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- GrimsbyFan
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Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Changes or differences in age have often contributed to a relationship in oldies songs.. Sometimes they are the reason why a relationship does not or cannot exist. Other times a relationship becomes a possibility because of age changes.
Can you suggest examples of songs that fit this topic? Please include lyrics, unless the title explains itself.
Here are a few to get the topic started:
Born Too Late - The Poni-Tails
Born too late for you to notice me
To you I'm just a kid
That you won't date
Why was I born too late?
Only 16 - Sam Cooke
She was only 16, only 16
I loved her so
But she was too young to fall in love
And I was too young to know
She's Not The Little Girl I Once Knew - The Beach Boys
We met when she was younger
Then I had no eyes for her
A few years went by and I saw her
Now I'm gonna try for her
Last edited by GrimsbyFan (April 22, 2026 7:34 am)
- AzMike
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Written when he was 15, this #1 Paul Anka hit starts out "I'm so young and you're so old". Six years later, we find out what happened. His Remember Diana made the top 40: "Things will change, I'll learn to live without her.".
- Lorne
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Interestingly, a year before "Born Too Late", The Poni-Tails did a song called "It’s Just My Luck To Be Fifteen", where the following lyrics express their desire to be older:
I'm much too old to play with toys
They think I'm young to go with boys
I guess I'm just an in-between
It's just my luck to be fifteen
I flew a plane to Paris, France
A handsome prince was my romance
Of course it's only in a dream
It's just my luck to be fifteen
I can't help wondering
If I will ever be twenty-one
As far as I can see
I'm missing so much fun
But unlike "Born Too Late", things change in the final verse:
But after all is said and done
I guess that I'm the lucky one
The boy I love is seventeen
It's just my luck to be fifteen
So while it may not really be an example of what's being asked for in this topic, I thought that this was s worth a mention. Also, when I first became aware of "It’s Just My Luck To Be Fifteen" , I thought that "Born Too Late" might have just been a reworked version of it. However, "It’s Just My Luck To Be Fifteen" was written by Johnny Cowell, whereas "Born Too Late" was written by Charles Strouse and Fred Tobias. So I think that it's just a coincidence that these writers came up with two different age-related songs that were recorded by The Poni-Tails.
- GrimsbyFan
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Lorne's posting of the Poni-Tails song immediately brought to mind It Hurts To Be Sixteen by Andrea Carroll (#45 in 1963) Written by Neil Sedaka and Ronnie Grossman, it borrows exactly the same idea, and in fact some of the exact same lyrics, from It's Just My Luck To Be Fifteen.
[Verse 1]
(Ratta-tang, ratta-tang-doo-tang-doo-tang)
(Ratta-tang, ratta-tang)
The kids are singing now
(Ratta-tang-doo-tang-doo-tang)
Happy birthday, sweet sixteen
And so I smile and hope
(Ratta-tang-doo-tang-doo-tang)
My tears will not be seen
[Chorus 1]
Because I'm much too old to cry (Too old to cry)
But still too young to find out why (To find out why)
Oh, I'm so lonely
It hurts to be sixteen
[Verse 2]
(Ratta-tang, ratta-tang-doo-tang-doo-tang)
(Ratta-tang, ratta-tang)
Don't think that you're grown up
(Ratta-tang-doo-tang-doo-tang)
When you become sixteen
Because like me you'll see
(Ratta-tang-doo-tang-doo-tang)
You're only in between
[Chorus 2]
They say that you're too old for toys (Too old for toys)
But still you're much too young for boys (Too young for boys)
I hate to tell you
It hurts to be sixteen
[Bridge]
I've found a wonderful guy (A wonderful guy)
I want to spend my life with him (Spend my life with him)
They say we're too young to start
They're driving us apart
We're finished beforе we begin
[Verse 3]
I can't keep smiling through
(Ratta-tang-doo-tang-doo-tang)
This bitter-sweet sixteen
This party's ovеr now
(Ratta-tang-doo-tang-doo-tang)
If you know what I mean
[Chorus 3]
To all of you who have shown up (Who have shown up)
Come back next year, when I'm grown up (When I'm grown up)
But now please go
Because it hurts to be sixteen
Last edited by GrimsbyFan (April 23, 2026 10:03 am)
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Thread Starter- GrimsbyFan
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Young Girl - Gary Pucket and the Union Gap
Young girl
Get out of my mind
My love for you is way out of line
Better run girl
You're much too young girl
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Thread Starter- GrimsbyFan
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen - Neil Sedaka
When you were only six
I was your big brother
Then when you were ten
We didn't like each other
When you were thirteen
You were my funny valentine
But since you've grown up
Your future is sewn up
From now on you're gonna be mine
Last edited by GrimsbyFan (April 25, 2026 7:00 am)
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Thread Starter- Lorne
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
And then there are these lines from "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen":
What happened to that funny face?
My little tomboy now wears satin and lace
I can't believe my eyes, you're just a teenage dream
Happy birthday sweet sixteen
Which I mention because about a year later, Sedaka and lyricist Howard Greenfield returned to this theme with "Next Door To An Angel" which included these lines:
I can't believe that this is the girl next door
Her funny little face isn't funny no more
Sixteen and oh what a dream
Ain't it strange how she changed
Into such a lovely angel
They even did similarly well on the Hot 100, with "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" reaching #6, and "Next Door To An Angel" getting to #5.
- Lorne
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Cowboys To Girls - The Intruders
You went from pretty dolls to boys
Oh yes you did
And I went from cowboys to girls
Oh yes I did
- GrimsbyFan
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
I'm So Young - The Students / The Ronettes
I have a girlfriend
She says I'm her only one
We want to get married
But we're so young
So young
Can't marry no one
Not Too Young To Get Married - Bob B. Sox and The Blue Jeans
My momma said I can't see you no more
'Cause we don'y know what love really means
She says we can't get married for three years or more
'Cause we're only in our teens
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Thread Starter- Lorne
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
I've been thinking that it would be interesting to see which of Donny Osmond's early hits would fit into this category. Of course these songs were all remakes, and clearly he and his family and/or producers really went looking for songs from the past that related to love at a young age. The following are the ones that I think would best fit.
Sweet And Innocent (originally a Roy Orbison B-side)
But you're too young to know the score
So come back when you're older
'Cause you're too sweet
And innocent
But you're just
Oh, too young for me, yeah
Puppy Love (originally Paul Anka)
And they called it puppy love
Just because we're in our teens
Tell them all
Please tell them it isn't fair
To take away my only dream
Too Young (originally Nat King Cole)
They try to tell us we're too young
Too young to really be in love
He also had other hits like "Go Away Little Girl" and "Young Love" that related to being young and in love, but I'm not including them because the lyrics don't really relate to age being an issue with regards to the relationship or lack thereof.
- GrimsbyFan
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Girls Grow Up Faster Than Boys Do - The Cookies
Girls grow up faster than boys do
So, baby, I'm old enough for you
Once you used to date my big sister
Now, baby she's too old for you
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Thread Starter- Lorne
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Come Back When You Grow Up - Bobby Vee
Come back when you grow up, girl
You're still livin' in a paper-doll world
Someday be a woman ready to love
Come back, baby, when you grow up
- Lorne
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Three Times In Love - Tommy James
Now that you're ready, she comes along
Your ways are steady and your feelings are strong
She is all of your ladies, you are every man
You've both been waiting to find each other, now you understand
- GrimsbyFan
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Some musings by The Beach Boys about what their relationships will be like when they get older:
Will I look for the same things in a woman that I dig in a girl?
(fourteen, fifteen)
(Twenty, twenty-one)
Will I love my wife for the rest of my life?
When I grow up to be a man.
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
Bobby's Girl - Marcie Blaine
When people ask of me
What do you want to be
Now that you're not a kid anymore
I know just what to say
I answer right away
There's just one thing I'm waiting for
I want to be Bobby's girl
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Thread Starter- Lorne
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Re: Songs Where Age Plays A Role In The Relationship (Or lack Thereof)
How about one about the potential for age to play a role in the relationship?
When I'm Sixty-Four - The Beatles
When I get older, losing my hair
Many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a valentine,
Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I'd been out till quarter to three,
Would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four? Ooh
You'll be older too.
Ah, and if you say the word,
I could stay with you.
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