Empire
MRKTS Lyrics

All this, all this
Despite having a lot of material possessions, they are acknowledging that it doesn't bring them true satisfaction and happiness.

All this silver and gold
They are referring to their wealth and possessions.

It don't mean much 'round here
Despite being surrounded by wealth, it doesn't hold importance in their current environment.

We don't need much 'round here
In their current environment, the people don't require many possessions to be content.

Diamonds, diamonds
They are referencing valuable gemstones, such as diamonds.

And precious metals
They are referencing valuable metals, such as gold or silver.

We're never worth our fears
No matter how valuable their possessions are, they can't outweigh the fear and anxiety they feel in life.

Can't buy the time that we're living on
Time is something that can't be bought with money, no matter how rich someone may be.

I've been
The singer is admitting to experiencing these things.

I've been broken, I've been saved
They have experienced both emotional suffering and redemption.

I've gone up to heaven
They have experienced euphoria and moments of pure joy.

Never went up past heaven's gates
Despite experiencing moments of joy, they have yet to reach true enlightenment and fulfillment.

I've met demons
They have encountered evil or negative forces that have affected their life.

I've met saints
They have encountered good or positive forces that have influenced their life.

I've had prized possessions
They have owned valuable or treasured items in their life.

I've had hell to pay
They have experienced suffering and negativity in their life.

We were young
The singer is reflecting upon their past.

We were unforgiven
They acknowledge that they have made mistakes in their past which they still haven't forgiven themselves for.

Did it all
They have experienced many things in their past, both good and bad.

We did it our way
They are recognizing that they have lived their life on their own terms and have done things differently from societal norms and expectations.

Never lost
They have never lost sight of what's important to them or lost themselves in their experiences.

Never wrong
They believe that they have done what's best for themselves, even if it wasn't always the most conventional path.

‘Cause I had you with me
The singer had someone by their side throughout their experiences who was important to them.

Here we are stained and scarred
Despite all their experiences, they still carry the emotional scars from their past.

From our best days
These scars are a reminder of the best moments in their past, even if they came with their own hardships.

One day, one day
The singer is looking towards the future.

We'll all look back and laugh
They believe that someday they will be able to look back at their experiences and find humor in them.

Call it our wasted years
Despite everything they have experienced, they recognize they may have wasted time that they can't get back.

Blowing up smoke in the rearview mirror
This is a metaphor, suggesting putting their past behind them and focusing on the present and future.

Until that day
They acknowledge that they still have progress to make until they reach a point where they can look back and laugh.

We'll run, we'll break, we'll chase our shadows
They are determined to continue on their own path, regardless of the challenges they may face.

Making it up as we go along
They aren't following a set plan or structure for their life.

Call us dropout heroes
They believe that they have accomplished a lot despite not following traditional paths for their life.

We're still here though
They have faced challenges and difficulties, but have persevered and are still present and accounted for.

Calloused hearts and egos
Their past experiences may have left them with rough exterior and self-preservation mechanisms.

We made it here alone
Despite having someone by their side earlier, they are acknowledging that ultimately they had to persevere alone.

Our own way
They lived their life on their own terms and successfully carved their own path.