I Was Born
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


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I was born, I hate this part
Being someone new
Being torn, seeing someone who died
As you grew
Growing older is killing a child
Who laughed and smiled
At anything
Growing colder and less and less wild
And learning to say

I was young, then not so young
Scary either way
One more rung down that black ladder
Every day
One more floor
Down the elevator
To oblivion, what fun





But the singularly awful one
Is being born

Overall Meaning

The Magnetic Fields's song "I Was Born" is a haunting reflection on the experience of growing up and the inevitability of death. The opening lines of the song set a tone of melancholy, as the singer laments being born and having to start fresh as a new person. The sense of loss is further emphasized in the lines "Being torn, seeing someone who died / As you grew," which suggest that the singer has lost a part of themselves as they've matured.


As the song continues, the theme of mortality comes to the forefront. The singer describes the process of aging as "killing a child" and notes that they are "growing colder and less and less wild." These lines suggest that as we age, we lose some of the vitality and spirit that characterized us in youth, and we become more jaded and cynical.


The final lines of the song bring these themes together in a powerful way, with the singer declaring that "the singularly awful" experience is not death itself, but being born in the first place. This statement underscores the sense of loss and grief that pervades the song, as well as the fear of mortality that is a universal human experience.


Overall, "I Was Born" is a poignant meditation on the cycle of life and the inevitability of death. The song's somber tone and introspective lyrics make it a powerful reflection on the human condition.


Line by Line Meaning

I was born, I hate this part
Being brought to this world is not a pleasant experience for me


Being someone new
I am forced to assume a new identity as a result of birth


Being torn, seeing someone who died As you grew
Growing up involves losing the person you once were


Growing older is killing a child Who laughed and smiled At anything
Maturing means losing the innocence and joy of childhood


Growing colder and less and less wild And learning to say
As time passes, one becomes more subdued and reserved


I was young, then not so young Scary either way
Age is a terrifying concept, no matter if you are young or old


One more rung down that black ladder Every day One more floor Down the elevator To oblivion, what fun
Each day brings one step closer to death, which is inevitable and frightening


But the singularly awful one Is being born
Of all life's trials, the worst is having to enter into existence in the first place




Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephin Raymond Merritt

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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