The Way It Was
The Killers Lyrics

I drove through the desert last night
The singer went for a drive across the desert.

I carried the weight of our last fight
The singer is burdened with the memory of a recent argument with the listener.

Elvis singing "don't be cruel"
The singer heard an Elvis Presley song in the car, and it reminds them of the difficulties in relationships.

And I wonder if you feel it too
The artist is contemplating whether the listener is experiencing the same emotions as the artist.

It's like we're going under
The artist feels like their relationship with the listener is falling apart.

Somewhere outside the lonely Esmeralda county line
The singer is driving away from Esmeralda county, where they may have had negative experiences with the listener.

The question of my heart came to my mind
The singer starts to consider the current state of their relationship and whether it's worth continuing.

If I go on
The artist is contemplating whether to continue their relationship with the listener.

With you by my side
The artist wants the listener to be with them if they continue the relationship.

Can it be
The artist is questioning whether their relationship can be salvaged.

The way it was
The singer is longing for the early days of their relationship.

When we met
The artist is thinking back to the beginning of their relationship.

Did you forget all about those golden nights?
The singer wonders if the listener has forgotten about the happy times they had together.

Maybe a thief stole your heart
The singer considers if the listener has given their heart to someone else, causing the deterioration of their relationship.

Or maybe we just drifted apart
The singer thinks about the possibility of them simply growing apart from each other.

I remember driving
The artist thinks back to a memory of driving with their father.

In my daddy's car to the airfield
The artist drove with their father to an airfield.

Blanket on the hood, backs against the windshield
The singer and their father relaxed on the car's hood, with their backs against the windshield.

Back then this thing was running on momentum, love and trust
At that time in the singer's life, their relationship with their father was supported by positive emotions and trust.

That paradise is buried in the dust
The memory of that happy time is now long gone.

All of our plans have fallen through
The artist acknowledges that they and the listener have failed to follow through with their plans.

Sometimes a dream, it don't come true
The artist notes that sometimes, life doesn't go as we expect it to.

Darling!
The singer addresses the listener, using an affectionate term.

If we go on
The artist is still contemplating whether to continue the relationship.

Can it be (can it be)
The singer continues to wonder if their relationship can be saved.

My heart is true
The singer's feelings for the listener are genuine and sincere.

Girl, it's just you
The singer makes it clear that the listener is the only one they care for in a romantic sense.

I'm thinking of
The artist has the listener in their thoughts while deciding whether to continue the relationship or not.

Can it be the way it was?
The artist still hopes that they can return to the happy times they once shared with the listener.