Older
Alec Benjamin Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm not prepared for the future
So many things that I just don't know, I
Cut my hair, bought a new shirt
New pair of shoes and
It's time to go, I
Finally found an apartment
Signed a lease on a car this month, I
Can't go back to the start now
Time doesn't slow down
I'm on my own

Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm putting all my things inside a box next to a toaster
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this rollercoaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm telling all my friends we'll get together next October
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this rollercoaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

Bum-ba-da-da-da-dum
Bum-ba-da-da-da-dum
Bum-ba-da-da-da-dum-dum-dum

Never thought I'd be twenty
Now thirty don't seem so far away
I know I gotta make a little money then maybe find somebody
To call my own
Mm, I'm not ready but I
Can't go back in time, I
Know it's all out my control
Now I know

Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm putting all my things inside a box next to a toaster
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this rollercoaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm telling all my friends we'll get together next October
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this rollercoaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

Bum-ba-da-da-da-dum
Bum-ba-da-da-da-dum
Bum-ba-da-da-da-dum-dum-dum

Guess my childhood is over
One day I'll be buying posters for my kids
Just like my parents did for me, it's never over
They'll grow up and soon enough
They'll wish that time would just move slower
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm putting all my things inside a box next to a toaster
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this rollercoaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

Bum-ba-da-da-da-dum
Bum-ba-da-da-da-dum
Bum-ba-da-da-da-dum-dum-dum

I'm not prepared for the future
So many things that I just don't know, I
Cut my hair, bought a new shirt




New pair of shoes and
It's time to go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Older" by Alec Benjamin express his reluctance to grow up and move on from his childhood. He acknowledges that time is passing by quickly and he is not quite ready to take on the challenges of adulthood. He starts the song by admitting that he is not prepared for the future and that there are so many things he doesn't know. He then talks about making changes in his life by cutting his hair, buying a new shirt, and a new pair of shoes before he embarks on his journey into the unknown. He reflects on the fact that he can't go back to where he started and that time doesn't slow down for anyone.


Benjamin then paints a picture of himself taking posters off his walls and storing his possessions in a box beside a toaster, his closest thing to closure. He is struggling to deal with what is happening in his life and is desperate to find a way to slow things down. He realizes that he cannot control the future, and this is something he needs to come to terms with. He says that he's not ready to get older, as he's not yet achieved everything he hoped to achieve, and he's not sure he ever will.


As the song progresses, Alec Benjamin talks about how he never thought he would be twenty, and now the thought of being thirty doesn't seem so far away. He reconciles himself to the fact that he needs to make some money and find someone to call his own, but he's still not ready. Finally, he talks about how one day he'll be buying posters for his own children, just as his parents did for him, and how time never really ends.


Overall, "Older" is a poignant song that captures the feelings of many young people as they make the transition from childhood to adulthood. Alec Benjamin's lyrics are relatable and thought-provoking, and the melody creates a haunting atmosphere that emphasizes the weight of the subject matter.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm not prepared for the future
The singer is uncertain about what's to come


So many things that I just don't know, I
They don't have all the answers and feel overwhelmed


Cut my hair, bought a new shirt
The singer is trying to reinvent themselves or start fresh


New pair of shoes and
They're trying to feel confident and put-together


It's time to go, I
The artist is ready to move forward


Finally found an apartment
The singer has found a place to call their own


Signed a lease on a car this month, I
They've made a commitment to responsibility and mobility


Can't go back to the start now
The artist has made choices and can't undo them


Time doesn't slow down
The artist can't stop the passage of time


I'm on my own
The artist is independent and has to face life alone


Guess my childhood is over
The singer is acknowledging a new stage of life


Now I'm taking down my posters
The artist is leaving behind the symbols of their childhood


And I'm putting all my things inside a box next to a toaster
They're packing up their memories and belongings


That's my closest thing to closure
This act helps the singer feel a sense of resolution or completion


I can't stop this rollercoaster
Time keeps moving and the singer can't control it


I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older
The artist is afraid of getting older and wishes they could stay young


Now I'm telling all my friends we'll get together next October
The artist is making plans for the future as a way to hold onto the present


Never thought I'd be twenty
The singer is surprised at how fast time has passed


Now thirty don't seem so far away
The singer is realizing how quickly time goes by


I know I gotta make a little money then maybe find somebody
The artist is thinking about their future goals


To call my own
The artist wants a sense of belonging and connection


Know it's all out my control
The artist is coming to terms with the fact that they can't control everything


One day I'll be buying posters for my kids
The singer is thinking about their future as a parent


Just like my parents did for me, it's never over
Life is a cycle and the artist will experience the same things as their parents did


They'll grow up and soon enough
The singer is thinking about how fast children grow up


They'll wish that time would just move slower
The singer is recognizing that even children will feel like time is moving too fast




Lyrics ยฉ CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alec Shane Benjamin, Charlie Puth, Ryan B. Tedder, Zachary Philip Skelton

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@theflamingphoenix

I used to feel the same way just a few years back, but I think what changed for me is that I realized at the cusp of 13 that there was still so much I wanted to do. Before, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life, but I then found a passion for art, and things started to feel less aimless after that.

Now, I'm not saying that figuring out what goals you want to set for yourself will fix everything. Heck, I can get into a pretty existential mindset sometimes, myself. There's probably always gonna be a lingering fear one has when it comes to getting older, I sure still feel that way. But I feel that way to an extent.

I'm a very nostalgic person, which is funny because I'm still relatively young. What I'm trying to say is, remind yourself that your nostalgia can very much be working as rose-tinted glasses. Maybe it's just because my life hasn't been the brightest in hindsight, but I've found that a lot of what I feel nostalgic towards, looks worse with the glasses taken off.

I'm grateful for the life I've lived so far because it's made me who I am, and I'm happy with myself. But I've been treated less than stellar be some people, and since I've figured that out, I realized that I couldn't wait for the future. Instead of it still being this confusing inevitability, it turned into something that could be better than what I already got.

Change is still a scary thing for almost everyone, really, but all change really means is that things are gonna get shook up. Whether good or bad, a little or a lot, we don't know, it's unpredictable. It's scary. But I myself find that I'm mostly excited for the future. Sure, change is still something that can be anxiety inducing for me, but the hope I feel for the future is something that overshadows the uncertainty.

Man, this got... a little out of hand. But I just wanted to be truly honest and get my feelings out there. Because that's what Alec does, his songs and just this music video for example are so genuine about something so universal, that of course people are gonna relate! I find that music is one of the best ways to relate to people, but it also comes down to the song as well, not just the listeners. When was the last time you listened to a major pop song about love and truly, deeply resonated with it? Since you're here, you probably haven't, (this is not to rag on generic pop music, I tend to have a soft spot for almost all music, and that type of it has its place) music tends to resonate with others on a deeper level when the writer is or has felt what they're writing about themselves. Not to say that all pop songs about love are automatically disingenuous, but they tend to feel so surface level that they could come off that way.

Anyway, even my little metaphor at the end got out of hand! What I'm trying to say, is that honesty about ones own struggles can help someone with a similar situation. I don't know if anything I said back there made any sense in the first place, but I wanted to reach out because in that way, I may be able touch someone and remind them they're not alone!

The last things that Alec said in the video about how it's never too late to be a kid, and age should be judged by experience, and not time, really struck a chord with me. Especially the bit about how many friends you've made, because I'm a pretty lonely person, I can only think of one true friend that I have, even. But hey, it just reminds me that I have a lot ahead of me, and I'm honestly very excited.

Hope y'all enjoy my ramble that went on for just a taaaaaad too long! ๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿ’–



@alyssagonzales9122

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]
I'm not prepared for the future
So many things that I just don't know
I cut myโ€…hair,โ€…bought a newโ€…shirt, new pair of shoes
And it'sโ€…time to go, I finally found an apartment
Signed a lease on a car this month
I can't go back to the start now, time doesn't slow down
I'm on my own

[Chorus]
Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm putting all my things inside a box next to a toaster
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this roller coaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older
Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm telling all my friends we'll get together next October
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this roller coaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

[Post-Chorus]
Mmm, ba-ra-ra-ra-ra
Mmm, ba-ra-ra-ra-ra
Mmm, ba-ra-ra-ra-ra

[Verse 2]
Never thought I'd be twenty
And thirty don't seem so far away
I know I gotta make a little money then maybe find somebody
To call my own
Mmm, I'm not ready but I can't go back in time
I know it's all out of my control now I know

[Chorus]
Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm putting all my things inside a box next to a toaster
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this roller coaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older
Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm telling all my friends we'll get together next October
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this roller coaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

[Post-Chorus]
Mmm, ba-ra-ra-ra-ra
Mmm, ba-ra-ra-ra-ra
Mmm, ba-ra-ra-ra-ra

[Bridge]
Guess my childhood is over
One day Iโ€™ll be buying posters
For my kids just like my parents did for me, itโ€™s never over
Theyโ€™ll grow up and soon enough theyโ€™ll wish that time would just move slower
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

[Chorus]
Guess my childhood is over
Now I'm taking down my posters
And I'm putting all my things inside a box next to a toaster
That's my closest thing to closure
I can't stop this roller coaster
I'm not ready to get older, I'm not ready to get older

[Post-Chorus]
Mmm, ba-ra-ra-ra-ra
Mmm, ba-ra-ra-ra-ra
Mmm, ba-ra-ra-ra-ra

[Outro]
I'm not prepared for the future
So many things that I just don't know
I cut my hair, bought a new shirt, new pair of shoes
And it's time to go



All comments from YouTube:

@AlecBenjaminMusic

Thanks for tuning in :) Leave a comment and let me know what you thought โค๏ธ I canโ€™t wait to sing this for you live!

@siyahmorr

I LOVE IT ๐Ÿค

@ney9238

๐Ÿ˜‡๐Ÿ’ฅ

@Skyneveah

This was the sweetest thing I ever saw โค๏ธ

@fluffs.

It's perfect ๐Ÿ’œ

@alheligalletas9503

OMG Alec i love you

318 More Replies...

@user-xs7hj6zu9p

"Never thought I'd be 20 and 30 don't seem so far away"
I just turned 20 and this hits different now... This song scares me sometimes but still I just love it!

@dalerkasimov3990

I turned 22 in February. I have the same feelings. Just try to notice the beauty of life every day. An unexpected meeting with an old friend, the smile of a stranger, communication with family, finding new hobbies, learning something new. Remembering good events. Yes. it is not always possible to notice it. It doesn't always happen. But from this these events become more valuable. I stopped paying attention to it myself a long time ago. Many people will hurt you when you open up to them. Share kindness. But this is not a reason to become angry and closed. I used to be a kind, open, positive and fun guy. Many people hurt my soul. I closed myself off from people. For several years already. But I feel like it's not me.

@dalerkasimov3990

I closed myself off from bad people, but as if I betrayed my heart.
Don't make my mistakes good man. Stay strong! And never betray your heart, soul, openness, kindness!
Sincerely, Daler Kasimov.
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡บ

@dalerkasimov3990

Sorry for writing so much. Sometimes there is no one to tell your thoughts. Good luck!

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