Better Days
Frank Bradford Lyrics
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(I've seen better days)
Left behind a friend of mine
(I've seen better days)
Passed by a statue of saint Augustine in prayer
Said for one, the only one
I turned my back at her
(I've seen better days)
Her trench coat hangs inside her door
(I've seen better days)
A leaky window welcomed rain and left me standing here
A black-haired girl who taught me truth
I turned my back on her
Too late for hope but a dream remembered
Lay me down, down, down
Too late for hope but a dream remembered
Better days
Made love in the toronto rain
(i've seen better days)
From hamilton i look the train
(I've seen better days)
What you regret, you softly said are things you never do
I regret i didn't turn
And run back home to you
Too late for hope but a dream remembered
Lay me down, down, down
Too late for hope but a dream remembered
Better days, better days
Now i stand in sympathy
Not for her but for me
I could have turned i could have stayed
But i just walked away
I could have done a lot of things
In my better days
Too late for hope but a dream remembered
Lay me down, down, down
Too late for hope but a dream remembered
Better days, better days
The lyrics of Frank Bradford's song 'Better Days' are full of regret and nostalgia for what could have been. The opening lines of the song describe the singer on a walk down Paramount, a reference to the famous Hollywood studio district. However, despite being in a location that is often associated with glamour and success, the singer is filled with the melancholy of having seen "better days." The next line describes losing a friend, further emphasizing the sense of loss and regret that pervades the song.
The singer then encounters a statue of Saint Augustine in prayer, possibly symbolizing the search for forgiveness or redemption. But despite this, the singer turns their back on the statue, suggesting a rejection of forgiveness or a reluctance to face the past. The song also refers to a lost love, with the singer remembering making love in the Toronto rain and regretting not turning back home to be with their partner. The line "What you regret, you softly said are things you never do" suggests that the singer's regret stems from missed opportunities and not taking action when they had the chance.
The chorus repeats the line "too late for hope but a dream remembered," underscoring the sense of finality and regret in the song. The final verse talks of standing in sympathy, not for the lost love, but for themselves. They acknowledge that they could have done things differently in their "better days," but now it's too late to change anything.
Overall, 'Better Days' is a poignant reminder to seize the day and not let regrets weigh you down. It's a song about the choices we make and the ones we don't, and the consequences that come with both.
Line by Line Meaning
Took a walk down paramount
I reminisced about a better time in my life when I used to take walks down Paramount Avenue.
(I've seen better days)
I feel like my life is not as good as it used to be.
Left behind a friend of mine
I lost a friend at some point in the past and I'm still not over it.
Passed by a statue of saint Augustine in prayer
During my walk on Paramount Avenue, I saw a statue of Saint Augustine in prayer.
Said for one, the only one
I said a silent prayer for the person who meant the most to me at that time.
I turned my back at her
Unfortunately, I chose to turn my back on that person instead of facing and dealing with our issues.
The elevator rose to the eleventh floor
Later on, I took an elevator up to the eleventh floor of a building.
Her trench coat hangs inside her door
Once I arrived at my destination, I noticed that my acquaintance's trench coat was still hanging by the door.
A leaky window welcomed rain and left me standing here
As I stood there, the rainy weather made its way into the building through a leaky window, trapping me in the moment.
A black-haired girl who taught me truth
Although the black-haired girl taught me a valuable lesson, I chose to ignore it.
I turned my back on her
Similarly to my friend from earlier, I made the regretful decision to turn my back on the black-haired girl instead of facing the consequences.
Made love in the toronto rain
At some point in the past, I experienced a romantic moment with someone during a storm in Toronto.
From hamilton i look the train
While looking out from Hamilton, I saw a train.
What you regret, you softly said are things you never do
Someone close to me once said that the things we usually regret later in life are the things we never had the courage to do when we had the chance.
I regret I didn't turn
Reflecting on my past, I have come to the conclusion that I regret not turning back and reconciling with someone who was important to me.
And run back home to you
Specifically, I regret not running back home to my lover.
Now I stand in sympathy
I'm standing here feeling sympathetic, but it's not for the person I should be feeling sorry for; It's for myself.
Not for her but for me
I acknowledge that my sympathy should be aimed towards my own shortcomings instead of pitying someone else.
I could have turned I could have stayed
At various points in my life, I could have made a different choice and stayed in a situation, but I didn't.
But I just walked away
Instead, I chose to walk away from those situations.
I could have done a lot of things
If I had acted differently and made different choices, I could have lived a very different life.
Better days, better days
Despite the hardships I've gone through, I'm still optimistic and hope for better days to come.
Too late for hope but a dream remembered
I know deep down that it's probably too late for me to fix some of my past mistakes, but I still hold on to the dream of what could have been.
Lay me down, down, down
I'm feeling emotionally exhausted and tired.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GARY LOURIS, GARY MICHAEL LOURIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind