Up Where We Belong
Joe Cocker Duet With Maxine Green Lyrics


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Who knows what tomorrow brings
In a world, few hearts survive
All I know is the way I feel
When it's real, I keep it alive

The road is long, there are mountains in our way
But we climb a step every day
Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry, on a mountain high
Love lift us up where we belong
Far from the world below, up where the clear wind blow

Some hang on to "used to be"
Live their lives, looking behind
All we have is here and now
All our life, out there to find

The road is long, there are mountains in our way
But we climb them a step every day

Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry, on a mountain high
Love lift us up where we belong
Far from the world below, up where the clear winds blow

Time goes by
No time to cry
Life's you and I
Alive today

Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry, on a mountain high




Love lift us up where we belong
Far from the world below, up where the clear winds blow

Overall Meaning

The song Up Where We Belong by Joe Cocker and Maxine Green speaks about the power of love to lift us up and carry us through the struggles of life. The opening lines "who knows what tomorrow brings, in a world, few hearts survive" set the tone for the song's message that in a world that can be challenging, love is what keeps us going. The lyrics convey the idea that living in the past, or holding onto what "used to be," can prevent us from fully embracing the present and finding joy in the moments we have right now. Instead, the song suggests that we should focus on what we have and make the most of every day.


The chorus "love lift us up where we belong, where the eagles cry on a mountain high, love lift us up where we belong, far from the world below, up where the clear wind blows" speaks to the uplifting and transformative power of love. The image of being lifted up to a higher place, where the clear winds and eagles fly, suggests a feeling of freedom and transcendence that comes from love. The lyrics also acknowledge that the journey of life is not always easy ("the road is long, there are mountains in our way") but emphasizes that we can overcome these challenges by taking things step by step.


Line by Line Meaning

Who knows what tomorrow brings
No one can predict the future


In a world, few hearts survive
Living in a world with so many challenges is hard for most people


All I know is the way I feel
The only thing that matters is how I feel


When it's real, I keep it alive
When love is genuine, I do everything I can to make it last


The road is long, there are mountains in our way
The journey of life is difficult and filled with obstacles


But we climb a step every day
However, we keep going and making progress every day


Love lift us up where we belong
Love has the power to elevate us beyond our everyday struggles


Where the eagles cry, on a mountain high
To a place of beauty and freedom, where eagles soar in the sky


Far from the world below, up where the clear wind blow
Away from the struggles of everyday life, to a place of tranquility


Some hang on to 'used to be'
Some people cling to the past


Live their lives, looking behind
They spend their lives dwelling on what has already happened


All we have is here and now
The only thing that matters is the present moment


All our life, out there to find
There is a whole lifetime of opportunities and experiences waiting for us


Time goes by
Time moves quickly


No time to cry
There is no use in dwelling on the past


Life's you and I
We are the ones responsible for our own lives and happiness


Alive today
We should appreciate every day we have




Writer(s): Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Will Jennings

Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Santana Squared

Who else is just going around watching all the different performances of this song because it’s that good?

Jh Lalremruata

🙋🏻‍♂️

Marco Linares

I do

Mare Boz

Me!

Ruandré Oosthuizen

Yup, just going through that rabbit hole now. This is number 3.

Valdic Sousa

Excelente,todas as apresentações tem suas qualidades

24 More Replies...

booh12469

Joe Cocker's vocal is especially touching & magical. He left us too soon. LEGEND.

JuliusCaesar Roman

he is up in heaven where he belongs ❤ at some point we need to retire from the road we have been travelling 👍

Markland Gray

They sang that song for 35+ years, and this was probably the most moving performance they did in my opinion. Joe’s cancer was pretty advanced at this stage and Jennifer really dialed it back to make it wonderful.

Holger Rune Fan

I didn't know Joe's cancer was advanced here. That sweet, dear man-- I'm sorry he had to endure the pain of lung cancer. He was a magnificent singer, adored him.

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