Topenga Ataata
Kupu Tūpato
And now, the end is near
– Na inaianei, kei te tata te mutunga
And so I face the final curtain
– Na ka anga atu ahau ki te arai whakamutunga
My friend, I’ll say it clear
– Taku hoa, ka mea ahau i te reira mārama
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
– Ka whakaatu ahau i taku take, e tino mohio ana ahau
I’ve lived a life that’s full
– Kua ora ahau i te ora e ki tonu ana
I traveled each and every highway
– I haere ahau i ia huarahi nui
And more, much more than this
– A, nui atu, nui atu i tenei
I did it my way
– I mahia e au i taku ara
Regrets, I’ve had a few
– He mihi, he torutoru aku
But then again, too few to mention
– Engari ano, he iti rawa ki te whakahua
I did what I had to do
– I mahia e au taku mahi
And saw it through without exemption
– A ka kite i te reira i roto i kahore he herenga
I planned each charted course
– I whakamahere ahau i ia akoranga mahere
Each careful step along the byway
– Ia taahiraa tupato i te ara
And more, much more than this
– A, nui atu, nui atu i tenei
I did it my way
– I mahia e au i taku ara
Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
– Ae, i reira nga wa, e mohio ana ahau e mohio ana koe
When I bit off more than I could chew
– A, no te ahau bit atu atu I taea e ahau te kau
But through it all, when there was doubt
– Engari i roto i te katoa, i te mea i reira ko te feaa
I ate it up and spit it out
– I kai ahau i te reira, ka tuwha i te reira i roto i
I faced it all, and I stood tall
– I aro atu ahau ki nga mea katoa, a ka tu ahau i runga i te roa
And did it my way
– I mahia e au
I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried
– Kua aroha ahau, kua kata ahau, kua tangi
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing
– Kua oti i ahau taku whakakii, taku wahi o te ngaro
And now, as tears subside
– Na, i te wa e heke ana nga roimata
I find it all so amusing
– He tino ngahau ki ahau
To think I did all that
– Ki taku whakaaro i mahia e au katoa
And may I say, not in a shy way
– A kia mea ahau, e kore i roto i te ara whakama
Oh, no, oh, no, not me
– Aue, kahore, aue, kahore, e kore ahau
I did it my way
– I mahia e au i taku ara
For what is a man, what has he got?
– He aha hoki te tangata, he aha tana?
If not himself, then he has naught
– Ki te kore ia, ka kore ia
To say the things he truly feels
– Ki te mea i nga mea e tino fe ia
And not the words of one who kneels
– A ehara i te kupu a te tangata e turi ana
The record shows I took the blows
– E whakaatu ana te rekoata i tangohia e au nga whiu
And did it my way
– I mahia e au
Yes, it was my way
– Ae, ko taku ara
