24
Red House Painters Lyrics
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And we're not kids on swingsets on the blacktop
And I thought at fifteen that I'd have it down by sixteen
And twenty-four keeps breathing in my face
Like a mad whore
And twenty-four keeps pounding at my door
Like a friend you don't want to see
Oldness comes with a smile
To every love given child
Oldness comes to rile
The youth who dream suicide
The opening lines of Red House Painters' "24" speaks to the idea of a certain level of disillusionment. The song contrasts the romanticized visions of youth against the realities of aging, with the singer lamenting the loss of his youthful hopes of fame and fortune. The imagery of "loaded stadiums" and "ballparks" serves as a symbol for the grandiose dreams of youth; the kind of excitement that stems from a place of naive optimism. However, the singer has grown up and realizes that reality is much different. Instead of stadiums, he is confronted with the everyday struggles of adulthood.
The line "And twenty-four keeps breathing in my face like a mad whore" reveals the struggle with aging that the singer is experiencing. He cannot shake off the feeling that the best years of his life have already passed him by. The line "and twenty-four keeps pounding at my door like a friend you don't want to see" represents the hesitancy here, with the idea of holding onto the past and the fear of the future. The singer is reflecting on the fleeting nature of youth, in a way that feels regretful and bittersweet.
In the final lines of the song, the singer states that "oldness comes with a smile to every love given child" - which suggests that there is an inherent beauty to growing old gracefully, rather than fearing it. The idea of old age might come to "rile the youth who dream suicide," but perhaps it is also a lesson on the acceptance and embracing of change.
Line by Line Meaning
So it's not loaded stadiums or ballparks
We're not living extravagant lives or achieving great fame
And we're not kids on swingsets on the blacktop
We're not carefree children playing on a playground
And I thought at fifteen that I'd have it down by sixteen
At fifteen, I believed that I'd have everything figured out by the age of sixteen
And twenty-four keeps breathing in my face
I am constantly reminded of my age, twenty-four, and time seems to be passing quickly
Like a mad whore
Time feels chaotic and uncontrollable, like an unpredictable prostitute
And twenty-four keeps pounding at my door
I cannot escape the constant reminder of my age and mortality
Like a friend you don't want to see
The grim reality of aging is like an unwelcome visitor
Oldness comes with a smile
Growing older often brings about a sense of contentment and acceptance
To every love given child
Those who are loved and cared for during childhood often grow up to be happy adults
Oldness comes to rile
However, growing older can also bring about frustration and restlessness
The youth who dream suicide
Young people who struggle with mental health issues may feel overwhelmed and hopeless as they grow older
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mark Edward Kozelek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Motavian
The one thing I promise you will do, as a melancholic growing older is look back when you were a young man lamenting the loss of your youth and chuckle to yourself. Live brazenly and heroically even if in little ways, you will make more mistakes than others, however mistakes in that volume are the unique privilege of the bold, the consolation is that you will have lived your youth well because you've grown into yourself.
@natsukibarususubaru
suicide rate is only growing and growing, i doubt anybody who relates to this song is planning on living past 30
@saulabbott-atchison6660
Thanks mum ..
@Motavian
@@saulabbott-atchison6660 It comes from experience, live well!
@rainfield383
23 and been avoiding this song all year...
@Doubleentendre69
I hadn't listened to it all year, I just turned 24 an hour ago. Yikes.
@hpebackwards
I've been waiting since I heard this song 6 or 7 years ago. Now's the day. Still love RHP and this album.
@maxisauvi
crying, sobbing even.
@Hayyden
that kid has a really deep voice!
@Camothor10
@@JawwadNoaman I think he means the little kid? Or is that little child actually Mark?