Old Enough To Know Better
Lloyd Cole Lyrics


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Cole

In the prime of your life
At a time when a crisis is common in men
Old enough to know better
In the middle of life
Equally distant from mother and maker and
My, old enough to know better
Look at you man, she says
You're mutton dressed as lamb
Fancy yourself, very gentleman's quarterly
What in the world would a home county girl want with you?
Opportunity waits
In the window for men in a moment of weakness
Old enough to know better
And when it's too late, she smiles, takes your hand and says
Sorry I ruined your life
Old enough to know better
Look at you man, she says
You're mutton dressed as lamb
Fancy yourself, very gentleman's quarterly




What in the world would a home county girl want with you?
There's no release in your life

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lloyd Cole's song "Old Enough to Know Better" conveys a man in the middle of his life who is experiencing a crisis common in men. He is old enough to know better, but he finds himself in a situation that is not giving him any release in life. The use of the phrase "old enough to know better" signifies a sense of regret as he realizes that he should have made better choices. He is in a moment of weakness, and opportunities are waiting for him - whether it's to make things better or worse is up to him.


The chorus repeats the line "Look at you, man, she says/you're mutton dressed as lamb/fancy yourself, very gentleman's quarterly/what in the world would a home county girl want with you?" These lines express a sense of inadequacy and the feeling that he is not good enough for the woman he desires. The phrase "mutton dressed as lamb" refers to a middle-aged person who is trying to appear youthful, and the reference to "gentleman's quarterly" reinforces the idea that he is trying to live up to an ideal of a refined gentleman, despite not being from a higher class. The final lines of the song end with the woman taking his hand and apologizing for ruining his life, which may suggest a sense of resignation and the impossibility of finding any release or happiness in his life.


Line by Line Meaning

In the prime of your life
You are currently in the best years of your existence


At a time when a crisis is common in men
Usually men have mid-life crisis at this point


Old enough to know better
You should be wiser and more mature by now


In the middle of life
Halfway through your lifespan


Equally distant from mother and maker and
As you are equally far away from your mother who created you and the divine power which made you


My, old enough to know better
Seriously, why haven't you learnt anything by now?


Look at you man, she says
The lady is pointing out your flaws


You're mutton dressed as lamb
You're trying too hard to look young and attractiv you're failing badly


Fancy yourself, very gentleman's quarterly
You think you're the epitome of sophistication and style, like a model from a magazine


What in the world would a home county girl want with you?
There's no reason for a woman from the countryside to be interested in someone like you


Opportunity waits
There's an opportunity in front of you


In the window for men in a moment of weakness
It is visible to men when in a moment of weakness


Old enough to know better
Again, you should be more intelligent by now and see the truth


And when it's too late, she smiles, takes your hand and says
After it's too late, she shows no remorse and fakes a kind gesture.


Sorry I ruined your life
She's lying and not actually sorry for destroying your life


There's no release in your life
You feel trapped and see no way out of your current situation.




Contributed by Julia P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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