As I sat at a street corner waiting for the light to change, my mind focused suddenly on the clear sound of Adam Levine as his unique voice visually transported me to another place and time. The words grabbed at me as the hollowed keyboard-guitar sound echoed throughout the car, “Toast to the ones here today, Toast to the ones that we’ve lost on the way, ’cause the drinks bring back all the memories and the memories bring back, memories bring back you…” The faces of family members came to mind immediately and the memories of them swelled in my heart as a tear forced its way softly down my cheek. The music was a sudden jolt to my senses and I immediately listened closely to the words, wondering what the song was about.
It was the following words, and perhaps the homeless man standing next to my car, that made the song so relevant for the world today, “There was a time when I remember, when I did not know no pain, When I believed in forever, and everything would stay the same…Everybody hurts sometimes, everybody hurts someday, But everything gon’ be alright, go and raise a glass and say…here’s to the ones we got, cheers to the wish you were here, but you’re not…”
The lump in my throat grew as I thought of all the unknown faces in the world that passed this year due to the Corona virus, and the families left behind trying to make sense of it all. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would live through a world pandemic; and never did I think that such a voice of purity coming from a radio would create such a sadness in my heart for those who have suffered such loss.
And although my mind instantly recalled my own family members who have been gone many years, I couldn’t help but agree with the inspiration I got from the words, “Now my heart feel(s) like an ember and it’s lighting up the dark, I’ll carry these torches for ya, that you know I’ll never drop..” for although we as a world have suffered greatly, we will not forget those who have left us this past year, no matter the reason… For despite the climate of the world or the prognosis of the pandemic, one thing is for certain, that as humans we can be touched by a simple song called “Memories,” and through the emotions it generates we know that “everything is gon’ be alright.” We are undeniably a people of kindness and love, and sometimes we just need a song to remind us of what truly matters…people. Thanks Adam Levine and Maroon 5 for a beautifully written song.
Memories
Here’s to the ones that we got
Cheers to the wish you were here, but you’re not
‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we’ve been through
Toast to the ones here today
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you
There’s a time that I remember, when I did not know no pain
When I believed in forever, and everything would stay the same
Now my heart feel like December when somebody say your name
‘Cause I can’t reach out to call you, but I know I will one day, yeah
Everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody hurts someday, ayy-ayy
But everything gon’ be alright
Go and raise a glass and say, ayy
Here’s to the ones that we got
Cheers to the wish you were here, but you’re not
‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we’ve been through
Toast to the ones here today
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you
Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Memories bring back, memories bring back you
There’s a time that I remember when I never felt so lost
When I felt all of the hatred was too powerful to stop (Ooh, yeah)
Now my heart feel like an ember and it’s lighting up the dark
I’ll carry these torches for ya and you know I’ll never drop, yeah
Everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody hurts someday, ayy-ayy
But everything gon’ be alright
Go and raise a glass and say, ayy
Here’s to the ones that we got (Oh-oh)
Cheers to the wish you were here, but you’re not
‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we’ve been through (No, no)
Toast to the ones here today (Ayy)
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories (Ayy)
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you
Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Memories bring back, memories bring back you
Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo (Ooh, yeah)
Memories bring back, memories bring back you
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no
Memories bring back, memories bring back you
To view Maroon 5 performing Memories click the following link: https://youtu.be/SlPhMPnQ58k
