Best friends
Patti Austin & James Ingram Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

How do you keep the music playing?
How do you make it last?
How do you keep the song from fading
Too fast?

How do you lose yourself to someone
And never lose your way?
How do you not run out of new things
To say?

And since you know we're always changing
How can it be the same?

And tell me how year after year
You're sure your heart won't fall apart
Each time you hear his name?

I know the way I feel for you is now or never
The more I love, the more that I'm afraid
That in your eyes I may not see forever, forever

If we can be the best of lovers
Yet be the best of friends
If we can try with every day to make it better as it grows
With any luck than I suppose
The music never ends

I know (how do you keep the music playing)
The way I feel for you is now or never (how do you make it last)
The more I love the more that I'm afraid
(how do you keep the song from fading)
That in your eyes I may not see forever
(Keep the song from fading)
Forever

If we can be the best of lovers
Yet be the best of friends
If we can try with every day to make it better as it goes




With any luck than I suppose
The music never ends

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Patti Austin's "How Do You Keep The Music Playing?" reflects the struggles and fears of a person who is deeply in love with someone but also afraid of losing them. The song goes beyond just being about love and romance, it is about the complexities of relationships and the efforts required to make them last. Austin asks the question of how to keep the music playing, how to make love endure, and how to keep the song from fading too fast.


The song is all about maintaining the momentum of a relationship that shows no signs of slowing down. It poses the query of how one can lose themselves to someone and never lose their way. It reflects the constant need for newness in a relationship, wondering how not to run out of new things to say. As the world is always changing, the song also asks how two people can remain the same, and how they can continue to sustain their emotions and love for each other.


The final stanzas of the song reveal how the singer is aware of the uncertainty of love, but that if they can keep striving to maintain the relationship, then the music will never end. The song concludes with the idea that if a couple can be the best of lovers and the best of friends, and they can try to improve every day, then the music will never stop.


Line by Line Meaning

How do you keep the music playing?
How do you maintain the passion and vibrancy of love?


How do you make it last?
How do you ensure that love endures?


How do you keep the song from fading?
How do you prevent love from losing its spark?


Too fast?
In a short amount of time?


How do you lose yourself to someone
How do you surrender to love?


And never lose your way?
And still maintain your individuality?


How do you not run out of new things
How do you continue to find novelty in love?


To say?
To express in words?


And since you know we're always changing
And since people change over time


How can it be the same?
How can love remain unchanged?


And tell me how year after year
And explain how, despite time passing,


You're sure your heart won't fall apart
You're confident your feelings won't dissipate


Each time you hear his name?
Every time you're reminded of your beloved?


I know the way I feel for you is now or never
I'm aware that my love for you is urgent and fleeting


The more I love, the more that I'm afraid
The deeper my love, the more I fear losing it


That in your eyes I may not see forever, forever
That you might not reciprocate my undying love


If we can be the best of lovers
If we can have an intense and romantic love


Yet be the best of friends
While still maintaining a strong friendship


If we can try with every day to make it better as it grows
If we put in the effort to strengthen our relationship every day


With any luck than I suppose
If we're fortunate enough,


The music never ends
Our love will be eternal




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MICHEL JEAN LEGRAND, ALAN BERGMAN, MARILYN BERGMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Luis Cavalcanti

How do you keep the music playing?
How do you make it last?
How do you keep the song from fading too fast?
How do you lose yourself to someone?
And never lose your ways
How do you not run out of new things to say?
And since we're always changing
How can it be the same?
And tell me how, year after year
You're sure your heart will fall apart
Each time you hear his name
I know the way i feel for you. it's now or never
The more i love, the more that i'm afraid
That in your eyes i may not see forever, forever
If we can be the best of lovers
Yet be the best of friends
If we can try with everyday to make it better as it grows
With any luck, then i suppose, the music never ends
I know the way i feel for you it's now or never!
(how do you keep the music playing?)
The more i love. the more that i'm afraid
(how do you make it last)
That in your eyes i may not see forever, forever
(how do you keep the song from fading, keep the song from fading too fast)
If we can be the best of lovers
Yet be the best of friends
If we can try with everyday to make it better as it grows
With any luck. then i suppose the music never ends



All comments from YouTube:

Trustin Christ

This is not a performance, this is an experience. Absolutely stunning. Unbelievable.

David M. Rodriguez

I pray to God to give you a lot of beautiful days and I hope God bless you to have a great day. I’m Jason by name from Overbrook Philadelphia and you where are you from?

Michelle Westbrook

This is so captivating and timeless. The music never ends.❤

Flyinghow

Brilliant....James had such a naturally beautiful voice...no effort....no one sings like that anymore. And Patti, pure magic.

Michael Leon Brown Jr.

😃 So true soooooo true!!!!

SpecialgiftsLA

Its like a natural gift ..so touching to see..

David M. Rodriguez

I pray to God to give you a lot of beautiful days and I hope God bless you to have a great day, I'm David by name from Overbrook Philadelphia and you where are you from?

Jay's OtherWife

I never get tired of this song. RIP James. You're missed.

Julie Hartjes

In the past week, I've watched it dozens of times. It's amazing...

David M. Rodriguez

I pray to God to give you a lot of beautiful days and I hope God bless you to have a great day. I’m Jason by name from Overbrook Philadelphia and you where are you from?

More Comments

More Versions