the way we were
J. Mark McVey Lyrics


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Never jealous 'cause once we're gone
Never leave here til it's done
Be really the greatest of all
Do it well but not enough

Oh oh oh, mama we made it, aye
Oh oh oh, we're finally the greatest of the world
Oh oh oh, I told you we'd make it
Oh oh oh, we're finally the greatest of the world

Knock knock – who's there?
The one, remember me?
I'm lookin kinda different these days, don't you agree?
Your boy's going big these days, didn't even see?
The hell with the devil, there's no sympathy
The wishes in my past are still ridin me
All I can do is laugh as they lie to me
You can't take my God from inside of me
Crosses up, light up the sky with me
I got a lot of crazy crazy on my mind
Like what's the real reason that the pope resigned?
I got Van Halen, I don't need a bassline
I knew we can do it, it was just a matter of time
Put the axels back on the street and break on the vine
I came back to take back everything that was mine
If I live to be 1-0-9 I'm still in my prime
If I don't then I don't, I'll live on in your mind

Oh oh oh, mama we made it, aye
Oh oh oh, we're finally the greatest of the world
Oh oh oh, I told you we'd make it
Oh oh oh, we're finally the greatest of the world

I'm on a hacksaw tour, Eddie got a Frankenstein aimed at your door
Speakers under the stage, lift you off of the floor
Why? This music is the end to the war
We endure, cameras everywhere, everyone is keeping score
Everybody talkin' bout what's up bout the tour
The world is a steak, I'm a chew it up raw
We're back in heavy metal like we above the law
London, Japan, Germany and France
Lisbon to New York, we're live up in Netherlands
Jump up on some shoulders baby, you never dance
You only live once, come on, here's your chance
You could be reborn, half star, half man
If you rise up and grab my hand
If I live to be 1-0-9 I'm still in my prime
If I don't then I don't, I'll live on in your mind

Oh oh oh, mama we made it, aye
Oh oh oh, we're finally the greatest of the world
Oh oh oh, I told you we'd make it
Oh oh oh, we're finally the greatest of the world

Eddie Van Halen
We are the greatest
Rise up!

Oh oh oh, mama we made it, aye
Oh oh oh, we're finally the greatest of the world




Oh oh oh, I told you we'd make it
Oh oh oh, we're finally the greatest of the world

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to J. Mark McVey's song The Way We Were are about achieving success and proving one's worth. The opening lines suggest that once we are gone, we should not have any regrets about not achieving our dreams. The lines "Never leave here til it's done" and "Be really the greatest of all" emphasize the idea of putting in the necessary effort to be successful. The chorus repeats the phrase "we're finally the greatest of the world" several times, suggesting that the singer has reached the pinnacle of success and is proud of it.


The second verse starts with a knock-knock joke, but then moves into a more serious and introspective reflection. The singer talks about feeling different and looking different, and how he has become successful despite his challenges. He mentions how his past wishes are still affecting him, but he is laughing them off. The verse also references some of the singer's musical influences, such as Van Halen, and how he has achieved his dream of being a successful musician. The bridge highlights the power of music in bringing people together and creating a sense of unity, regardless of where people come from.


Overall, the song is about achieving one's dreams and being proud of the hard work that went into it. It is also about the power of music to inspire and bring people together.


Line by Line Meaning

Never jealous 'cause once we're gone
We won't be envious after we pass away


Never leave here til it's done
We won't leave until we accomplish everything we want to do


Be really the greatest of all
Strive to be the best there is


Do it well but not enough
Do it perfectly, not just adequately


Oh oh oh, mama we made it, aye
We succeeded and achieved our goals


Oh oh oh, we're finally the greatest of the world
We've achieved greatness that surpasses all others


Oh oh oh, I told you we'd make it
I said we would succeed and we did


Knock knock – who's there?
A question posed to someone knocking on the door


The one, remember me?
A reminder of the artist's identity


I'm lookin kinda different these days, don't you agree?
The artist has changed and is different now


Your boy's going big these days, didn't even see?
The singer is achieving great things and no one saw it coming


The hell with the devil, there's no sympathy
The artist doesn't care about the devil or sympathy


The wishes in my past are still ridin me
The singer is still haunted by past desires


All I can do is laugh as they lie to me
The singer can only laugh as people deceive him


You can't take my God from inside of me
The singer is protected by their faith


Crosses up, light up the sky with me
The artist wants to spread their faith and unite with others


I got a lot of crazy crazy on my mind
The artist has many wild thoughts


Like what's the real reason that the pope resigned?
The singer wonders why the pope stepped down


I got Van Halen, I don't need a bassline
The singer has everything they need to succeed


I knew we can do it, it was just a matter of time
The artist always knew they would succeed in the end


Put the axels back on the street and break on the vine
The artist wants to return to simpler times and slow down


I came back to take back everything that was mine
The artist wants to reclaim what they feel they have lost


If I live to be 1-0-9 I'm still in my prime
Age will never stop the singer from being great


If I don't then I don't, I'll live on in your mind
The artist's legacy will live on even after they pass away


I'm on a hacksaw tour, Eddie got a Frankenstein aimed at your door
The singer and Eddie Van Halen are on a music tour and ready to rock


Speakers under the stage, lift you off of the floor
The music is so powerful it will move the audience


Why? This music is the end to the war
The music is powerful enough to put an end to conflict


We endure, cameras everywhere, everyone is keeping score
The artist is being watched and judged, but endures it all


Everybody talkin' bout what's up bout the tour
People are excited and eager to talk about the artist's tour


The world is a steak, I'm a chew it up raw
The singer is ready to conquer the world


We're back in heavy metal like we above the law
The singer feels confident and powerful


London, Japan, Germany and France
The artist is touring various places around the world


Lisbon to New York, we're live up in Netherlands
The artist is performing in many different locations


Jump up on some shoulders baby, you never dance
The artist wants people to let go and have fun, even if they've never danced before


You only live once, come on, here's your chance
People should take opportunities and make the most of their lives


You could be reborn, half star, half man
People have the chance to transform and be great


If you rise up and grab my hand
The singer is willing to lead and help people succeed


Eddie Van Halen
A shoutout to Eddie Van Halen


We are the greatest
The singer believes they are the best


Rise up!
Encouragement to rise up and be great




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., MUSIC & MEDIA INT'L, INC.
Written by: PHILLIP R GONZALEZ, JAMES TODD SMITH, JEAN CLAUDE OLIVIER, SAMUEL BARNES, PHILLIP TAJ JACKSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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