Maxi Priest – Max Alfred Elliott, born 610610 in London, UK – is a danceh… Read Full Bio ↴Maxi Priest – Max Alfred Elliott, born 610610 in London, UK – is a dancehall, reggae , pop and R&B-singer from England. His parents were Jamaican, and Maxi is cousin to lateJacob Miller , who was frontman for Inner Circle and one of the greatest reggae and roots reggae icons. Maxi's first major album Maxi (1988) along with his cover of Cat Stevens' 'Wild World', established him as one of the British top singers. He is one of two British reggae acts (along with UB40) to have topped American Billboard: 'Close To You' (1990). Other big hits are 'That Girl' (with Shaggy) (1996) and 'Housecall' (1991,1993). Maxi has done 10 studio albums so far (1985-2014).

Of Jamaican descent, and the second youngest of nine children, he was born in Lewisham, London. He is known as the 'King of Lovers Rock'. His music is sometimes closer to R&B, and pop, than to reggae music itself. His first major album was the self-titled Maxi Priest (1988) along with his cover of Cat Stevens' Wild World established him as one of the British reggae top singers this internationally acclaimed vocalist, is the only UK reggae act to score an American Billboard Number One. That was with a track entitled "Close To You", which was released in 1990.

In addition, a duet with Roberta Flack - "Set The Night To Music", also reached the U.S. Top Ten in 1991. In the latter half of his lengthy recording career, he has favoured working alongside other established, or up and coming, artistes. For example, Maxi Priest has worked with Sly & Robbie, Shaggy, Beres Hammond, Jazzie B, Apache Indian, Roberta Flack and Shabba Ranks.

Watching The World Go By
Maxi Priest Lyrics

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There's so much injustice here
I see it every day
Time and time we'll try to change
And never find a way

We'll climb the mountains far and wide
To find the truth behind the lies
Here I am just searching for some peace

Just watching the world go by
Counting the clouds up in the sky
I'm hoping for a new tomorrow
Without sadness and sorrows in my life

There is so much hate around
We need to find some love
So much disillusion
I just got to rise above

There is so much going down
To keep my feet on solid ground
Got to find an answer to my prayers

Just watching the world go by
Counting the clouds up in the sky
Getting all those complications
And those mad situations out of my life

Just watching the world go by
Seeing all the lonely people pass me by
I'm hoping for a new tomorrow
Without sadness and sorrows in my life

My life, in my life, in my life, ooh yeah
In my life, oh yeah
Come along now, now, now, now
Come along now, now, now, now

You need to spend some time to look into yourself
And watch the river flow into the sea
You travel down a highway, not knowing where it goes
And listening to the music as it flows

Just watching the world go by
Counting the clouds up in the sky
Getting all those complications
And those mad situations out of my life

Just watching the world go by
Seeing all the lonely people pass me by
I'm hoping for a new tomorrow
Without sadness and sorrows in my life

Just watching the world go by
Counting the clouds up in the sky
Getting all those complications
And those mad situations out of my life

Watching the world go by
Seeing all the lonely people pass me by
I'm hoping for a new tomorrow
Without sadness and sorrows in my life

Watching the world go by

Overall Meaning

In Maxi Priest's song "Watching The World Go By", the singer expresses his observation of the amount of injustice and hate that surrounds the world every day. Despite the continuous effort put into trying to change the world's problems, it seems as though nothing ever changes, leaving him with a search for inner peace. He contemplates the sky, counting the clouds, and hopes for a future that can free him from sadness and sorrow in his life.

Maxi Priest touches on the importance of self-reflection amidst the chaos of the world, encouraging listeners to take the time to look inward and find their own sense of inner peace. The message here is that through introspection and self-awareness, one can rise above the negativity around them and find comfort in the beauty of a changing world.

Overall, the lyrics of this song offer a glimpse into the mind of someone struggling to come to terms with the realities of life. The message is one of hope and understanding, with the singer urging his audience to take a step back and observe the world around them in search of a brighter tomorrow.

Line by Line Meaning

There's so much injustice here
This place is full of unfairness and wrongs.

I see it every day
I notice these problems on a daily basis.

Time and time we'll try to change
Repeatedly, we will attempt to make things better.

And never find a way
However, we are unable to succeed in doing that.

We'll climb the mountains far and wide
We will make a considerable effort to find solutions.

To find the truth behind the lies
We will work hard to uncover the facts hidden in deception.

Here I am just searching for some peace
Personally, I am merely looking for a state of calm and tranquility.

Just watching the world go by
I am passively observing the happenings of the world.

Counting the clouds up in the sky
I am keeping track of the things around me, like the clouds in the sky.

I'm hoping for a new tomorrow
I have a wish for a better future.

Without sadness and sorrows in my life
I desire a life free from negative emotions and unfortunate situations.

There is so much hate around
The surrounding atmosphere is full of animosity and hostility.

We need to find some love
It is necessary to search for affection and kindness.

So much disillusion
We are dealing with a lot of disappointment and disenchantment.

I just got to rise above
I must elevate myself above these problems.

There is so much going down
A lot of things are happening and it's difficult to keep up.

To keep my feet on solid ground
I need to stay grounded and not get carried away by these events.

Got to find an answer to my prayers
I am looking for a solution to my problems.

Seeing all the lonely people pass me by
I am observing individuals alone and unaccompanied as they move along.

My life, in my life, in my life, ooh yeah
I am thinking about my own existence and its condition.

You need to spend some time to look into yourself
It is important to take a moment and reflect upon oneself.

And watch the river flow into the sea
To observe the flow of life just as a river flows into the sea.

You travel down a highway, not knowing where it goes
Moving through life, without knowledge of its final destination.

And listening to the music as it flows
To enjoy the journey of life and all its sweet melodies.

Getting all those complications
I am trying to rid myself of any difficulties or troubles.

Watching the world go by
Continuing to observe the happenings of the world.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANDREW MARVEL, GARY BENSON, MAX (P/K/A MAXI PRIEST) ELLIOTT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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