anything, you're contributing to the destruction of the world.


Why don't you stand up, dig in
It's time to take action and fight for what you believe in.


When it all comes down, it's gotta begin with you
Making a positive change starts with you taking action.


It's you
You have the power to make a difference.


Baby, whatcha gonna do about it
What actions are you going to take to make a positive change?


It's gotta start somewhere, Jack
Positive change has to start somewhere.


If you don't go forward, you're gonna go back
If we don't take action to improve the world, it will only get worse.


Hey, you better get a plan of attack
It's time to make a plan and take action to make a positive change.


'Cause that's the only way that you're gonna keep track
If we don't take action, we'll lose sight of our responsibility to improve the world.


Of your legacy
It's your responsibility to leave a positive legacy for future generations.




Lyrics © MUSIC ASSET MANAGEMENT (MAM), Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MASSIMO FINAZZI, OLIVIERO RIVA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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