"One of my earlier memories of music is my mom sitting at the piano late at night, playing us to sleep with Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata,'" Marc says. With a father who preached and led worship and a mother who led the church choir and played piano, Marc was raised in a music-intensive environment.
His parents instilled a love for music in him that followed him throughout his childhood through eight years of piano lessons, through Disney duets he would sing with friends, through hours he spent alone teaching himself guitar all the way to a small college in Saskatchewan, where he formed the band Downhere with his roommate Jason Germain and a few close friends in 1999.
"Our friendship was always based around music," Marc says. "We really hit it off musically... we realized we shared a lot of the same taste in music, while also bringing different influences."
Downhere developed their sound while touring on behalf of the college, which would send them out on the road with production, lighting, sound, and even a vehicle and trailer. After four years of college, the band left their Canadian roots behind and relocated to Nashville, TN, where they signed with Word Records. Downhere has since gone on to win multiple Juno Awards and a Dove Award. They have released 10 albums, including their latest release, On the Altar of Love, which reflects a different approach to songwriting than their previous releases.
"For me it used to be all about being musically complex and artsy," Marc says. "And then I had a real perspective-shifting experience. At one of our shows there was a little girl standing front-center with her mother. When I said the next song was "How Many Kings," her face lit up as she looked up at her mom and grabbed her hand. She sang along to every word. I thought to myself, 'I've got to write more songs like THAT.'"
In September 2011, Marc entered a competition to join Roger Taylor, original drummer for the legendary rock band Queen, on stage for the Queen Extravaganza Live Tour. Throughout his career with Downhere, concertgoers have often approached Marc insisting he sounds just like Freddie Mercury, legendary singer of the rock band Queen.
"I don't think I've done a show in the last five or six years where five to ten people haven't come up to me and said, 'Hey, anyone ever tell you that you sound like Queen?' or 'that guy from Queen' or 'Eddie Mercury,'" he says laughingly. "In the list of great rock signers, he is considered one of the best if not the best and it's always just a huge compliment when people tell that to me."
It seems that Downhere concertgoers aren't alone in their thinking, as Marc's entry for the Queen Extravaganza contest, a video of Marc singing along with the Queen classic "Somebody to Love," generated more millions of views on YouTube after being up for only a few days.
Whether it's onstage with Downhere or on a computer screen, Marc has a message and a voice that has captured millions for the past decade. Through music, Marc is after the one thing people are always looking for a connection.
"There is always time for exploring new soundscapes and interesting arrangements…but the song has to connect with people or there's not much point to it. I'm really trying to stay in that magic equilibrium now as I write, the union of intriguing artistry combined with strong human connection."
We Are The Champions
Marc Martel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time after time
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand
But I've come through
And we mean to go on and on and on and on
We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting
'Till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the world
I've taken my bows
And my curtain calls
You brought me fame and fortune
And everything that goes with it
I thank you all
But it's been no bed of roses
No pleasure cruise
I consider it a challenge before
The whole human race
And I ain't gonna lose
And we mean to go on and on and on and on
We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting
'Till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the world
We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting
'Till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions
"We are the champions" is a song by the British rock band Queen. The song has become one of the most well-known rock anthems and its lyrics have transcended generations. Marc Martel's cover of the song provides a clear and powerful interpretation of the original message. The first verse suggests that the singer has been through difficult times but never lost his resolve. "I’ve paid my dues, time after time, I’ve done my sentences but committed no crime." It means he recognizes the hardship in his life but remains proud of his achievements.
In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that there have been mistakes, but he is confident that he will overcome them. "I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face but I've come through." In the chorus, the phrase "we are the champions" repeats over and over. The singer conveys that it is not just about him. "We" refers to everyone who has also experienced hardship and has come out on top. The line "No time for losers" highlights that people must remain focused and confident in their goals regardless of society's expectations or setbacks.
The closing verse is an acknowledgement of the success the singer has experienced, a nod of gratitude to his fans, and a final resolve to keep fighting. "I thank you all but it's been no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise. I consider it a challenge before the whole human race, and I ain't gonna lose." The song is a proclamation of resilience and the message that whoever puts in the hard work, will one day become a champion.
Line by Line Meaning
I've paid my dues
I have worked hard to reach this point
Time after time
Over and over again
I've done my sentence
I have fulfilled my obligations and responsibilities
But committed no crime
I have not done anything wrong
And bad mistakes
I have made errors in judgement
I've made a few
I have not been perfect
I've had my share of sand
I have been faced with difficult situations
Kicked in my face
I have been knocked down
But I've come through
I have persevered and overcome
And we mean to go on and on and on and on
We plan to continue our success indefinitely
We are the champions, my friends
We have achieved greatness together
And we'll keep on fighting
We will continue to work hard and persevere
'Till the end
Until we accomplish our goals
No time for losers
We don't have time for those who give up
'Cause we are the champions of the world
We have achieved success on the highest level
I've taken my bows
I have acknowledged and appreciated my success
And my curtain calls
I have received recognition for my efforts
You brought me fame and fortune
Others have helped me achieve my success
And everything that goes with it
All the perks that come with success
I thank you all
I am grateful for the support and help of others
But it's been no bed of roses
It has not been easy
No pleasure cruise
There have been many challenges and obstacles
I consider it a challenge before
I see it as an opportunity for growth
The whole human race
For everyone, not just myself
And I ain't gonna lose
I am not going to give up or fail
Contributed by Aubrey E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
GRIMES TV
I've paid my dues
Time after time
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through
And we mean to go on and on and on and on
We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the world
I've taken my bows
And my curtain calls
You brought me fame and fortune
And everything that goes with it
I thank you all
But it's been no bed of roses
No pleasure cruise
I consider it a challenge before the whole human race
And I ain't gonna lose
And we mean to go on and on and on and on
We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the world
We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions
Kelly
This is insane how does he actually sound similarly to Freddie
Beatnick
@ErinIsMelting Not 100% true. It was a blend of Mark, Rami and Freddie in the movie.
Zoteck
@Beatnick he sounds like him
Beatnick
@Jeffrey A. Hanson Yeah, I did go and listen to more of Marc's videos and I decided this just wasn't his best. I definitely heard it more on some of the other videos I watched. Particularly Somebody To Love.
Jeffrey A. Hanson
@Beatnick It’s tough to tell with the massive backing vocals of Queen absent from the mix.
Marc has more bass in his tone, but that can literally be the mic, the room, YouTube compression… and Freddie’s voice being eq’d brightly as the lead in the band.
Dr.ellRich SSBU
@Beatnick yes
Infirmux
His singing sends shivers down my spine.
Klipz
@Azra Percinta Setia I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all.
Azra Percinta Setia
@Klipz i dont want to dieeee
Klipz
@참정 Mama, oooh.