Folded in your fleshy purse
I am floating once again
While the muted sounds are pumping rhythm
All the walls close in on me
Pressure's building wave on wave
Till the water breaks - and outside I go, oh

One dot, that's on or off, defines what is and what is not, one dot
Two dot, a pair of eyes, a voice, a touch, complete surprise, two dot
Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live

My ghost likes to travel so far in the unknown
My ghost likes to travel so deep into your space

Three dot, a trinity, a way to map the universe
Three dot
Four dot, is what will make a square, a bed to build on, it's all there,
Four dot

My ghost likes to travel so far in the unknown
My ghost likes to travel so deep into your space

All the slow clouds pass us by
Make the Empire State look high
As you take me in your sea-stained sweetness
It spills, it tingles and it stings
All the pleasure that it brings
'Til the door has let the outside inside here

Well on the floor there's a long wooden table
On the table there's an open book
On the page there's a detailed drawing
And on the drawing is the name I took

My ghost likes to travel so far in the unknown
My ghost likes to travel so deep into your space

Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live
Growing up, growing up,
Looking for a place to live

My ghost likes to travel
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside of your space
My ghost likes to travel
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside of your space
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside of your space
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside
My ghost likes to travel
Moving inside of your space

The breathing stops, I don't know when
In transition once again
Such a struggle getting through these changes
And it all seems so absurd
To be flying like a bird
When I do not feel I've really landed here.


Lyrics submitted by mike_patton

Growing Up Lyrics as written by Peter Gabriel

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Growing Up song meanings
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5 Comments

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  • +1
    General CommentI guess it's about reincarnation.
    It starts (all over) in a womb the "fleshy purse, floating once again" and ends with death, when "the breathing stops".
    Germon June 10, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI think the song is really just about the title. The beginning and end of life.
    Cotygeekon December 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Commentyup i agree with you Germ, i always thought of reincarnation was the point of this song too, the last verse sums it up really, in transition once again. great song
    Junkheadon January 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    My InterpretationI took this song to be the act of making love and the path of sperm, culminating in conception.
    mawgojzetaon November 06, 2015   Link
  • 0
    My InterpretationSplunge! I agree with everyone (and I'm not being indecisive).

    There are lyrics that totally fit with birth (first verse), death (last verse) and reincarnation (chorus/refrain). And there are lyrics that definitely seem to describe having sex, various references peppered throughout the song. "moving inside of your space" "you take me in your sea-stained sweetness" "all the pleasure that it brings" "travel so deep into your space" "a bed to build on" etc.

    I still can't figure out what the dots are about.

    Whatever it's about, it is a really awesome song.
    shtoetaon October 24, 2022   Link

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