In the fall of 2007, a few students at Yeshiva University came to a startli… Read Full Bio ↴In the fall of 2007, a few students at Yeshiva University came to a startling realization: Jewish collegiate a capella groups had been formed on almost every college campus with a substantial Jewish student community - every campus, that was, except for YU! This realization soon led to the formation of the Maccabeats, YU’s all-male a capella group. At first, the Maccabeats sang mostly in the privacy of their own practice room, developing a repertoire. Soon, though, their music began to spread and be performed all over campus at a plethora of university events and at numerous concerts. The Maccabeats have since performed for thousands all around the country, from New York's Madison Square Garden to Orlando, Florida (and everywhere in between).

Strongly committed to the philosophy of Torah u-Madda, the integration of traditional and secular wisdom, the Maccabeats perform an eclectic array of Jewish, American, and Israeli songs. Their breakthrough piece, Lecha Dodi, is the epitome of this synthesis, combining some of the most beloved words of Jewish liturgy with Leonard Cohen's meaningful and melodic Hallelujah.

In 2010, the Maccabeats released their first album entitled Voices from the Heights, which is distributed by Sameach Music.

Never Say Never
Maccabeats Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

never say never
yeaah
never never never say never
See I never thought that I could walk through fire
I never thought that I could take the burn
I never had the strength to take it higher
Until I reached the point of no return
And there's just no turning back

When your heart's under attack
Gonna give everything I have
It's my destiny
I will never say never! (I will fight)
I will fight till forever! (make it right)
Whenever you knock me down
I will not stay on the ground
Pick it up
Pick it up
Pick it up
Pick it up up up
And never say never
I never thought I could feel this power
I never thought that I could feel this free
I'm strong enough to climb the highest tower
And I'm fast enough to run across the sea
And there's just no turning back
When your heart's under attack
Gonna give everything I have
'cause this is my destiny.
I will never say never! (I will fight)
I will fight till forever!
Whenever you knock me down
I will not stay on the ground
Pick it up
Pick it up
Pick it up
Pick it up up up
and never say never
never, never, never, never, never, never, never
And there's just no turning back
When your heart's under attack
I will give everything I have
'cause this is my destiny.
I will never say never! (I will fight)
I will fight till forever!
Whenever you knock me down
I will not stay on the ground
Pick it up
Pick it up
Pick it up
Pick it up up up
and never say never
And there's just no turning back
When your heart's under attack
Gonna give everything I have
'cause this is my destiny.
I will never say never! (I will fight)
I will fight till forever!
Whenever you knock me down
I will not stay on the ground
Pick it up
Pick it up
Pick it up
Pick it up up up
and never say never
never say never

and never say never
and never say never

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Maccabeats's song "Never Say Never," talks about resilience and the human spirit's determination to overcome obstacles. The song's first lines tell us never to say never, which emphasizes the idea that anything is possible and worthy of an attempt. The song's verses describe the singer's initial doubt as to their ability to overcome adversity, but upon reaching the point of no return, they realize that they have no other option but to push through. The line "when your heart's under attack, gonna give everything I have" shows that no matter what happens, they will not give up.

The chorus then reiterates the message that they will keep fighting and never say never. They speak of their newfound strength, stating that they never thought they could walk through fire, take the burn, or climb the highest tower. They are strong enough to achieve whatever they set their minds to, and nothing can hold them back. The final lines of the song repeat the chorus, affirming that no matter what life throws our way, we will fight until forever.

In conclusion, "Never Say Never" tells a story of resilience, determination, and fortitude despite difficult circumstances. The lyrics encourage listeners to have an unrelenting spirit and never give up, no matter what obstacles they may face in life.

Line by Line Meaning

never say never
Acknowledging that there should never be a time in one's life where giving up completely is the only option

See I never thought that I could walk through fire
I never thought that I would be able to withstand the intense pressure and difficulty life can bring

I never thought that I could take the burn
I never believed that I could handle the pain and suffering that often accompanies trying times in life

I never had the strength to take it higher
I never felt confident in my ability to push myself to the limit and go beyond my perceived limitations

Until I reached the point of no return
But then I found myself in a situation where I had no choice but to persevere, no matter how difficult it may be

And there's just no turning back
Once you commit to facing the challenge, there's no going back to the easier path

When your heart's under attack
When you're faced with something that threatens your emotional stability and security

Gonna give everything I have
I'm willing to put in every ounce of effort and energy into overcoming the obstacles in my path

It's my destiny
This situation is something that fate has brought me towards, and I accept the challenge it presents

I will fight till forever!
I will persevere through any setback and continue fighting until I achieve my goals, no matter how long it takes

Whenever you knock me down
Whenever someone or something tries to bring me down or discourage me

I will not stay on the ground
I refuse to let these setbacks keep me down and out for the count

Pick it up
I'll get back up and keep pushing forward

and never say never
I refuse to give up, no matter how difficult life gets

I never thought I could feel this power
I never expected to feel so empowered, confident, and capable in the face of adversity

I never thought that I could feel this free
I never imagined that by persevering through tough times, I could ultimately feel so at peace and unburdened by my past fears and doubts

I'm strong enough to climb the highest tower
I'm confident in my own strength and ability to reach great heights and achieve ambitious goals

And I'm fast enough to run across the sea
I'm willing to work hard, persevere, and overcome any obstacle, no matter how impossible it seems

Writer(s): Hazel Smith, Kuk Harrell, Adam Messinger, Justin Bieber, Omarr Rambert, Nasri Atweh

Contributed by Sophia W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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