Better Days
Peter and the Wolf Lyrics


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My old man, he sailed away
By a boat upon the sea
My mother held her head high
And smiled down on me
She said, "Boy, get wise
Work harder, do something with your nights
Look smarter
I promise you it's better days ahead"

And you, you were my friend
When I had nothing to my name
When all the world turned on me
You still treated me the same

And we've been through hell, you and me
Caught drama
Girl tragedy, oh brother




I promise you it's better days ahead
Talk to me, now.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Peter and the Wolf's song Better Days tell a poignant story of two individuals navigating life's hardships with support and perseverance. The first stanza begins with the singer's father leaving by boat, leaving the singer and his mother behind. Despite the heartache of the separation, the singer's mother encourages him to work hard and look to the future. This is a message of resilience and hope - that better days are ahead if we keep pushing forward and not allow ourselves to be defeated by life's challenges.


The second stanza speaks to the power of friendship in difficult times. The singer reflects on a friend who stayed by his side even when he had nothing to offer in return. The two friends share a bond forged through enduring "hell" together, facing "drama" and "tragedy". Yet despite the hardships, the singer promises his friend that there are better days ahead.


Overall, the song's message is one of hope amidst adversity. It's a reminder that even when we face difficult times, we can overcome them with hard work, perseverance, and the support of those who care for us.


Line by Line Meaning

My old man, he sailed away
My father left on a boat to sea, leaving me and my family without his presence.


By a boat upon the sea
He left through the means of a boat sailing on the sea.


My mother held her head high
Despite my father's departure, my mother remained strong and confident.


And smiled down on me
She continued to show me love and support.


She said, "Boy, get wise
My mother provided me with advice to be more intelligent and discerning.


Work harder, do something with your nights
She urged me to work harder to improve my future and my nights symbolize my youth and the time I have to make something of myself.


Look smarter
She stressed the importance of gaining knowledge and being more astute.


I promise you it's better days ahead"
She assured me that there is hope for a brighter future.


And you, you were my friend
Referring to a close friend who supported me through difficult times.


When I had nothing to my name
This friend stuck by my side when I had nothing material to offer or my life was in turmoil.


When all the world turned on me
Even when society or people turned their backs on me, this friend did not.


You still treated me the same
This friend remained loyal and treated me no differently than before the hardships.


And we've been through hell, you and me
Together, we have suffered through intense difficulties and challenges.


Caught drama
We have experienced troublesome situations.


Girl tragedy, oh brother
We have encountered female-related heartache and adversity, among other difficulties.


I promise you it's better days ahead
Despite these hardships, there is still hope for a brighter future.


Talk to me, now.
Addressing someone to talk to the artist and communicate how they can work towards better days together.




Contributed by Bentley S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Autry Pickens

Found this many many years ago in a dark place and it really helped me get through that dark time. Returning to it now, just a beautiful as I remember

joshua justice

This song pulled me out of a lot of bad times.
much respect

Henry Villon

joshua justice same

Oleg Sborshchikov

how are u doing now fam? hope u are alright

MCM Studios Pittsburgh Recording Studio

I randomly came across this song don’t even know how and honestly, it’s life changing. Thank you whenever you are wherever you are

dundergamess

i want this to be played at my wedding

Atom Antium

Canadian Nerds I want​ this to be played at my funeral.

9outof10

Awesome song. Found this on a music blog years ago, had it on a mix CD I used to play constantly, never heard it anywhere else.

Dontreadthis

You should really check out the bands other music. its really good

Cadu Muds

Som legal, gostei!

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