Where are you?
You can relax now, the Max is in control, uh
Uh, go, ah, yeah yeah

When my back is so far back it's on the other side of the wall
When half a chance is all I get if I get a chance at all
When the going gets tougher than the tough can go, I grind the axe
That's when I go, I go, I go to (the max) I go

(The max) Yo baby, tell me where the party's at?
(The max) Ayo baby, I want to shuffle the cards in that stack (I go)
(The max) We can dance if you want to but I might break yo' back
(The max) More funk for your buck you can bet on that

When they tell me to walk a straight line
I put on crooked shoes
When they tell me that I can't live forever
I pay some overdues
When they start makin' up a crazy rule
That's when I break a back
'Cause when I go, I go, I go to, the max, I go

(The max) Yo baby (oh yeah), tell me where the party's at?
(The max) Ayo baby, I want to shuffle the cards in that stack (oh, yeah yeah)
(The max) We can dance if you want to (oh yeah), but I might break yo' back
(The max) More funk for your buck you can bet on that

Let's go
Let's go
Let's go
Let's go
Oh, yeah yeah

(Dig it) When my body starts to shiver
From the chill of the scarlet sweat
When my lips eclipse the sun and the moon
Reflecting from the wet
When the blood of my love outraces
Every one of the stallions in your pack
That's when you go, you go, you go to the max, you go

The max (to the max)
The max (oh, get funky)
The max (get-get-get funky)
The max (get funky)

Let' go
I think I'm gonna like this
Let's go
I want to dance
Let's go
Let's go
(Oh, yeah yeah) Let's go

I go to the max
I'm not afraid (oh my God)
I want to dance

Then listen
When the going gets tougher than the tough can go, I grind the axe
That's when I go, I go, I go to, the max, I go

(The max) Yo baby, tell me where the party's at?
(The max) Ayo baby, I want to shuffle the cards in that stack
(The max) We can dance if you want to but I might break yo' back
(The max) More funk for your buck you can bet on that

This is the max

Dear love, dear love, dear love
Forgive me for my sins
But you left me in such a cold, cold world
to suffer in (kick it)
And contrary to popular belief
Even though one's life is brief
If you go there once you come again
and again and again and
Let's go

This is the max


Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings

The Max Lyrics as written by Prince Rogers Nelson

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

The Max song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

0 Comments

sort form View by:
  • No Comments

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Album art
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.