When I Was Six
Lodger Lyrics


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When I was six I had a girl
When I was twelve I had a girl
When I was twenty I had plenty
Twenty-one I had no one
No one

My body wrecks my mind
My body doesn't fall behind
My body rips my mind
My body doesn't slow behind

When I was young I was told
You get dirty when you get old
The prophesy, it came true so come on over and beat me blue

My body rips my mind
My body doesn't slow behind
My body rips my mind
My body doesn't slow behind

My body rips my mind
My body doesn't slow behind





My body rips my mind
My body does it from behind

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Lodger's song "When I Was Six" depict the progression of the singer's life as well as the deterioration of his physical and mental state. The repetition of the line "my body rips my mind" emphasizes this idea of bodily betrayal, as the singer feels that his body is constantly working against him, tearing him apart from the inside out. The use of specific ages (six, twelve, twenty-one) suggests a kind of chronological timeline, highlighting different phases of life where the singer has experienced romantic relationships, both many and none at all.


This song encompasses the feeling of hopelessness and despair. The lyrics suggest that the singer has given up on ever finding true love, with the line "twenty-one I had no one" serving as a straightforward statement of this fact, and the repetition of "my body rips my mind" emphasizing the physical and emotional pain that he is experiencing. The mention of getting dirty when getting old echoes a sense of disillusionment with growing old, which leaves the singer looking for solace or any kind of human contact.


One interpretation of this song is that it subtly critiques the commodification of love and relationships in modern society. The number of girls the singer had at different ages and the fact that he had "plenty" at twenty suggest a certain emphasis on quantity over quality. Additionally, the use of the phrase "beat me blue" suggests a willingness to be passive and take whatever punishment, even if it is emotional in nature. This can be seen as a critique of the glorification of violence, and the idea that emotional pain is a form of punishment.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was six I had a girl
At a young age, I had a relationship with a fellow peer.


When I was twelve I had a girl
At a slightly older age, I continued to have romantic relationships.


When I was twenty I had plenty
In my early adulthood, I was able to have multiple romantic partners.


Twenty-one I had no one
However, at the age of twenty-one, I found myself without any romantic relationships.


No one
I was alone without any romantic partners.


My body wrecks my mind
My physical body causes harm to my mental state.


My body doesn't fall behind
My physical body is able to keep up with my thoughts and decisions.


My body rips my mind
My physical body tears apart my mental state.


My body doesn't slow behind
My physical body is not hindered by my mental state.


When I was young I was told
As a child, I was taught a certain belief or idea.


You get dirty when you get old
The belief that as one ages, they become tainted or corrupt.


The prophecy, it came true so come on over and beat me blue
The belief I was taught has become a reality, so I invite others to cause me pain.


My body does it from behind
My physical body harms me without warning or preparation.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANDERSSON, HAYHA, LAARI, MERILA, RIIKONEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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