Tom Waits - 'I Don't Wanna Grow Up'

"I Don't Wanna Grow Up" by Tom Waits from the album 'Bone Machine'

#tomwaits #bonemachine

[christianchiakulas]

This sounds so much like a song the Ramones would write I was genuinely shocked when I found out theirs was a cover

[reginachacon]

Dear Debra from ‘55. This is my tribute to you. Tom always made you feel alive. I can see you swaying and singing along to this song as you putter around the kitchen. Miss you my dearest sister.

[Johnnysthunder]

Well, when I'm lyin' in my bed at night
I don't want to grow up
Nothin' ever seems to turn out right
I don't want to grow up
How do you move in a world of fog
That's always changing things?
Makes me wish that I could be a dog
Well, when I see the price that you pay
I don't want to grow up
I don't ever want to be that way
I don't want to grow up
Seems like folks turn into things they they'd never want
The only thing to live for is today
I'm gonna put a hole in my T.V. set
I don't want to grow up
Open up the medicine chest
And I don't want to grow up
I don't want to have to shout it out
I don't want my hair to fall out
I don't want to be filled with doubt
I don't want to be a good boy scout
I don't want to have to learn to count
I don't want to have the biggest amount
I don't want to grow up
Well, when I see my parents fight
I don't want to grow up
They all go out and drinking all night
And I don't want to grow up
I'd rather say here in my room
Nothin' out there but sad and gloom
I don't want to live in a big old tomb on Grand Street, hoo
When I see the five o'clock news
I don't want to grow up
Comb their hair and shine their shoes
I don't want to grow up
Stay around in my old hometown
I don't want to put no money down
I don't want to get me a big old loan
Work them fingers to the bone
I don't want to float a broom
Fall in love and get married then boom
How the hell did I get here so soon?
I don't want to grow up

[elenano]

Tom waits creó la pieza
The ramones la inmortalizó.

[Mick-Kahl]

I'm 41 and life is killing me,
I don't wanna grow up.

[davidraymer]

Here because of the Ramones. Sounds great.

[StonerBaer]

This song hits harder as I age. I'm almost 27, and I realize how much i missed out on my childhood because of shit I had no control over.

I wish I didn't grow up.

But I did.

Makin' the best of adulthood, man.

[Vox_Rhododendron]

Sucks that I’m only realizing as I’m about to graduate high school that I didn’t have much of a childhood. I was scared of too much, scared of my parents, scared of failure, scared of my now-ex-girlfriend, generally just miserable, and that’s it. There is no third act, there is no adventure, just more of the same. Damn it, Mr. Waits. I don’t wanna grow up either. I want to at least get to live a little bit.

[accordingtosophia]

I keep coming back to this song- the simplicity of the music is appropriate for the lyrics, standing out in contrast of the rest of "Bone Machine." The chords almost make it feel like a campfire or protest song. But the brilliance of it is how the lyrics simultaneously depict an old and young person at once- the defiance of the inevitable problems of "growing up" makes up a majority of the song, suggesting a young and immature narrator, but one who is nonetheless astute when it comes to adult problems- taking out loans, writing checks, overworking, etc. But then the lyric "how the hell did it get here so soon" implies an older narrator, who misses their childhood and feels nostalgic.
It honestly makes me cry a little because it encompasses adulthood so well- the exhaustion with things that most people have to deal with, being aware of the cruelty of the world (seeing "parents fight, " the "five o'clock news"), anxiety over the future ("I don't wanna live in a big old tomb/fall in love and get married, then boom, " "the only thing to live for is today"), disillusionment with capitalism ("most folks seem to turn in a paycheck they never want")- and yet there's still that inner child that pleads for fairness, fun, and connection. Sometimes we as adults want to be that child in the song- throwing tantrums and screaming in defiance of what we can't change, because it feels like it's all we can do. But we can't just whine about things not being fair or not wanting to take on heavy responsibilities, because you can't do that once you're grown up. You're just expected to accept that life isn't fair, and that you have to contribute to society in ways you may not want to. And that's why the defiance of the song is so powerful; it speaks to what so many of us feel- that we don't want to accept all the things that "growing up" has deemed unavoidable, and that we're both that adult and that child that are encompassed by the same lyricism.
edit: just found out the lyric is "turned into things they never want, " but the point still stands lol

[sockstealerak]

Sitting here in my hummer smoking a spliff just quit my job and I'm blasting this song. I definitely don't want to grow up.

[Charlielebon]

The song “I Don’t Want to Grow Up” was written by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan. It appears on Tom Waits' album Bone Machine, released in 1992. This song has had several notable covers, including that of the Ramones in their album Adios Amigos! in 1995, which contributed to its popularity. Tom Waits is famous for his unique style, mixing poetry, melancholy and musical experimentation.

[ajenkins]

This song came out so many years ago. I love tom waits.

[shyferr]

one of my dads favorite songs. got memories associated with it om the 2000s. ive even got a cover of it on my channel.

[joshuasizemore]

When I'm lyin' in my bed at night
I don't wanna grow up
Nothin' ever seems to turn out right
I don't wanna grow up
How do you move in a world of fog
That's always changing things
Makes me wish that I could be a dog

When I see the price that you pay
I don't wanna grow up
I don't ever wanna be that way
I don't wanna grow up
Seems like folks turn into things
That they'd never want
The only thing to live for is today...

I'm gonna put a hole in my TV set
I don't wanna grow up
Open up the medicine chest
And I don't wanna grow up
I don't wanna have to shout it out
I don't want my hair to fall out
I don't wanna be filled with doubt
I don't wanna be a good boy scout
I don't wanna have to learn to count
I don't wanna have the biggest amount
I don't wanna grow up

Well when I see my parents fight
I don't wanna grow up
They all go out and drinking all night
And I don't wanna grow up
I'd rather stay here in my room
Nothin' out there but sad and gloom
I don't wanna live in a big old tomb
On Grand Street

When I see the 5 o'clock news
I don't wanna grow up
Comb their hair and shine their shoes
I don't wanna grow up
Stay around in my old hometown
I don't wanna put no money down
I don't wanna get me a big old loan
Work them fingers to the bone
I don't wanna float a broom
Fall in love and get married then boom
How the hell did it get here so soon
I don't wanna grow up

[Drewzer]

I just heard this song for the first time (I'm 50). I'm sitting here completely destroyed and crying.

[asurlybarber]

Either this song gets played at my funeral or I ain't going.

[wezilman]

When you're in your late thirties, this song makes you cry a little...

[rachelpogue]

I was so surprised when I learned that this existed because I always knew it as a Ramones song. I knew about Tom I just didn't always know he did this song and the Ramones covered it, I thought it was a Ramone original

[HM-ifiu]

i was surprised when I knew this was the original and it's almost as melodic as ramones version

[Realalbertcrowley]

Every time I hear this it makes me wonder what the superjail theme song would sound like If tom waits sang it