Originally coming to fame in the mid-1960s singing orchestral pop ballads as the frontman of The Walker Brothers, Walker went on to a solo career balancing a light entertainment/MOR ballad approach with increasing artistic innovations in arrangement and writing. Despite a series of acclaimed albums, a disastrous drop in sales forced him back into straight Middle of the road recordings with little of his own artistic input. This in turn eventually led to a Walker Brothers reunion in the mid-1970s (although the latter eventually moved, by mutual consent, into more avant-garde areas).
From the mid-1980s, Walker revived his solo career while drastically reinventing his artistic and compositional methods, via a series of acclaimed and vividly avant-garde albums. These combined his iconic voice with an unsettling avant-garde approach which owed more to modernist and post-modernist classical composition than to his pop singer past. This change in approach has been compared to "Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen".
Walker has been a continuing influence on other artists, in particular The Last Shadow Puppets, Marc Almond, Goldfrapp, Douglas Pearce of the band Death in June, Billy MacKenzie of The Associates, David Sylvian, Julian Cope, Antony Hegarty, Thom Yorke, Steven Wilson, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Trey Spruance, Perry Blake, Radiohead, Noah Lennox, Mikael Åkerfeldt, and the Divine Comedy/Neil Hannon.
Walker continued to release solo material until his death, and was signed to 4AD Records. As a record producer or guest performer he worked with a number of artists including Pulp, Ute Lemper, Bat For Lashes and Sunn O))).
Best of Both Worlds
Scott Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's what you want
All your own way,
That's not my way
And I won't share you,
I couldn't fare to
It's time for you to choose
Could you love me,
And forget me
Are you sorry,
That you've met me?
What we've been through,
Means nothing to you I can't satisfy you
You want Best Of Both Worlds
Make your fickle mind up
I won't stay while you enjoy
Best of Both Worlds
I have loved you
Since I found you
You belong here,
Just look around you
Keep your true love,
Or take your new love
You must choose between us,
You want Best Of Both Worlds
Make your fickle mind up
I won't stay while you enjoy
Best Of Both Worlds
You've got to choose between us
You just can't have the two of us
Make your fickle mind up
I won't stay while you enjoy
Best of Both Worlds
Best of Both Worlds
Best of Both Worlds
Best of Both Worlds
In "Best of Both Worlds" by Scott Walker, the singer is pleading with someone who wants the "best of both worlds" - to have their cake and eat it too. The singer is unwilling to share the person they love, and asks them to make a choice - either stay with the singer and leave their other lover, or choose to leave the singer and be with the other person. The singer asks if the person truly loves them, or if they regret ever having met, suggesting that the person they love has been unfaithful and is now trying to reconcile. Ultimately, the singer decides that they cannot continue in this type of relationship while the other person takes advantage of both options, and so they demand that the person choose which life they want to live.
Overall, "Best of Both Worlds" is a song about the difficulties of love when someone is not fully committed. The singer is deeply in love with their partner, but cannot accept that their partner wants to have two people in their life. The song explores the tensions inherent in such a difficult situation, as the singer wonders if their partner's heart belongs truly to them or to the other person.
Line by Line Meaning
Best Of Both Worlds,
Describes the concept of having everything a person desires.
That's what you want
Acknowledging the partner’s desire to have the best of both worlds.
All your own way,
Insisting on the partner’s selfishness and self-centeredness.
That's not my way
Rejecting the idea of putting one's own interest before others.
And I won't share you,
Reveals the singer's fear of losing the partner to someone else.
I couldn't fare to
Indicates the singer’s inability to share the partner with someone else.
It's time for you to choose
Urges the partner to make a decision about which way to go.
Which one you'd rather loose
Asks the partner to decide which relationship to end.
Could you love me,
Asking if the partner is capable of loving the singer.
And forget me
Asking if the partner is willing to forget the singer.
Are you sorry,
Asking if the partner regrets the relationship.
That you've met me?
Asking if the partner wished they never met the singer.
What we've been through,
Acknowledging the time spent together.
Means nothing to you
Suggesting the partner doesn't value the time spent together.
I can't satisfy you
Admitting the inability to please the partner.
You want Best Of Both Worlds
Reiterating the partner's desire to have everything.
Make your fickle mind up
Encouraging the partner to be decisive.
I won't stay while you enjoy
Stating intention to leave while the partner is having the best of both worlds.
I have loved you
Acknowledging the deep affection for the partner.
Since I found you
Highlighting the longevity of the feeling.
You belong here,
Stating the belief that the partner belongs with the singer.
Just look around you
Encouraging the partner to be present in the moment.
Keep your true love,
Asking the partner to decide to stay with the singer.
Or take your new love
Suggesting that the partner could choose the new love instead of the singer.
You must choose between us,
Reiterating the importance of making a decision.
You just can't have the two of us
Arguing that the partner cannot have both relationships at the same time.
Best of Both Worlds
The refrain that conveys the idea of having the everything the world offers.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DONALD BLACK, MARK LONDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eddie Munzter
Best of both worlds
That's what you want
All your own way
That's not my way
I won't share you, I couldn't bear to
It's time for you to choose which one you'd rather lose
Could you love him and forget me?
Are you sorry that you met me?
What we've been through means nothing to you
I can't satisfy you
You want best of both worlds
Make your fickle mind up
I won't stay while you enjoy
Best of both worlds
I have loved you since I found you
You belong here, just look around you
Keep your true love or take your new love
You must choose between us
You want best of both worlds
Make your fickle mind up
I won't stay while you enjoy
Best of both worlds
You've got to choose between us
You just can't have the two of us
Make your fickle mind up
I won't stay while you enjoy
Best of both worlds
Best of both worlds
Best of both worlds
Peztopher
This is one of Scott's best performances. He does several different little things in his singing. And booming!
Peztopher
I wonder actually if this wasn't an homage to Lulu, the way he sang it.
Ronald Williamson
My God....HIS VOICE!!!!!!!
There are no words....just GOOSEBUMPS
James Odonnell
Always sounds like a bond song I just love this man's voice
Catherine Hyde
Very Bond yes!
Great Music Never Dies
Now that you mention it....absolutely right!!! It has just the right sound!!!
Gail Humberdross
Best singer in the world and a beautiful soul 💖
Em
I can't get enough of his beautiful voice ❤️
Jack Geitz
Nor can I !!!!
Lucas Laino
You dont know what love is until you hear this man