In a Rolling Stone interview, Charli stated that this song was strongly inspired by one of her close friends Noonie Bao, when she had a child. She says:
"It was crazy seeing her standing in the same clothes she’s always worn, but now she has this completely different perspective on life than I do. She’s not enforcing that on me; it’s just a fact. She’s not alive for the same reasons that I am now. Am I less of a woman if I don’t have a kid? Will I feel like I’ve missed out on my purpose in life? I know we’re not supposed to say that, but it’s this biological and social programming. There’s a lot of pressure on women to not talk about that stuff super openly, especially not in pop music or in music generally; we’re supposed to be sexy and free and fun and wild. My circumstance involves me making a decision and being like, ‘I’m gonna come off my birth control. I’m not gonna tour. I’m going to see what George wants to do, and then we’re gonna try for a baby. I feel like a kid; I don’t feel like I can make that decision. […] You have to make the decision — because we have a clock."
i think about it all the time
Charli XCX Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I might run out of time
But I finally met my baby
And a baby might be mine
'Cause maybe one day I might
If I don't run out of time
Would it give my life a new purpose?
I was walking around in Stockholm
Seriously thinking 'bout my future for the first time
It was ice cold, playing demos on my iPhone
I went to my friend's place and I met their baby for the first time
How sublime
What a joy, oh my, oh my
Standing there
Same old clothes she wore before, holding her child, yeah
She's a radiant mother and he's a beautiful father
And now they both know these things that I don't
I think about it all the time
That I might run out of time
But I finally met my baby
And a baby might be mine
'Cause maybe one day I might
If I don't run out of time
Would it make me miss all my freedom?
I think about it all the time
I-I think about it all the time
That I might run out of time
But I finally met my baby
And a baby might be mine
'Cause maybe one day I might
If I don't run out of time
Would it give my life a new purpose?I think about it all the time
And they're exactly the same, but they're different now
And I'm so scared I'm missin' out on something
So, we had a conversation on the way home
Should I stop my birth control?
'Cause my career feels so small in the existential scheme of it all
I think about it all the time
The lyrics of "i think about it all the time" by Charli XCX convey the artist's contemplation about the possibility of becoming a parent and the impact it would have on her life. In the first paragraph, she reflects on the idea of running out of time to have a baby but also expresses excitement at the prospect of potentially having a child and how it could bring new purpose to her life. This internal conflict is evident as she ponders the balance between her own desires and the constraints of time.
In the second paragraph, Charli XCX sets the scene in Stockholm, where she is confronted with thoughts about her future. The cold and reflective environment prompts her to consider her next steps, especially after meeting her friend's baby for the first time. This experience seems to evoke a sense of awe and inspiration in her as she witnesses the beauty of parenthood through her friends, contrasting it with her own uncertainties.
The repetition of the chorus throughout the song emphasizes the persistent nature of these thoughts in the artist's mind. Charli XCX continues to grapple with the idea of potentially running out of time to have a baby and the implications it would have on her personal freedom and sense of purpose. The juxtaposition of her career aspirations with the existential question of parenthood adds depth to her internal dilemma.
In the final paragraph, Charli XCX reveals her fears of missing out on something significant by not exploring the possibility of becoming a parent. The conversation about stopping birth control and the observation that her career may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things further highlight her inner conflict and the weight of the decision she is contemplating. Overall, the lyrics capture a raw and introspective exploration of the complexities of motherhood and identity, offering a glimpse into the artist's vulnerable and thought-provoking musings on this profound life choice.
Line by Line Meaning
I think about it all the time
Constantly on my mind
That I might run out of time
Fear of time running out
But I finally met my baby
Found a potential life partner
And a baby might be mine
Possibility of starting a family
'Cause maybe one day I might
Hope for the future
If I don't run out of time
If time does not slip away
Would it give my life a new purpose?
Questioning life's meaning and fulfillment
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jonathan Christopher Shave, Charlotte Emma Aitchison, Alexander Guy Cook, Finn Keane
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joshs.5384
This is exactly why I love Charli XCX's lyrics. A lot of lyricists couch the true meaning of their lyrics behind metaphors and symbolism. And there's nothing wrong with that, a lot of amazing songs have lyrics like that. But there's something special about a song that just tells you exactly what it means.
@timothy168
I know what you mean. I still think it’s very witty tho. The (deliberate) stiltedness of “oh my, oh my” and “holding a child, yeah” as if she’s trying to squeeze something profound and existential into club-music parameters that can’t contain it. The humming, so you can’t tell if this is a daydream or an obsessive thought,
a craving. The anti-pun on “time”, the way it doesn’t change its meaning in a new context like “baby” but just crushingly is what it is. I am a gay man who I think kind of really wants kids, in a culture that doesn’t really value them; so I just love the ambivalence it captures
@Possesdbb
@@timothy168and strangely enough I feel like, though at first sight the lyrics do seem to be pretty straightforward, they are pretty abstract too. Like, there is something to it that good lyrics would have. I can’t really explain it, but you can see the difference between Charli’s intentionally “simple” lyrics and someone’s unintentionally bad simple lyrics. I don’t know if it makes sense
@MarinaAndTheDevil
In the existential scheme of it all this album is soo intimate
@aidawaswhere
Real
@undon3
help not marina and the devil listening to xcx 😭💀
@Finchyj0818
WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN
@MarinaAndTheDevil
@@Finchyj0818 Melanie pfp definitely not in your spheres, but luv u 🩷
@ranjeetsidhu9878
@@MarinaAndTheDevilclock it
@kuilaat3183
i think this is her most personal song ever