I Won't Grow Up
Mary Martin Lyrics
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Yes, Peter!
Listen to your teacher. Repeat after me:
I won't grow up,
(I won't grow up)
I don't want to go to school.
Just to learn to be a parrot,
(Just to learn to be a parrot)
And recite a silly rule.
(And recite a silly rule)
If growing up means
It would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree,
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up
Not me!
Not I,
Not me!
Not me!
I won't grow up,
(I won't grow up)
I don't want to wear a tie.
(I don't want to wear a tie)
And a serious expression
(And a serious expression)
In the middle of July.
(In the middle of July)
And if it means I must prepare
To shoulder burdens with a worried air,
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up
Not me,
Not I,
Not me!
So there!
Never gonna be a man,
I won't!
Like to see somebody try
And make me.
Anyone who wants to try
And make me turn into a man,
Catch me if you can.
I won't grow up.
Not a penny will I pinch.
I will never grow a mustache,
Or a fraction of an inch.
'Cause growing up is awfuller
Than all the awful things that ever were.
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up,
No sir,
Not I,
Not me,
So there!
I won't grow up!
(I won't grow up)
I will never even try
(I will never even try)
I will do what Peter tells me
(I will do what Peter tells me)
And I'll never ask him why
(And I'll never ask him why)
We won't grow up!
(We won't grow up)
We will never grow a day
(We will never grow a day)
And if someone tries to make it
(And if someone tries to make it)
We will simply run away
(We will simply run away)
I won't grow up!
(I won't grow up)
No, I promise that I won't
(No, I promise that I won't)
I will stay a boy forever
(I will stay a boy forever)
And be banished if I don't!
(And be banished if I don't)
And Never Land will always be
The home of beauty and joy
And neverty
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up
Not me!
Not me!
Not me!
Not me!
No sir!
Not me!
The song "I Won't Grow Up" is a playful and rebellious refusal to the pressures of adulthood. The song starts with Peter Pan encouraging his friends to refuse to grow up by singing, "I won't grow up, I don't want to go to school. Just to learn to be a parrot and recite a silly rule." Peter Pan argues that growing up could mean forgoing innocent and fun activities, such as climbing trees.
The idea of obligation that comes with growing up is also touched upon, "And if it means I must prepare to shoulder burdens with a worried air," indicating that Peter Pan doesn't want to deal with the serious responsibilities of adulthood. The song ends with a declaration that Neverland is a place of joy and beauty, and the choice to never grow up ensures that the magic of the island will be preserved.
The song speaks to the desire to maintain a childlike joy and imagination, which is an important theme throughout the Peter Pan story. It also touches upon the idea of societal pressure to conform to a certain path and give up certain aspects of childhood in order to be successful adults. The lyrics are simple and easy to understand, but the message is a powerful one that resonates with both children and adults.
Line by Line Meaning
I won't grow up
I refuse to mature and develop into an adult
I don't want to go to school
Education is not a priority of mine
Just to learn to be a parrot
I don't want to be taught to recite and mimic what I'm told
And recite a silly rule
I don't want to be constrained by pointless regulations
If growing up means
It would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree,
If acting like an adult means giving up childlike wonder and joy, I refuse
I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up
Not me!
I will always choose to remain young at heart and resist the pressure of society to mature
I don't want to wear a tie
I reject the expected dress code of adults
And a serious expression
In the middle of July
I won't pretend to be serious and unhappy in the middle of summer
And if it means I must prepare
To shoulder burdens with a worried air,
I won't accept the adult responsibility of worrying and stressing over life's problems
Never gonna be a man,
I won't!
I don't aspire to be a traditional male figure
Like to see somebody try
And make me.
I challenge anyone who tries to force me into traditional adulthood
Anyone who wants to try
And make me turn into a man,
Catch me if you can.
I won't let anyone change me into something I don't want to be
Not a penny will I pinch.
I will never grow a mustache,
Or a fraction of an inch.
I won't conform to societal expectations of saving money, growing facial hair, or physically maturing
'Cause growing up is awfuller
Than all the awful things that ever were.
Maturity is something I consider unpleasant and undesirable
I will do what Peter tells me
And I'll never ask him why
I trust and follow the leadership of Peter, without questioning his motives
We will simply run away
If anyone tries to change us, we will flee to avoid being forced to mature
I will stay a boy forever
And be banished if I don't!
I will never outgrow my childlike behavior, even if it means being excluded from certain groups
Not me!
No sir!
I will always reject the idea of growing up into the traditional roles of adulthood
And Never Land will always be
The home of beauty and joy
And neverty
Neverland, a symbol of eternal childhood, will always be a happy and joyful place for me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID B. CHASE, MORRIS I. CHARLAP, CAROLYN LEIGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind