Learn the meaning behind The Meaning Behind Memories by Maroon 5 to gain a deeper understanding of the song.

What makes us human is the stuff in our memories. Our recollections are the only things that truly exist. This article analyzes Maroon 5’s “Memories” for hidden song lyrics meaning.

The song educates us that knowing the truth about our past is destructive to our being. Hope is the only thing that has kept people alive up until this point. Humanity’s survival has always depended on the belief that it might one day encounter something new and strange.

Song Lyrics Meaning

The many facets of our lives that we hold most dearly are reflected in the “memories” we attempt to save forever. Moments like our first kiss, our first birthday, our first crush, our first humiliating moment, our first drunken night out with pals, our first graduation, and so on. These recollections are our lifeline.

Of course, there is also the fact that this tune may or may not be about your one true love. If you take a trip down memory lane, you will find at least a few partners with whom you once thought you would spend the rest of your life. Most of us have failed relationships, the nearly successful ones and the successful ones. Those things that are most important to us are etched indelibly into our brains’ hard drives.

Maroon 5 raises a glass to the people we have lost along the way, both here and in the afterlife.

The Chorus

The song’s hook is revealed in the chorus. The protagonist toasts close friends with a glass of wine while telling them how much they mean to him. But the atmosphere (i.e., the alcohol and the camaraderie) brings him “memories,” setting him to think of the people who are not there with him.

The song’s central theme is his yearning for reconciliation with those swirling in his memory. These are people with whom he formerly had a meaningful connection but with whom he has since lost touch for various reasons.

Perhaps the song’s ultimate argument is that, despite being apart, the singer is in reasonably good spirits because he knows that he and the addressee will be reunited soon.

Who Produced the “Memories”?

Adam Levine produced the song alongside The Monsters & The Strangerz, a songwriting/ production trio that won a Grammy in the United States. Some of the members of this band also contributed to writing the song.

Moreover, this is not the duo’s first time collaborating with Maroon 5 and Levine. The group has collaborated with them on multiple occasions.

Release Dates

This track by Maroon 5 came out on September 20, 2019. Adam Levine’s label, 222 Records, alongside Interscope Records, handled the release. At the time of “Memories” publication, it had not been included on any album. It was a given, though, that the song would be on the forthcoming seventh album from the band.

What Adam Levine Said About the Song

Levine says this song is for everybody who has ever lost someone they loved deeply. Lyrically, the song is about Levine’s close buddy, who was also Maroon 5’s manager, Jordan Feldstein. Jordan passed away in December 2017.

On the Howard Stern Show, Adam Levine said, “It’s still kind of raw, and I don’t want to go on too much about it, but the song is definitely about first and foremost, the song is for everybody, so I wanted to make sure I could personalize it and have it be about our manager. He passed away very recently. And this is all still really raw, so it’s hard for me to kind of elaborate on.”

The song isn’t only known for its popular melancholy feeling, but it was also featured in TV shows like Grown-ish, and The Masked Singer. It was also part of the official trailer for the movie, The One and Only Ivan.

Lyrics

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

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 that 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)
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, doh, doh
Memories bring back, memories bring back you

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Adam Levine / Jacob Hindlin / Jonathan Bellion / Jordan Johnson / Michael Pollack / Stefan Johnson / Vincent Ford

Listeners of music from the 2020’s, might also appreciate the song Nightshift by Bruce Springsteen.

The Meaning Behind Memories by Maroon 5