I should have known
It seemed too easy
You were there
And I was breathing blue

Strange
Don't you think I'm looking older?
But something good has happened to me
Change is a stranger
You have yet to know

Well you're out of time
I'm letting go
You'll be fine
Well that much I know
You're out of time
I'm letting go
I'm not the man you want

I should have known
It seemed so easy
You were there
I thought I needed you

Strange
Don't you think I'm looking older?
But something good has happened to me
Change is a strange
Who never seems to show

Well you're out of time
I'm letting go
You'll be fine
(or maybe you won't)
You're out of time
I'm letting go

I'm not the man that you want

I never should hove looked back in your direction
I know that
Just the same old fights again, baby
These are wasted days without affection
I'm not that foolish anymore


Lyrics submitted by oofus

Older Lyrics as written by George Michael

Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Older song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

9 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song about letting go. Its about the very moment, when you yet remain on the vanishing line between total indifference (I should have known/it seemed too easy/you were there/and I was breathing blue) and the love of your life which you fiercely willing to save, but its seem already missed this little light... You want to love, but it is over, it is over, but remains still warm (well you're out of time/I'm letting go/you'll be fine/(or maybe you won't)). Its about silly hope for how your estranged loved one could save love for both of you, because of your exhaustion. It is about regret.

    imadoon November 22, 2007   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    Very profound! I have completely and utterly identified with this song twice in my life (including right now!). When you love someone (and possibly have done for a very long time) but have come to the realisation that you are no longer IN LOVE with that person. They haven't changed, they are the same adorable person you fell in love with and care immensely about, but you on the other hand, have changed...you've grown. "something good has happened to me, you're out of time I'm letting go" = You've outgrown them and no longer feel like the same person you were back then. "Don't you think I'm looking older" = I've changed, I'm older and wiser. "I'm not the person you want" = I need to move on because you deserve to have someone that loves you or is IN LOVE with you.

    LucyBon July 22, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    George really out did himself on this album. And this track is a perfect example of how he's grown. The Album is now 10 years old, but it's still as beautiful and fresh as it was the day it came out.

    Tyler2004durdenon February 09, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Absolultely Beautiful song. To me its about someone who's Older,wiser and maybe more educated in his life. He's changed and he is saying, Im going to let you go for the cos im not the man you want, Trust me.

    Georgioson December 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Absolultely Beautiful song. To me its about someone who's Older,wiser and maybe more educated in his life. He's changed and he is saying, Im going to let you go for the cos im not the man you want, Trust me.

    Georgioson December 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Older... Does the older mean wiser? What is the use to be wise? Or what is the use to have anything in this world, but not to be loved? The intellect remains and becomes richer, but love has gone. Intellect could even says you will find another love soon or later. Another... Letting go is the fact - there is no alternative. There is nothing at all - the days are wasted without affection. The final paragraph tells everything. It is obviously not the hope. It is not the regret. It is all over in the nearest past. It is the dialogue between God and soul. The dialog which ends with blessing continue the way (live).

    Анатолийon June 11, 2014   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    "I should have known It seemed too easy You were there And I was breathing blue"

    Right off the bat he says he should have known, it seemed to easy, You were there and I was breathing blue. So this person had been CONVENIENT for him. Most likely helped him through a rough patch of depression of some sort

    "Strange Don't you think I'm looking older? But something good has happened to me Change is a stranger You have yet to know"

    Change is a stranger You have yet to know - He has matured, expanded and changed but this person has not. He believes he has grown past and beyond this person, as he sort of always knew he would.

    "I'm letting go - I'm not the man you want."

    This seems pretty straight forward. He is leaving and wants this person to understand he/she will be just fine and most likely will be better off without him.

    "I never should have looked back in your direction I know that Just the same old fights again, baby These are wasted days without affection I'm not that foolish anymore"

    They have been "hot and cold" for some time, having the same old fights and really...it is totally not worth another minute of his time.

    He pretty much has known he was using this person for short-term and really should not have let it go on this long. But now, something else has come his way and he is not going to waste anymore time playing around. The relationship is over, timed-out and he is ready to move on NOW!

    So, you'll be fine or maybe you won't but see you!!...

    kit1021006on March 31, 2017   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    i think this song might be about a much younger girl who George Michael fell in love with and promised would spend the rest of his life with till the end of time and they start a physical relationship when she finally reaches the age of consent only to realise that they've both changed. Georgie had turned gay which was the biggest change of all and he eventually dumps her, not sure if he came out to her but simply said i'm not the man you want. I think this song might also be about regret over letting someone go.

    Eltonfanon February 23, 2009   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    I did some research and it turns out this song is about Anselmo Fellepa just like Jesus to a Child was which is also on the Older album but this song could possibly also be about George waiting for his gf to grow older but has found love with Anselmo when she finally does.

    Eltonfanon March 06, 2009   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!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.