I was wasting my time
Trying to fall in love
Disappointment came to me and
Booted me and bruised and hurt me

That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up

I was wasting my time
Looking for love
Someone must look at me
And see their sunlit dream

I was wasting my time
Praying for love
For a love that never comes from
Someone who does not exist and

That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up

Let me live before I die
Not me, not I!

I was wasting my life
Always thinking about myself
Someone on the deathbed said
"There are other sorrows too"

I was driving my car
I crashed and broke my spine
So yes, there are things worse in life than
Never being someone's sweetie

That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up

That's how people grow up
That's how people grow up

As for me I'm okay
For now anyway


Lyrics submitted by gangoffour389

That's How People Grow Up Lyrics as written by Martin James Boorer Steven Morrissey

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Thats How People Grow Up song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    I was driving my car, I crashed and broke my spine, So yes, there are things worse in life than never being some-one's sweetie.

    Morrissey is self mocking his classic Smiths song There Is A Light, mocking the romanticism in getting killed by the double decker bus and the ten tonne truck by now 23 years on making the car crash practical and mundane rather than escapist and beautiful. This song is him really severing some of the imagery and ideas he had perpetrated in his youth.

    rapiston February 06, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    I love love love the lines: "I was driving my car, I crashed and broke my spine, So yes, there are things worse in life than never being some-one's sweetie."

    Can't wait to hear a studio version of this.

    whenwhenwhenon July 19, 2007   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    It's sarcastic the whole way through. Morrissey very literal in many of his songs, and that literal style hides the true meaning hidden in the more ambiguous statements.

    The deathbed scene may have you thinking, "Morrissey is saying to man up because there are worse things out there," but I think it's entirely sarcastic. The dying man is not saying, "I'm not worried about dying because there are greater problems out there"; he's saying, "Don't be so conceited. Can't you see that I'm dying?!" It's fortifying the selfishness in the song.

    Maybe the speaker is admitting that his selfishness is what's causing his loneliness. "Someone must look at me and see their sunlit dream," is admitting that love is expected, and also wildly sarcastic. He's "trying to fall in love" with someone else, but no where in this song is the speaker stating what he has to offer to another person: a completely selfish song.

    In "One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell" the speaker admits this one-sided faculty: "A savage beast, I have nothing to sell"; he has nothing to offer.

    When you break your spine, the accompanying struggles will undoubtedly preoccupy your mind and distract you from your lack of love. In the end, a broken spine is only temporary, but it can't hold a candle to a whole lifetime of an unfulfilled love life.

    NikoMackeyon October 28, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I can't belive no one has commented on this song yet.

    It's so amazing and beautiful.

    In short, it's about focusing on finding the right person and expecting to find it...and then reality hits you in the face, that you shouldn't waste time "looking" for love. And when you don't get it the way you wanted it, yeah, it hurts, but there are worse things in life than being single. It's definately something I've learned recently, because all my life, I was exactly like in this song. Someone disappointed me, and I came to this realization.

    Morrissey does a great job on writing beautiful songs that many can relate to.

    VictorianRomanticon July 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Same here...i love this song! I think it's about expecting love and all the good things that goes with it, from someone who clearly doesn't feel the same way. But he finally realises this and knows there's no point in wasting life or time crying over it.
    like the song says : "I was driving my car, I crashed and broke my spine, So yes, there are things worse in life than never being some-one's sweetie"

    "I was wasting my life Always thinking about myself, Someone on their deathbed said: "There are other sorrows too." '

    indigo_bluon April 06, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    There's been quite a lot of backlash about this song, and I think it's wonderful as well. It's positive, but not too positive.

    "I'm ok, for now anyway."

    IAteTheLotuson June 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    To IAteTheLotus: I think its a great thing that the song is positive, and agree with you on the fact that its positive but not overloaded.

    Other than that, this song rocks. Such a great song.

    joieamion September 27, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is about resigning yourself to the idea that you may never fall in love, may never have a mutual romantic relationship, and that it is not the end of the world. After all "there are things worse in life than never being someone's sweetie". I love his sarcastic way of singing "sweetie", like it is so frivolous. He mocks his youthful, unrealistic fantasy of meeting that non-existent "perfect" person and mutually falling for each other, and living happily ever after. But like every Moz song that seems to write love off as a ridiculous dream of youth, there is always the glimmer of hope. The dream doesn't fully die..."there is a light that never goes out".

    voodoodollyon November 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    "I was wasting my time Praying for love, For the love that never comes from someone who does not exist"

    Surely is about growing up and getting past believing in "God" and wanting "God" to love you.

    pc83ukon January 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Much like "I have forgiven Jesus" I think this song is about Morrissey finally accepting he will never find that perfect person or love he has yearned for his whole life. He has given up on the idea that there might be "the one" out there for him who can finally cure him of his crippling insecurities and give him somewhere to vent all of his love and desire.

    Now that he is nearing the big 50 he sure as hell seems to be a lot wiser and at peace with himself. The song I'm Okay By Myself on Years of Refusal seems to evoke the same sentiments that he is propagating here.

    PrettyPettyThiefon April 15, 2009   Link

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