“The We’re Much Better People Now” is a song which begins with a simple idea and allows that idea plenty of emotional space to develop. While Michael Waters reflects on his mistakes, regrets and difficult times, the song is not really concerned with remaining stuck in the past rather it’s about the changes that take place after having gone through those experiences. There is a warm quality to the way it’s written that makes the message seem personal instead of preachy, in particular because Waters links regret with love and growth. The title says a great deal: even if we are not proud of all that we have done, that doesn’t mean we have to continue to be the people we used to be.
What makes the song so powerful is the way it is honest. Waters expresses himself as if he is having a genuine conversation with himself, considering the path that life has taken him and acknowledging that one usually becomes a better person by making mistakes at the beginning. The melody provides a soft and easy-to-understand backdrop for these thoughts, and Waters’ voice highlights the vulnerable aspect of the lyrics. Although there is a sense of sadness in the song, it never becomes gloomy or despairing; on the contrary, “We’re Much Better People Now” slowly comes across as a quiet celebration of having changed—the kind of change that results from experience, from loving someone, and from finally coming to understand things that may not have been clear years before. It’s easy to see the song resonating with people who have their own memories of relationships, mistakes, and second chances.
The song “We’re Much Better People Now” is memorable because it doesn’t attempt to make the idea of redemption seem greater than it actually is. There are instances when personal growth amounts to simply coming to the realisation that you would deal with situations differently nowadays; on other occasions it involves learning how to love better, forgiving yourself, or being able to appreciate what you have after having lost something important. Waters conveys this sort of feeling in a direct and melodic manner, endowing the song with a genuine emotional touch. Instead of aiming for a dramatic conclusion, he lets the main point express itself: although the past has influenced us it doesn’t have to determine who we are. This is why the song is so quietly moving and why it can be considered one of Waters’ more personal recordings.
‘We’re Much Better People Now’ manages to find a note of hope in the mistakes we wish we could undo.
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