My Way
Monro Matt Lyrics

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And now the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friends, I'll say it clear
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain

I've lived a life that's full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this

I did it my way

Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption

I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off much more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and I spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way

I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fill, my share of losing
And now, as tears subside
I find it all so amusing

To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way

For what is a man, what has he got
If not himself, then he has naught
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way

I did it my way

Overall Meaning

The song My Way is a powerful ballad that is both contemplative and introspective. It speaks of the approaching end of life, and the fact that the singer has lived his life on his own terms. When the final curtain falls on the last act of his life, he asserts that he has no regrets, as he has lived his life according to his own values and convictions. The lyrics suggest that, as the singer looks back over his life, he realizes that he has, indeed, done things he perhaps shouldn't have, but that he has no remorse, for everything he has experienced has contributed to the man he has become.

The song also touches upon the notion of individualism, and how important it is for a person to live their life true to themselves. The lyrics remind us that there is nothing more important than honesty and authenticity, and that living a life that is true to oneself is the greatest achievement one can have. This is reflected in lines like "For what is a man, what has he got, if not himself, then he has naught. To say the things he truly feels, and not the words of one who kneels."

In a sense, the song is a manifesto of sorts, one that encourages us to be true to ourselves and to live our lives on our own terms. It encourages us to embrace our own humanity, and to strive to become the best versions of ourselves that we can be.

Line by Line Meaning

And now the end is near
I am approaching the end of my life.

And so I face the final curtain
I am accepting my inevitable death.

My friends, I'll say it clear
I want to express my thoughts clearly to my friends.

I'll state my case, of which I'm certain
I am confident in the life I have led.

I've lived a life that's full
I have experienced life to the fullest.

I traveled each and every highway
I have explored every path available to me.

And more, much more than this
I have done even more than just explore every path.

I did it my way
I have accomplished everything in a manner of my own choosing.

Regrets, I've had a few
I have some regrets in my life.

But then again, too few to mention
Despite my regrets, they are not significant enough to call out.

I did what I had to do
I did what was necessary to achieve my goals.

And saw it through without exemption
I followed through with my plans until the end.

I planned each charted course
I carefully planned out my life.

Each careful step along the byway
I was careful in each step I took on my journey.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
I had challenging moments that were obvious to those around me.

When I bit off much more than I could chew
I attempted things that were beyond my capability.

But through it all, when there was doubt
Despite my doubts, I pushed forward.

I ate it up and I spit it out
I conquered tough moments and moved on.

I faced it all and I stood tall
I took on every challenge and remained strong.

And did it my way
I accomplished everything in a manner of my own choosing.

I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I have experienced a range of emotions.

I've had my fill, my share of losing
I have experienced my share of loss in life.

And now, as tears subside
As I reflect, I feel less emotional.

I find it all so amusing
I now see the humor in the struggles I faced.

To think I did all that
It is amazing to think about everything I have accomplished.

And may I say, not in a shy way
Without reservation, I can say this.

Oh no, oh no, not me
I am not like others who follow a conventional path.

I did it my way
I accomplished everything in a manner of my own choosing.

For what is a man, what has he got
What is a person in life?

If not himself, then he has naught
If they do not have control over themselves, they have nothing.

To say the things he truly feels
To express oneself authentically.

And not the words of one who kneels
And not imitate those who submit.

The record shows I took the blows
The proof lies in the difficulties I overcame.

And did it my way
I accomplished everything in a manner of my own choosing.

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, JEUNE MUSIQUE EDITIONS, WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC FRANCE
Written by: Claude Francois, Gilles Thibaut, Jacques Revaux, Paul Anka

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

JbrickM100A

14y↑60

Matt's voice is softer but both he and Frank both did this song magnificently....they did it THEIR WAY!!!!

Hk Lau

12y↑20

I was brought up listening to these lovely/beautiful songs from Matt but have never seen his face. Modern computer technology and kind/great people like you bring these videos to us so that we could see their faces, styles, charisma in real performances made it all the more enjoyable. The memories of what I was doing while listening a particular song over the radio(a rare and treasured luxury back the in Hong Kong) are priceless and heart-rattling joys and pains while growing up.

guetary

13y↑15

I had never heard this recording before, and I am so grateful to you for posting it. Of course, this will forever be associated with the man whose picture you include at the end of the video - the Chairman of the Board, Frank SInatra. That said, Matt Monro brings a real poignancy and some quite remarkable phrasing to the song. This is superb - comparisons are raraely valuable. Two diffrerent singers, two different performances. Both great.