Forever Young
One Direction! Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Liam]
Let's dance in style,
Let's dance for a while,
Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies,
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst,
Are you gonna drop the bomb or not?

[Harry]
Let us die young or let us live forever,
We don't have the power but we never say never,
Sitting in a sandpit,
Life is a short trip,
The music's for the sad man.

[All]
Forever young,
I wanna be,
Forever young,
Do you really want to live forever,
Forever,
Forever young.

[Niall]
Some are like water, some are like the heat,
Some are like the melody of some other beat,
But sooner or later they all will be gone,
Why don't they stay young?

[Harry]
It's hard to get old without a cause,
I don't want to perish like a fading horse,
Youth is like diamonds in the sun,
And diamonds are forever.

[All]
Forever young,
I wanna be,
Forever young,
Do you really want to live forever,
Forever,
Or never?

Forever young,
I wanna be,
Forever young (forever),
Do you really want to live forever,
Forever,
Or never?

[Liam]
So many adventures couldn't happen today,
So many songs we forgot to play,
So many dreams are swinging out of the blue,
We'll let'em come true.

[Harry]
Forever young,
I wanna be,
Forever young,
Do you really want to live forever,
Forever,
Or never?

[All]
Forever young,
I wanna be,
Forever young Do you really want to live forever,
Forever,
Or never?

Forever young,
I wanna be,
Forever young (forever),
Do you really want to live forever,
Forever,
Or never?

Forever young,
I wanna be,
Forever young (forever),
Do you really want to live forever (forever),




Forever (forever),
Forever young

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Forever Young" by One Direction express a desire to live life to the fullest, to seize the moment and to appreciate the beauty of youth. Liam starts the song by inviting someone to dance in style and for a while, as they enjoy watching the skies and hoping for the best while expecting the worst. Harry takes over the chorus, suggesting that it's better to die young or live forever, while acknowledging the fleeting and fragile nature of life. He adds that music is for the sad man, implying that it can heal and uplift us in difficult times.


Niall adds that people come in different shapes and sizes, and that eventually, they will all be gone, making the most of the present even more important. Harry continues by saying that aging without a purpose is pointless, and that youth is precious like diamonds in the sun, and should be enjoyed while it lasts. In the final chorus, they all repeat the wish to be forever young, without necessarily being immortal or living forever, but rather making the most of every moment and not taking life for granted.


Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of nostalgia, optimism, and appreciation for life, urging us to be present, spontaneous, and adventurous. The references to dancing, music, sandpits, and dreams evoke a sense of freedom, innocence, and joy, while the questions about life, death, and eternity suggest a deeper contemplation of the human condition. The song has a universal appeal, as it speaks to people of all ages and backgrounds, inviting us to embrace our youthfulness, no matter our chronological age.


Line by Line Meaning

Let's dance in style,
Let's dance in a way that brings us joy and excitement.


Let's dance for a while,
Let's dance for a longer period of time and enjoy the moment.


Heaven can wait we're only watching the skies,
We can focus on our pursuits on Earth now, and worry about the afterlife when the time comes.


Hoping for the best but expecting the worst,
We're optimistic but aware of potential disappointment, so we're not too let down.


Are you gonna drop the bomb or not?
Are you going to take drastic actions or not?


Let us die young or let us live forever,
We want to make the most of our youth or live long enough to enjoy life to the fullest.


We don't have the power but we never say never,
We might not have control over everything, but we won't stop working towards our goals.


Sitting in a sandpit,
We're not afraid to relax and have fun.


Life is a short trip,
We have a limited amount of time to experience everything we want.


The music's for the sad man.
Music can be an emotional outlet for those feeling down or upset.


Some are like water, some are like the heat,
Everyone is unique and different in their own way.


Some are like the melody of some other beat,
Some people might be different but that doesn't make them less important.


But sooner or later they all will be gone,
Everyone has a limited time on this Earth.


Why don't they stay young?
Why can't we stay youthful forever and never grow old?


It's hard to get old without a cause,
Growing old without a purpose or passion can be difficult.


I don't want to perish like a fading horse,
I don't want to deteriorate or lose vitality like an aging animal.


Youth is like diamonds in the sun,
Youth is a precious and valuable thing.


And diamonds are forever.
Just like diamonds, youth is something that should be treasured.


So many adventures couldn't happen today,
There are so many exciting opportunities out there for us to explore.


So many songs we forgot to play,
There are many joys in life that we might not get to experience.


So many dreams are swinging out of the blue,
There are countless possibilities or hopes we have yet to pursue.


We'll let'em come true.
We'll work hard to make them a reality.


Forever young,
Always maintain youth and vitality.


Do you really want to live forever,
Is living forever truly desirable, or is it better to make the most of the time we have?


Forever,
Always.


Or never?
We have the choice to live fully and passionately, or let opportunities pass us by.


Forever young, I wanna be,
I want to maintain a youthful and energetic spirit.


Do you really want to live forever,
Is living eternally truly desirable and fulfilling?


Or never?
Do you want to live boldly and passionately, or let opportunities slip away?


Forever young (forever),
Always striving to maintain a youthful outlook.


Forever young (forever),
Always keeping youth and vitality in mind.


Do you really want to live forever (forever),
Is living forever something that is truly desirable or satisfying, for eternity?


Forever (forever),
Always.


Forever young
Maintaining youth and vibrancy forever.




Contributed by Alexis P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Femke Aloserij

9 years has past.. I was 11 at the time they started, now I’m 20. I didn’t realized it at the time but they formed my teenage years. I’m very thankful for the memories and the friends I made because of this fandom. I even met a internet best friend from the other side of the world. It’s crazy how things can happen. I look back on it now and couldn’t wish for anything better. I’m grown up right now and they still make me happy

Thank you Niall
Thank you Harry
Thank you Louis
Thank you Liam
Thank you Zayn

Thank you 1D ❤️



Let's dance in style,
Let's dance for a while,
Heaven can wait, we're only watching the skies,
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst,
Are you gonna drop the bomb or not?

Let us die young or let us live forever,
We don't have the power but we never say never,
Sitting in a sandpit,
Life is a short trip,
The music's for the sad man.

Forever young
I wanna be
Forever young
Do you really wanna live forever,
Forever,
Forever young?

Some are like water, some are like the heat,
Some are a melody and some are the beat,
But sooner or later they all will be gone,
Why don't they stay young?

It's hard to get old without a cause,
I don't want to perish like a fading horse,
Youth is like diamonds in the sun,
And diamonds are forever.

Forever young
I wanna be
Forever young
Do you really wanna live forever,
Forever
Or never?
Forever young
I wanna be
Forever young (forever)
Do you really wanna live forever
Forever
Or never?

So many adventures couldn't happen today
So many songs we forgot to play
So many dreams are swinging out of the blue
We let 'em come true

Forever young
I wanna be
Forever young
Do you really wanna live forever
Forever
Or never?

Forever young
I wanna be
Forever young.
Do you really wanna live forever
Forever
Or never?
Forever young,
I wanna be
Forever young (forever)
Do you really wanna live forever (forever)
Forever
Or never?
Forever young,
I wanna be
Forever young (forever)
Do you really wanna live forever (forever)
Forever (forever)
Forever young...



All comments from YouTube:

Kaley Paige

I almost miss being 13 and sitting and crying in my room at 2am to this song while reading a 126 chapter fanfic on wattpad and looking at the posters of them covering my walls

Salsabil Bahry

You literally just described me at that time :'(( best times
Sobbing at 23 ..wish I could go back for 1 sec :(((

Dinda Natasyaa

Now you're 15 😭😭😭😭

needtosleepppp

Best time of my life

Laura Elina

Im 13 now and bc i couldnt do it then bc i was so young, im doing it today and crying bc i wasnt fan back then :,)

lauren oneil

Absolutely sobbing at 22 remembering these days i unfortunately wish I could go back

67 More Replies...

Brynn McAdam

I’m 23 years old now. I remember being around 12, listening to this in my room. My younger sister had my old iPod today and was listening to my old music, and this began to play. It really took me back. I’m an adult now with a big-girl job, and the stress that comes with life, but this song made me feel 12 again. I miss those times, but more than anything I miss the simplicity of it. Now I look at these guys after all these years, and we are all grown now. We grew up together, and it was a fun ride. I’ll never forget it.

National anthem

Nice story 😊 Same as you.

Teresa Garcia

I’ll be 23 in less than a year, I wokeup this morning and thought of this song, when I was 11, it used to hit me so hard and I’d cry, I’m cleaning and I didn’t even think it could still make me tear up the way it did, I grew up with these guys, from age 11 to almost 16 and now at 22, they still are the original loves of my life.

Ayla

fr it’s insane. i’m 19 now and remember listening to this as a little kid being so happy dancing around, i was too young to appreciate them :(

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