Memories
Material Lyrics
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Things like they way they knew us all over town
We used to walk the streets together,
We could be seen,
Past shops where people knew us,
Yeah, people knew.
I've got to choose between tomorrow and yesterday,
Memories can hang you up and haunt you,
All your life, you know,
Get so you cannot stay,
And yet cannot go.
Hey, I could find out where you've gone today,
I feel so unhappy,
Streets seem so empty now,
I want you, I want you with me,
Maybe I'll find someone to get you
Off my mind
Take me away from here and leave it, leave it all behind
Oh, Memories can hang you up and haunt you
All your life you know
Get so you cannot stay and yet cannot go
The lyrics of Material's song "Memories" speak about the conflicting emotions that come with nostalgia. The singer admits that they cannot leave their current place because of the memories that hold them back. They reminisce about walking the streets with someone special and being recognized by the people in town. While the memories are precious, they feel trapped and unable to move on because they are conflicted between the past and the future. The nostalgia haunts them, making it hard to stay and hard to go away.
The lyrics convey a sense of longing and desperation as the singer tries to come to terms with their memories. They want to move on, but at the same time, they want to hold on to the past. These emotions are universal, and many listeners can relate to them, making this song a powerful and poignant reflection on the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I know, I cannot leave this place for the memories,
The memories of this place and the way people knew us are so strong that I feel I can't leave.
Things like the way they knew us all over town
We were known by everyone in town and our presence was felt everywhere.
We used to walk the streets together,
We were once so close that we walked the streets together.
We could be seen, past shops where people knew us, yeah, people knew.
As we walked past shops, people recognized us and knew us.
I've got to choose between tomorrow and yesterday, can't stop to think about my life, here today.
I'm facing a decision between moving on and clinging to the past, but I can't focus on my current life because of my memories.
Memories can hang you up and haunt you, all your life, you know,
Memories can be so powerful and long-lasting that they can hold you back and haunt you throughout your life.
Get so you cannot stay, and yet cannot go.
Memories can become so difficult to deal with that you feel trapped and unable to move on.
Hey, I could find out where you've gone today, I feel so unhappy,
I'm desperate to find out where you are because I'm unhappy without you.
Streets seem so empty now, I want you, I want you with me,
Without you, the streets feel empty and I have a strong desire to have you by my side.
Maybe I'll find someone to get you off my mind
Perhaps I'll find someone new to help me move on from my memories of you.
Take me away from here and leave it, leave it all behind
I want to escape from this place and leave all my memories behind.
Oh, Memories can hang you up and haunt you
Memories can be so powerful that they can trap you and disrupt your life.
All your life you know, get so you cannot stay and yet cannot go.
Memories can have a lasting impact and make it difficult to move on or stay in one place, leaving you feeling trapped.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: Billy Strange, Mac Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
evansdm2008
This is so great. Sounds from the very fabric of the universe. Wish she'd gone down this road instead of the more lightweight stuff from the charts. Easy for me to say I suppose.
Dutchmusicfan1992
I'm a huge fan of Whitney Houston, she's my favorite singer of all time and I love most of her songs but you are right..she could have made much better stuff if they didn't hold her back. She has some stunning live performances of jazz and soul classics, that's when you see her real talent. She was best when live performing anyway, the studio couldn't hold her back on stage. She even sings her own songs much better live, usually different from the studio versions.
GL AnnapolisTeam
+evansdm2008 Oh man! I totally agree with you. No offense to Miss Houston's memory or her fans, but I think her voice was wasted on most of her pop stuff.
CEE DEE EEE Efff
I love her child voice sound, so pure
Cap'n Peanut B. Crunch
First place my dad and I discovered this was on a trip to Thailand. In our hotel, the TV was playing some Whitney Houston doc, and this started. Being the Canterburyphile my dad is, his jaw just about dropped to the floor when he discovered he wasn't dreaming.
GL AnnapolisTeam
Wow! This is great! Sure wish she had recorded more songs like this. I think she could have developed into a good jazz singer. RIP
Reto Bührer
I think the best she sang!
Eyaf65
What a 'EPIC' classic... It needs more exposure. Listen to the young legend.... Wow!
Diane Kristy
Beautiful. A side of Whitney I've never seen (I mean heard). Priceless.
Louise F.
This is really the only Whitney I've listened to...and only because she sang with Bill Laswell...her voice here is beautifully haunting. Archie Shepp sounds like he's really holding back; maybe Bill asked for that. Bill Laswell is unbelievable..check out more (and more) of his music...he simply cannot disappoint! He puts together great musicians, to play his completely fabulous music...He involves genres that work so well when he writes music for them..Laswell is awesome! I've enjoyed his musical output for decades. Thank you for posting this! Hope other folks try more of Laswell's stuff.