He won a scholarship to the Rose Bruford Drama College, where he received a BA in Drama in 1979. He later studied with the Greenwich Young People's Theatre and went on to appear in a number of stage plays including The Pope's Wedding, for which he received Time Out's Fringe Award for Best Newcomer of 1985 - 1986 and the British Theatre Association's Drama Magazine Award as Best Actor of 1985.
Oldman first appeared on screen in the film Remembrance in 1982, going on to win his first starring role in Sid and Nancy (1986), in which he played the rocker Sid Vicious. He has become known for playing eccentrics and for his mastery of accents. He has played a variety of famous characters including Dracula, Ludwig van Beethoven, Lee Harvey Oswald, Commissioner Gordon, Shakespeare's Rosencrantz, Sid Vicious, Albert Milo, Sirius Black, Pontius Pilate and the Devil. Other roles that would be a stretch for any other actor include the roles of a black pimp, a disfigured serial killer victim, an aged Senate chairman, a futuristic villain, a few corrupt cops, a sadistic prison warden, a Russian terrorist, a violent football hooligan and the villain on Lost in Space.
My Way
Gary Oldman Lyrics
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And so I face the final curtain
You can't, I note it clear
I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
And each and every highway
And more much more than this
I did it my way
Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each chartered course
Each careful step along my highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
I've loved and been a snide
I've had my fill, my share of beating
And now the tears subside
I find it all so amusing to think I killed a cat
And may I say not in a dull way
Oh no, oh no not me
I did it my way
For what is a threat
What has he got if not respect
And he cannot say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way
These lyrics from Gary Oldman's song My Way are reflective of a life lived without any regrets, lived fearlessly and independently. As he faces the end of his life, he states that he will make his final stand with confidence and clarity, knowing that he did everything his way. Oldman acknowledges that, throughout his life, he has had some regrets, but they are few, and he did what he had to do. He emphasizes that he took each step of his journey carefully and deliberately, following his own personal highway, and that he achieved much more than could be put into words.
The lyrics also touch on the fact that Oldman has loved and lost as well as suffered both triumphs and failures in life. However, he finds it all amusing and wants his listeners to know that he did things his own way without trying to please anyone. Oldman takes pride in the fact that he stood up for himself and took the blows that came his way. He asserts that he never bowed down to anyone or compromised his beliefs in order to fit in. The song is a testament to the values that Oldman holds dear: independence, fearlessness, and the willingness to chart one's own course in life.
Line by Line Meaning
And now the end is near
I am close to the end of my life
And so I face the final curtain
I am ready to meet my fate
You can't, I note it clear
I have made my own choices without outside influence
I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I am confident in the way I have lived my life
I've lived a life that's full
I have made the most of my life
And each and every highway
I have explored every path available to me
And more much more than this
I have gone beyond what others expected of me
I did it my way
I have lived my life on my own terms
Regrets, I've had a few
I have made mistakes, but they do not define me
But then again, too few to mention
In the grand scheme of things, my regrets are insignificant
I did what I had to do
I made difficult decisions but stood by them
And saw it through without exemption
I carried out my decisions with conviction
I planned each chartered course
I carefully considered the direction of my life
Each careful step along my highway
I made deliberate and thoughtful choices
I've loved and been a snide
I have experienced both positive and negative aspects of life
I've had my fill, my share of beating
I have experienced adversity and hardship
And now the tears subside
I have overcome sadness and difficult emotions
I find it all so amusing to think I killed a cat
I reflect on the strange experiences of my life with a sense of humor
And may I say not in a dull way
I have lived my life with excitement and purpose
Oh no, oh no not me
I have lived my life without compromise
I did it my way
I have lived by my own values and principles
For what is a threat
Without integrity and conviction, what does one have?
What has he got if not respect
Respect is not given, it is earned through one's actions
And he cannot say the things he truly feels
Without honesty and authenticity, one cannot truly live
And not the words of one who kneels
I have lived my life standing up for what I believe in
The record shows I took the blows
I have experienced the difficulties of life
And did it my way
But I have always stayed true to myself and lived according to my own values
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE, JEUNE MUSIQUE EDITIONS
Written by: Claude Francois, Gilles Thibaut, Jacques Revaux, Paul Anka
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind