Music is a funny thing. You hear a synth riff from 1993 and suddenly you're back in a sweaty club or watching a political landslide on a grainy CRT television. Howard Jones started it in the 80s, but D:Ream turned Things Can Only Get Better lyrics into a global anthem that eventually outgrew the band itself. It’s one of those songs where the hook is so massive that people often forget the verses even exist.
Honestly? Most people just shout the chorus. They scream about things getting better because it feels like a universal truth, or maybe just a desperate hope we all share when life gets messy. But if you actually sit down and look at the words Peter Cunnah wrote, there’s a lot more nuance than just a "feel-good" radio hit. It’s about the grind. It’s about that specific, painful transition from total failure to the first glimmer of light.
The Story Behind the Anthem
Before it was a political weapon, "Things Can Only Get Better" was a club track. D:Ream wasn't trying to change the world; they were trying to make people dance. When the song first dropped in 1993, it was a modest success. It wasn't until the 1994 remix that it truly exploded, hitting number one in the UK and staying there for a month.
The song's DNA is pure 90s house mixed with pop sensibility. It’s got that gospel-inspired backing vocal—provided in part by a then-unknown backup singer named Nicola Roberts (not the Girls Aloud one) and a heavy dose of optimistic soul. But the lyrics are where the staying power lives.
"You can walk my path, you can wear my shoes / Talk the talk and then you'll have to face the truth."
That first line is a bit of a reality check. It’s not just "hey, be happy!" It’s an acknowledgment that everyone is carrying some kind of weight. It’s a challenge. If you actually tried to live someone else's struggle, you'd realize why they're so desperate for things to improve.
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The New Labour Connection
You can't talk about Things Can Only Get Better lyrics without mentioning the 1997 UK General Election. Tony Blair and the Labour Party adopted it as their theme song. It was a masterstroke of branding. After 18 years of Conservative rule, the country was hungry for change, and this song provided the perfect sonic backdrop for "Cool Britannia."
Interestingly, the band was a bit split on it. Peter Cunnah has mentioned in various interviews that while the royalties were great, the song became so tied to a political movement that it almost lost its identity as a piece of art. When the government's popularity eventually tanked years later, the song became a bit of a punchline for cynics. It’s a lesson in what happens when pop culture meets the brutal reality of politics.
Breaking Down the Lyrics: What Are They Actually Saying?
Let’s look at the structure. Most pop songs are A-B-A-B-C-B. D:Ream keeps it simple, but the intensity builds.
"As I lift my head to the sky, I shed a tear and I remember why."
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This is the pivot point. It’s the moment of clarity. We’ve all been there—staring at the ceiling or the sky, feeling like we’ve hit the absolute bottom. There is a specific kind of liberation that comes with hitting rock bottom. If you’re at the lowest point, the only remaining direction is up. It’s basic physics, but it’s also a powerful psychological anchor.
The second verse gets into the "changing of the guard" feel:
"Forget about the past, they say it doesn't matter / Put it all behind you, try to make it better."
It’s a bit of a cliché, sure. But in the context of the early 90s—coming out of a recession, watching the end of the Cold War—it felt like a genuine manifesto. The song encourages a sort of collective amnesia for the sake of progress. Is that healthy? Maybe not always. But it’s definitely catchy.
Why We Still Sing It in 2026
Why does a track from thirty years ago still show up on every "Feel Good" playlist on Spotify?
It’s the tempo. 122 BPM. That’s the "walking pace" of human joy. It matches the heartbeat of someone who is excited but not quite panicking. But more than the tempo, the Things Can Only Get Better lyrics tap into a fundamental human bias called the "optimism bias." We are biologically wired to believe that tomorrow will be slightly more functional than today, even when the evidence says otherwise.
The Howard Jones Version
We should probably mention the other "Things Can Only Get Better." Howard Jones released his version in 1985. Different song, similar vibe. Jones was more synth-heavy and philosophical. His lyrics asked:
"Do you feel scared? I do. But I won't stop and falter."
Both songs deal with fear. That’s the secret. They aren't songs for people who are already winning. They are songs for the underdogs. They are for the person who just got fired, the person going through a breakup, or the person who is just tired of the news cycle.
Common Misconceptions About the Song
People think this song is purely happy. It’s actually kind of dark if you look at the starting point. You only say "things can only get better" when things are currently terrible.
- The "Science" Factor: Brian Cox, the famous physicist, was actually the keyboard player for D:Ream. It’s a fun piece of trivia, but it also adds a weird layer of intellectualism to the track. One of the world’s leading experts on the universe spent his youth playing a song about cosmic optimism.
- The Remixes: If you’re looking for the lyrics online, you’ll find ten different versions. The "D:Reamix" is the one most people know, which cuts some of the more "indie" sounding bridge sections to focus on the floor-filling house beat.
- The Satire: Because the song was used by politicians, it has been parodied relentlessly. From Spitting Image to modern TikTok memes, the lyrics are often used sarcastically now.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Playlist
If you’re adding this to a setlist or just trying to understand why it won’t go away, here is how to actually engage with the track:
- Listen to the 1993 Original: Before the 1994 polish, the song had a rawer, almost grittier feel. It makes the lyrics feel more sincere and less like a campaign jingle.
- Watch the Music Video: Look at the fashion. The oversized suits and the dizzying camera angles. It perfectly encapsulates the transition from the 80s "greed is good" era to the 90s "hope is cool" era.
- Read the Verses: Don’t just wait for the chorus. The verses talk about the struggle of communication and the difficulty of staying true to yourself.
The song isn't a promise; it's a prayer. It doesn't guarantee that things will get better, but it insists that we have to act as if they will. That’s the only way to keep moving. Whether you’re a fan of 90s dance-pop or a political junkie, the Things Can Only Get Better lyrics remain a permanent fixture of our cultural shorthand for "don't give up yet."
To get the most out of this track today, try listening to it back-to-back with Howard Jones' 1985 track of the same name. You'll see two different generations trying to solve the same problem: how to stay optimistic when the world feels like it's falling apart. One uses a Moog synthesizer and a question; the other uses a house beat and a defiant statement. Both are right.