When I Grow Up
Shocked Michelle Lyrics


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When I grow up I want to be an old woman
When I grow up I want to be an old woman
Oh, an o-o-o-o-old, an old, old woman

Then I think I'm gonna find myself an old man
Then I think I'm gonna marry myself that old man
An old, an old, an old, an old, a really old man
We're gonna have a hundred and twenty babies
A hundred and five, ten, fifteen, twenty babies
Uh huh, that's what I said a hundred and twenty babies

We'll raise 'em on tiger's milk and green bananas
Mangoes and coconuts and watermelon
We're gonna give 'em that watermelon when they starts yellin'

Here's what they'll yell...

In the summer we'll sit in a field and watch the sun melt
In the winter we'll sit by a fire and watch the moon freeze
Me my old man and a hundred and twenty babies
Me my old man and a hundred and twenty babies
I said, me my old man and a hundred and twenty babies




Oh, when I grow up I want to be an old woman
When I grow up I want to be an oooooold...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "When I Grow Up" by Michelle Shocked are both whimsical and age-defiant. The song is a tribute to the joys of aging and growing old with someone you love. The playful lyrics express the desire to find an "old man" to marry and have "a hundred and twenty babies" with. These lyrics are intentionally absurd and a nod to the idea that life doesn't always have to be taken so seriously.


The song's message is about embracing the ups and downs of life, and not being afraid to grow old. Michelle Shocked sings joyfully about how her and her old man will raise their children on tropical fruits and live surrounded by nature. The line, "In the summer we'll sit in a field and watch the sun melt, in the winter we'll sit by a fire and watch the moon freeze," encapsulates the romanticized image of two people, content with their lives together and the world around them.


Line by Line Meaning

When I grow up I want to be an old woman
In the future, I desire to mature into an elderly female.


Oh, an o-o-o-o-old, an old, old woman
An extremely aged and elderly woman is my ultimate aim.


Then I think I'm gonna find myself an old man
I plan to search for an elderly male companion.


Then I think I'm gonna marry myself that old man
My intention is to wed that elderly gentleman.


An old, an old, an old, an old, a really old man
A very senior and aged man is my intended partner.


We're gonna have a hundred and twenty babies
We aim to have an exceptionally large family of 120 children.


A hundred and five, ten, fifteen, twenty babies
Perhaps, we might have 105 or 110 or 115 or 120 babies.


Uh huh, that's what I said a hundred and twenty babies
Yes, I'm sure I want as many as 120 babies in our family.


We'll raise 'em on tiger's milk and green bananas
We plan to nourish them with tiger's milk or green bananas.


Mangoes and coconuts and watermelon
They will also be fed with mangoes, coconuts and watermelons.


We're gonna give 'em that watermelon when they starts yellin'
When they cry out of hunger, we'll offer them watermelon to soothe them.


In the summer we'll sit in a field and watch the sun melt
During summertime, we'll sit in a field and observe the sun setting.


In the winter we'll sit by a fire and watch the moon freeze
During winter, we'll warm ourselves by the fire and witness the moon's radiance.


Me my old man and a hundred and twenty babies
I, along with my elderly spouse and all our children, will lead our lives together.


I said, me my old man and a hundred and twenty babies
I'm certain that I want myself, my elderly spouse, and our 120 children to make up our family.


Oh, when I grow up, I want to be an old woman
Growing old into an elderly female person is my lifelong ambition.


When I grow up I want to be an oooooold...
I aspire to attain a very old age indeed.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

@lennierichardson1387

1. Shweet.
2. HEY TRISH!!

@meredithwhite1004

XOXO😊

@sammistimson7381

What a happy song and fun video. Love it. I can even sing along. More........

@lesadearman2194

FUN! You are cracking me up with all those animals...Great Video

@StephS910

What a fun video for an excellent song!!!!! GO Michelle;)

@jennaalbright1767

Well, that could not have been more fun!  Love it!

@cyclegal1950

yesyesyes!!! totally kickin' it! wanna watch over and over! I want the first album!!!

@KimboDiddy

Trish, you and Michelle are adorable! Loving this song! All the best. Love, Kim

@MichelleMaloneMusic

Thank you, Kim!

@janmendel8695

What a joy!! Fabulous video and I loooooove this song!

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