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Teenage Parents Lyrics
You climb six lonely sad stairs to your apartment
After another graveyard shift in the cold dull light of morning.
You walked in just in time to catch her as she's leaving
But the schedules and the conflicts kept the roof over our heads.
You said you were strong and naive and if you were scared,
Well, I would understand. I don't think I would have had the guts to handle it.
All we had were hand-me-downs; all we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
You always said it would get better.
We bought our first house at the advent of the 90s
A Cape Cod on a busy street that we swore we'd fix eventually.
Winter of '93, we got by with kerosene
A heater in the living room we huddled around shivering and me trying to get to sleep.
My clothes will smell of smoke for weeks; just trying to get to sleep.
All we had were hand-me-downs; all we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
And you always said it would get better.
I'm sick of seeing ghosts, I won't be here forever
My mother wore a sundress on the day that she got married.
They held the wedding in a backyard near the city.
I was just one then, I would never remember it
But I heard the voices and implications telling me who I could never be.
All we had were hand-me-downs; all we had was good will
All we had were hand-me-downs; all we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
You always said it would get better.
After another graveyard shift in the cold dull light of morning.
You walked in just in time to catch her as she's leaving
But the schedules and the conflicts kept the roof over our heads.
You said you were strong and naive and if you were scared,
Well, I would understand. I don't think I would have had the guts to handle it.
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
You always said it would get better.
A Cape Cod on a busy street that we swore we'd fix eventually.
Winter of '93, we got by with kerosene
A heater in the living room we huddled around shivering and me trying to get to sleep.
My clothes will smell of smoke for weeks; just trying to get to sleep.
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
And you always said it would get better.
They held the wedding in a backyard near the city.
I was just one then, I would never remember it
But I heard the voices and implications telling me who I could never be.
All we had were hand-me-downs; all we had was good will
And you always said it would get better.
"When you're young and you're poor, they hang on your failures."
You always said it would get better.
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
This might be my favorite from the new record. The emotion behind the line "All we had were hand me downs" KILLS me.
This song is defiantly about growing up poor and struggling. But being proud of it.
This song is defiantly about growing up poor and struggling. But being proud of it.
This song is obviously an homage of sorts to his parents (who, by the name of the song were likely teenagers when they had him) and the judgement and financial hardships they faced. It's a really touching song lyrically, and really fun to sing along to.
Also, they've been together for 25 years now so congratulations to them!
"You climb six lonely sad stairs to your apartment."