When I Grow Up
The Beach Boys Lyrics
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Will I dig the same things that turn me on as a kid?
Will I look back and say that I wish I hadn't done what I did?
Will I joke around and still dig those sounds
When I grow up to be a man?
Will I look for the same things in a woman that I dig in a girl?
(Fourteen, fifteen)
Will I settle down fast or will I first wanna travel the world?
(Sixteen, seventeen)
When I'm young and free, but how will it be?
When I grow up to be a man?
Will my kids be proud or think their old man is really a square?
(Eighteen, nineteen)
When they're out having fun, yeah, will I still wanna have my share?
(Twenty, twenty-one)
Will I love my wife for the rest of my life?
When I grow up to be a man?
What will I be when I grow up to be a man?
Won't last forever
It's kind of sad
Won't last forever
It's kind of sad
The Beach Boys’ song “When I Grow Up” is a nostalgic reflection on the uncertainties of youth and the uncertainties surrounding adulthood. The song confronts the narrator’s own fears of growing up and the changes that it will bring. The opening verse poses the question of whether or not the things that once brought the narrator joy and passion will hold the same significance as he ages. The second verse questions whether he will settle down or continue to travel the world while he’s young and free. The final verse reflects on whether or not the narrator’s future children will look up to him, or consider him to be a “square,” and whether he will still try to have fun like he used to when he was young.
The male narrator is in a state of uncertainty while reflecting on his future. He fears disappointment from himself and from others, and he contemplates the reality of aging, of settling down, and of starting a family. He speaks from a place of vulnerability and self-reflection, as he tries to imagine what sort of man he will become. The lyrics are evocative, examining the challenges of the passage of time and how the things that we love and value can change throughout our lives. The melancholic tone underscores the narrator’s sense of dread about the future, but also his determination to navigate the obstacles ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
When I grow up to be a man
As I mature and reach adulthood, will I still enjoy the same things I loved as a child?
Will I dig the same things that turn me on as a kid?
Will my passions and interests remain the same as I transition into adulthood?
Will I look back and say that I wish I hadn't done what I did?
Will I regret the decisions I made in my youth and wish I had acted differently?
Will I joke around and still dig those sounds
Will I maintain my sense of humor and continue to enjoy the same music as I grow older?
Will I look for the same things in a woman that I dig in a girl? (Fourteen, fifteen)
As I reach the age of attraction, will I seek out the same qualities in women that I found appealing in girls?
Will I settle down fast or will I first wanna travel the world? (Sixteen, seventeen)
As I approach adulthood, will I prioritize settling down or exploring the world?
When I'm young and free, but how will it be?
As I enjoy my youth and freedom, I wonder how my life will unfold as I grow older and take on more responsibility?
Will my kids be proud or think their old man is really a square? (Eighteen, nineteen)
As I become a father, will my children admire me or view me as outdated and uncool?
When they're out having fun, yeah, will I still wanna have my share? (Twenty, twenty-one)
As my children have fun, will I still desire to have a good time and enjoy life?
Will I love my wife for the rest of my life? When I grow up to be a man?
As I make vows to love my partner forever, I question whether I will be able to fulfill that commitment over the course of my life?
What will I be when I grow up to be a man?
As I continue to mature, I wonder what kind of person I will develop into?
Won't last forever
The time of being young and carefree is fleeting and temporary.
It's kind of sad
While it is natural to age and grow older, there is sadness in the loss of youth and all the possibilities that come with it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Michael Love, Brian Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Formed in Hawthorne, California in 1961, the original group comprised singer-musician-composer and bandleader Brian Wilson, his brothers Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Wilson neighbor David Marks appeared on their first four albums and was a member from 1962 to 1963 as a temporary replacement for Jardine, who had left the group to pursue a career in dentistry.
On their first few studio albums, the group primarily played surf music, but this changed after 1964 as their songs became more sophisticated and autobiographical. The 1965 album Today! particularly represented this shift in sound. Bruce Johnston joined the group that same year. Session drummer Hal Blaine is quoted: "We all studied in conservatories; we were trained musicians. We thought it was a fluke at first, but then we realized Brian was writing these incredible songs. This was not just a young kid writing about high school and surfing."
Following their most esteemed work, Pet Sounds (1966), the band became symbols of psychedelic counterculture. The highly anticipated follow-up, Smile, was left unfinished, and Brian soon relinquished his creative hold on the group. A trilogy of lo-fi releases followed: Smiley Smile (1967), Wild Honey (1967), and Friends (1968). Brian would not be credited as a primary composer for any Beach Boys album until 1977's Love You, an album on the fringe of synth-pop, new wave, and punk.
In Brian's absence, the Beach Boys still managed to release music that was regarded favorably by fans and critics despite poor sales: Sunflower (1970) and Surf's Up (1971). South African musicians Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar played and sang with the band on the next two albums: Carl & the Passions - So Tough (1972), and Holland (1973).
Many changes in both musical style and personnel have occurred in their sometimes-stormy career: Brian Wilson's mental illness and drug addiction; the deaths of Dennis Wilson in 1983 and Carl Wilson in 1998; and continuing legal battles among surviving members of the group. With the release of 1974's Endless Summer they became a more popular touring act, playing their greatest hits. They have recorded 36 Billboard Top 40 hits (including four number-one singles), have had over 100 million sales, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Official site: http://www.thebeachboys.com
Philip Kassabian
on Kokomo
This song is an absolute classic and I love the way that it lists all the major destinations in the Caribbean.
Philip Kassabian
on Surfin' U.S.A.
A great song by The Beach Boys hit all the major surfing destinations.
Philip Kassabian
on Catch a Wave
This song really gets you in the mood for surfing.
Philip Kassabian
on Surfer Girl
What a splendid song by The Beach Boys. They really were a great band.
Philip Kassabian
on Wouldn't It Be Nice
One of the greatest Beach Boys songs.
Les lumb
on Surf's Up
Love Good Vibrations ,God Only Knows however this is my fav Beach Boys song
Les lumb
on San Miguel
It captures the mood of the place, very atmospheric
Les lumb
on Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song) [Single Version]
Great version by the Beach Boys it flows
Les lumb
on Break Away
Soothing
Leslie Lumb
on Break Away
Love the opening verses beautiful words