Seth MacFarlane (born October 26, 1973) is an American animator, writer, co… Read Full Bio ↴Seth MacFarlane (born October 26, 1973) is an American animator, writer, comedian, producer, actor, singer, voice actor, and director best known for creating the animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show, for which he also voices many of the shows' various characters.

In September 2011, MacFarlane released a debut album of American standards, Music Is Better Than Words.

My Way
Seth MacFarlane Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

I've lived a life that's full
I've 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 more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way

I've loved, 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

Overall Meaning

The song "My Way" is a reflection on the end of a life, looking back on accomplishments, regrets and the author's legacy. The lyrics describe the singer's confidence in his choices and their outcomes. The chorus of the song ("I did it my way") is an assertion that what matters most is being oneself and living according to one's own principles, rather than adhering to the expectations of others.

The beginning of the song announces that the end of the singer's life is imminent, and he is preparing to face his final moments. By acknowledging that this is the "final curtain," the singer accepts that this is the end of his journey. He follows this with the chorus line, proclaiming that he has lived his life in a way that reflects his own individuality and sense of self.

The verse discusses the singer's pride in the choices he has made in life. He has lived a life full of travel and experiences, "each and every highway" - a metaphor for living broadly and fully. He has planned his course carefully and taken each step with purpose, always staying true to his own way of living.

The second verse acknowledges that there have been mistakes and regrets along the way, but he has faced these and overcome them. He took responsibility for his actions, saw challenges through to their end, and remained true to his principles, always forging ahead according to his own path.

Overall, "My Way" is a song about living authentically and being true to oneself, even in the face of life's challenges and disappointments. The singer of the song is proud of what he has achieved in life and the legacy he will leave behind.

Line by Line Meaning

And now the end is near
My time is coming to an end

And so I face the final curtain
I am aware of my fate and accept it

My friend, I'll say it clear
I'm being honest with you

I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I am confident and sure of my decisions

I've lived a life that's full
I have lived a life with no regrets

I've traveled each and every highway
I have explored all the paths available to me

And more, much more than this
I have done more than anyone expected of me

I did it my way
I made my own choices and lived by them

Regrets, I've had a few
I do have some things I regret

But then again, too few to mention
But they're not important enough to talk about

I did what I had to do
I made choices that were necessary

And saw it through without exemption
And followed through on those choices

I planned each charted course
I put careful thought into my decisions

Each careful step along the byway
I took each step thoughtfully and with purpose

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
Admittedly, there were challenging times

When I bit off more than I could chew
I sometimes took on more than I could handle

But through it all when there was doubt
But even then, I persevered

I ate it up and spit it out
I took it all in stride

I faced it all and I stood tall
I faced every challenge and remained strong

And did it my way
I did it using my own judgment and values

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

I've had my fill, my share of losing
I have experienced setbacks and losses

And now as tears subside
But now that the difficult times have passed

I find it all so amusing
I find it all somewhat entertaining

To think I did all that
To think about all that I have accomplished

And may I say, not in a shy way
And I am not afraid to say it

Oh, no, oh, no, not me
I did it all on my own

I did it my way
I did it using my own judgment and values

For what is a man, what has he got?
What makes a man who he is?

If not himself, then he has naught
If he doesn't stay true to himself then he has nothing

To say the things he truly feels
To express what he truly believes

And not the words of one who kneels
And not what others try to dictate to him

The record shows I took the blows
The results speak for themselves

And did it my way
I did it using my own judgment and values

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS