The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
For those days we felt like a mistake
Those times when loves what you hate
Somehow
We keep marching on
For those nights that I couldn't be there,
I've made it harder to know that you know
That somehow
We'll keep movin' on
There's so many wars we fought
There's so many things we're not
But with what we have
I promise you that
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
For all of the plans we made
There isn't a flag I'd wave
Don't care where we've been
I'd sink us to swim
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
For those doubts that swirl all around us
For those lives that tear at the seams
We know
We're not what we've seen
Oh for this dance we move with each other
There ain't no other step than one foot
Right in front of the other
There's so many wars we fought
There's so many things we're not
But with what we have
I promise you that
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
For all of the plans we made
There isn't a flag I'd wave
Don't care where we've been
I'd sink us to swim
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, marchin' on
We'll have the days we break
And we'll have the scars to prove it
We'll have the bombs that we saved
But we'll have the heart
Not to lose it
For all of the times we've stopped
For all of the things I'm not
You put one foot in front of the other
We've move like we ain't got no other
We go where we go we're marchin' on
Marchin' on
There's so many wars we fought
There's so many things we're not
But with what we have
I promise you that
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on (marching oh)
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right
Marchin' on (we're marchin' on)
We're marchin' on
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right
Marchin' on (oh oh oh)
Those times when loves what you hate
Somehow
We keep marching on
For those nights that I couldn't be there,
I've made it harder to know that you know
That somehow
We'll keep movin' on
There's so many wars we fought
There's so many things we're not
But with what we have
I promise you that
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
For all of the plans we made
There isn't a flag I'd wave
Don't care where we've been
I'd sink us to swim
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
For those doubts that swirl all around us
For those lives that tear at the seams
We know
We're not what we've seen
Oh for this dance we move with each other
There ain't no other step than one foot
Right in front of the other
There's so many wars we fought
There's so many things we're not
But with what we have
I promise you that
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
For all of the plans we made
There isn't a flag I'd wave
Don't care where we've been
I'd sink us to swim
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, marchin' on
We'll have the days we break
And we'll have the scars to prove it
We'll have the bombs that we saved
But we'll have the heart
Not to lose it
For all of the times we've stopped
For all of the things I'm not
You put one foot in front of the other
We've move like we ain't got no other
We go where we go we're marchin' on
Marchin' on
There's so many wars we fought
There's so many things we're not
But with what we have
I promise you that
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on
We're marchin' on (marching oh)
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right
Marchin' on (we're marchin' on)
We're marchin' on
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right, left
Right, right, right, right
Marchin' on (oh oh oh)
Lyrics submitted by timelesstunes, edited by FruitCakes
Marchin' On Lyrics as written by James David Washington Ryan Tedder
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Not all One Republic songs have to do with love, I don't think this one has any romance to it. It's simply about life, having ups and downs, facing obstacles and overcoming them.
The "There isn't a flag I'd wave" part, I think he is saying he is never taking a side, although it's hard to connect with the meaning.
"Right, right, right; right, left, right": At first I thought was just for the rhythm, but I think it's about how things don't always go smoothly as they should(right, left, right, left) but sometimes the road gets bumpy and we take time to straighten out problems, so we don't move on to the "left" for some time.
The "I'd sink us to swim" part I still don't understand. Can someone clarify?
It could be about life but the beginning it sounds like he is referring to one person, saying that their relationship wasn't wrong.<br /> <br /> For those days we felt like a mistake, <br /> Those times when love's what you hate <br /> Somehow <br /> We keep marchin on <br /> <br /> For those nights that i couldn't be there, <br /> I've made it harder to know that you know <br /> That somehow <br /> We'll keep movin on<br /> <br /> I also think that this part of the song is when he is saying that they have seen relationships not work. They've seen relationships go through the same thing that they are going through maybe, but they're not the same as the rest and they'll get through it.<br /> <br /> For those doubts that swirl all around us <br /> For those lives that tear at the seams <br /> We know <br /> Were not what we've seen
It could be about life but the beginning it sounds like he is referring to one person, saying that their relationship wasn't wrong.<br /> <br /> For those days we felt like a mistake, <br /> Those times when love's what you hate <br /> Somehow <br /> We keep marchin on <br /> <br /> For those nights that i couldn't be there, <br /> I've made it harder to know that you know <br /> That somehow <br /> We'll keep movin on<br /> <br /> I also think that this part of the song is when he is saying that they have seen relationships not work. They've seen relationships go through the same thing that they are going through maybe, but they're not the same as the rest and they'll get through it.<br /> <br /> For those doubts that swirl all around us <br /> For those lives that tear at the seams <br /> We know <br /> Were not what we've seen
I also think it isn't about relationship. It just about life. We will encounter many difficulties as long as alive. However, we still need to go on.
For the "I'd sink us to swim" part, I think it means that he would be willing to go through really difficult times (to "sink") as long as it meant later, they'd "swim" and be happy and things would be better.
I think the "I'd sink us to swim" means that you have to put yourself down to be able to go up sometimes.