19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.

Look what he's made you do to your arm again,
He said he'd come round but he's gone out with his friends,
And I know how it feels to be your age
and feel the world is caving in.

Another drama by the kitchen sink tonight,
You said you'd cut yourself whilst washing up the knives,
Another week off school won't do you any good,
And I know how it feels to be your age.

19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.
19. you're only 19 for God's sake,
Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.

Come back with me, and find out what you really want,
Come home with me you'll only have to do it once,
'cause I know what it feels like to be your age,
You only have to do it once,
And never again.

Another drama by the kitchen sink tonight,
You said you'd cut yourself whilst washing up the knives,
Another week off school won't do you any good,
And I know how it feels to be your age.

You know I'm not so young,
I spend an hour getting ready every day,
And still I end up looking more or less the same,
But I could show you,
a thing or two.

Oh, I could show you the ropes,
Yes I could show you the ropes,
And I would cut my hair for you,
'Cause I know how it feels.

I know how it feels to be your age,
I know how it feels to be your age,
Oh, how I'd love to feel a girl your age,
Your age,
Once and never again.



Lyrics submitted by Jenezzy

Track duration: 03:08


Once and Never Again song meanings
Add your thoughts

32 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:Imagine this song being sung by a grown man..... turns the lyrics up side down.
    Flag Merqurioon November 04, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I reckon it's about an older friend or relative like encouraging a girl to break up with her abusive boyfriend before she does something ill-advised?
    Flag lisax7878on September 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"polly" is about a lesbian relationship, i don't know if it's the same guy who wrote it but if so chances are that this song could be written from a lesbians perspective.

    i don't think it's from a guy's perspective though, refering to the lines "I spend an hour getting ready every day" and "i would cut my hair for you".
    Flag mrs_mustardon September 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't think it's a mother and daugter, or lesbians. It's just an older girl who's trying to convince a 19 year old to break up with her boyfriend because the relationship isn't healthy. she's obviously cutting herself as a result of this relationship and gotten out of school for it.
    It's about how much 19 can be good, but really aftery you're 19 you don't really want to go through it ever again.
    Flag CynicalHippy17on August 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song is explicitly about a girl who self-harms and is emotionally distressed sue to problems with her boyfriend. Also, explicitly, from the perspective of an older person. I think more implicitly towards the end the real reasons for the older person (whether be man or woman) wanting the young girl to break up with her boyfriend are revealed, e.g. "Oh, how I'd love to feel a girl your age". The narrator in fact wants this 19 year old girl for him/herself.
    Flag jonwood1on August 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song has no sexual intentions AT ALL. its about a older woman (mother or not doesn't matter) trying to help her friend (or daughter) through a tough time in her life. the young girl has a sh**** boyfriend and the older woman is telling her that she's been there and she can help:
    "i can show you the ropes.
    i can show you a thing or two"
    not sex!!! help!
    "i'd like to feel a girl your age" is not sexual either. she'd just like to feel young again because she's older:
    "you know i'm not so young anymore"
    jesus! get it right people!
    Flag [sun]childon July 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song has no sexual intentions AT ALL. its about a older woman (mother or not doesn't matter) trying to help her friend (or daughter) through a tough time in her life. the young girl has a sh**** boyfriend and the older woman is telling her that she's been there and she can help:
    "i can show you the ropes.
    i can show you a thing or two"
    not sex!!! help!
    "i'd like to feel a girl your age" is not sexual either. she'd just like to feel young again because she's older:
    "you know i'm not so young anymore"
    jesus! get it right people!
    Flag [sun]childon July 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with The $t!G that there is a lesbian aspect. Like the line "I would cut my hair for you", what else is that suppost to mean? I think that was the writer's intention; to take some normal topic like a girl giving another girl advice then mixing in a subtle, "i actually want to get in your pants" vibe to make it campy and fun.
    Flag apologysongson July 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:whoever has written it, from whatever persepective, he could have chosen far les challenging lyrics than these,, they did not try at all to avoid interpretations like these. It seems very plausible to me that there's a lesbian aspect to this. there is definetly something implied here. "Oh, how I'd love to feel a girl your age,
    Your age,"
    and:
    "But I could show you,
    a thing or two.

    Oh, I could show you the ropes,
    Yes I could show you the ropes,
    "
    Flag The_$t!Gon May 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Just because you're telling a girl she doesn't need a BOYfriend, doesn't mean it's a lesbian saying it. The guy is not sayin 'hey bitch, have eaningless sex with me once', he's saying 'I've been there, I'll treat you better than your boyfriend, at least when we're having sex'.This guy is probably late-20s, early-30s, realising that he isn't as young as he used to be.
    Flag manumadmiaon April 25, 2007   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain