This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Oooh, oooh
Ah ah ah ah ah oh
What is there left for me to do in this life
Did I achieve what I had set in my sights
Am I a happy man, or is this sinking sand
Was it all worth it, was it all worth it
Yeah, now hear my story, let me tell you about it
We bought a drum kit, I blew my own trumpet
Played the circuit, thought we were perfect
Was it all worth it, ooh giving (hey yeah) all my heart and soul and
Staying up all night, was it all worth it (hey yeah)
Living breathing rock 'n' roll (ah), a Godforsaken life
Was it all worth it, was it all worth it (hey) all these years
Put down our money without counting the cost
It didn't matter if we won - if we lost
Yes we were vicious, yes we could kill
Yes we were hungry, yes we were brill - ha ha haa
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
We served a purpose, like a bloody circus
We were so dandy (yeah) we love you madly
Was it all worth it
Living breathing rock 'n' roll, this Godforsaken life
Was it all worth it yeah, was it all worth it
When the hurly burly's done
We went to bali, saw God and dali
So mystic, surrealistic
Was it all worth it yeah yeah, giving all my heart and soul
Staying up all night, was it all worth it
Ooh living breathing rock 'n' roll this never ending fight
Was it all worth it, was it all worth it
Yes it was a worthwhile experience
Ha ha ha ha haa
It was worth it
Ha ha
Ah ah ah ah ah oh
What is there left for me to do in this life
Did I achieve what I had set in my sights
Am I a happy man, or is this sinking sand
Was it all worth it, was it all worth it
Yeah, now hear my story, let me tell you about it
We bought a drum kit, I blew my own trumpet
Played the circuit, thought we were perfect
Was it all worth it, ooh giving (hey yeah) all my heart and soul and
Staying up all night, was it all worth it (hey yeah)
Living breathing rock 'n' roll (ah), a Godforsaken life
Was it all worth it, was it all worth it (hey) all these years
Put down our money without counting the cost
It didn't matter if we won - if we lost
Yes we were vicious, yes we could kill
Yes we were hungry, yes we were brill - ha ha haa
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
We served a purpose, like a bloody circus
We were so dandy (yeah) we love you madly
Was it all worth it
Living breathing rock 'n' roll, this Godforsaken life
Was it all worth it yeah, was it all worth it
When the hurly burly's done
We went to bali, saw God and dali
So mystic, surrealistic
Was it all worth it yeah yeah, giving all my heart and soul
Staying up all night, was it all worth it
Ooh living breathing rock 'n' roll this never ending fight
Was it all worth it, was it all worth it
Yes it was a worthwhile experience
Ha ha ha ha haa
It was worth it
Ha ha
Lyrics submitted by killingFloor
Was It All Worth It Lyrics as written by Freddie Mercury Brian Harold May
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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i think this song is a pre-"show must go on". a sort of final statement of his life as rockstar. he feels near his end and wants to answer a question, that will name the song.
probably i'm wrong, because when we try to figure out the meaning of a Queen song we often tend to confuse Freddie with Queen... moreover this song (and the entire album is copyrighted by QUEEN). but: i suppose that Freddie realized he'd contracted HIV between 1987 and 1989, i.e. the years when Queen are should have worked and composed "the Miracle" (published in may 1989). if you look at the photos in this LP and compare them with the ones of ANY another previous LP, you'll see how Freddie has become thin (right?). these are the reason why i think this song represents a pre-showmustgoon.
i hope my english (and point of view!) will be understood.
I think you're right. I think this was a Freddie song, although the others may have helped. Roger was apparently quite good with fitting in lyrics when someone was stuck on something.
Why is everything connected with aids?
The song concerns the band an how far they have come.
Was their lifes endevaours really worth it? If the band is coming to an end was it all worth it.
The song talks about being a band thinking they were the best, "living breathing rock and roll" Its a reflective piece on their legacy.
The end declares "it was worth it" So the song finds a solution and Queen are content their lifes work really was worth every minute.
A beautiful masterpiece.
Brian and Freddie co- wrote this one. Yeah-- I think this is just a kind of nostalgic tour of their lives as Queen.
There is a good chance that this was written because of, but not written about, Freddie having HIV. It would have made a good farewell song if they hadn't managed to record another album during Freddie's lifetime.
Notice how in the CD re-release the song is followed up by the B-Side Hang On In There (Don't let go/Don't lose your mystique/Wait a little longer/Tommorow brings another feast) - it's like a statement saying "Hang on! We weren't quite finished yet!"
I have never heard this song, ever, and I am going to get it right now. The lyrics, just say it....its just as if hes looking back and thinking was his life worth it and at the very end deciding that yes, it was....
Oh its all so sad...I dont know how I'm not gonna cry when I hear it.
This song is about giving up other things for rock and roll. It is hard work to stay on top of the rock world like Queen did, but the perks are a more than fair trade. I particularly love the orchestral interlude before the smashing ending with Freddie stating that it was a worthwhile experience. They were definitely the most consistantly great rock group ever.
As Freddie said countless times, there is no deeper meaning, they were just writing a song...
Seriously, thought, I think this is a song about Queen, not Freddie. I believe that it is merely them asking, "Were all the sacrifices we made and freinds we lost worth what we are today?" And, as said above, they answer it with, "Yes, it was a worthwhile experience. / It was worth it ." So, I think they are merely trying to see of they should have done something else, gone on with graphic design/astronomy (I forget the other two's majors, but etc.) and forgotten about music, however, in the end they say, "Yes, we did what we liked, and it really was worth it."
Has to be one of my favourite Queen songs.....it's just so powerful especially the riff that Brian plays at the start of the song.......pure rock 'n roll.
One of my favourite Queen songs. Ever. And one of the things that makes it that, along with the mock-orchestra and heavenly synths, is Freddie's strange moment of doubt. I have this deep, dark suspicion that he didn't really mean it. Just speculation.