Older – English Lyrics

• By: Sasha Sloan

Lyrics & Translation

Sasha Sloan's "Older" is a deeply honest and emotional song that offers a raw look into family dynamics and personal growth. By exploring its poignant lyrics, you can gain insight into authentic English expressions of vulnerability, reflection, and the universal experience of coming to terms with life's imperfections. The song's relatable narrative and clear storytelling make it an excellent choice for understanding conversational and emotional English in a meaningful context.

[English]

I used to shut my door

When my mother screamed in the kitchen

I'd turn the music up

Get high and try not to listen

To every little fight

'Cause neither one was right

I swore I'd never be like them

But I was just a kid back then

The older I get, the more that I see

My parents aren't heroes, they're just like me

And loving is hard, it don't always work

You just try your best not to get hurt

I used to be mad but now I know

Sometimes it's better to let someone go

It just hadn't hit me yet

The older I get

I used to wonder why

Why they could never be happy

I used to close my eyes

And pray for a whole another family

Where everything was fine

One that felt like mine

I swore I'd never be like them

But I was just a kid back then

The older I get, the more that I see

My parents aren't heroes, they're just like me

And loving is hard, it don't always work

You just try your best not to get hurt

I used to be mad but now I know

Sometimes it's better to let someone go

It just hadn't hit me yet

The older I get

...

The older I get, the more that I see

My parents aren't heroes, they're just like me

And loving is hard, it don't always work

You just try your best not to get hurt

I used to be mad but now I know

Sometimes it's better to let someone go

It just hadn't hit me yet

The older I get

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
shut /ʃʌt/ A1	verb - to close something, such as a door or window
scream /skriːm/ A1	verb - to shout very loudly, usually because of fear, pain, or excitement
listen /ˈlɪsən/ A1	verb - to give attention to someone or something in order to hear them
fight /faɪt/ A1	noun - a violent confrontation between people verb - to take part in a violent confrontation
swear /swɛər/ A2	verb - to state something very strongly or make a serious promise
hero /ˈhɪroʊ/ A1	noun - a person admired for courage, achievements, or noble qualities
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to care deeply about someone noun - a deep affection for someone
hard /hɑːrd/ A1	adjective - requiring a lot of effort or skill
work /wɜːrk/ A1	verb - to do a job or activity, especially for payment noun - a job or activity that you do regularly
mad /mæd/ A1	adjective - very angry
let /lɛt/ A1	verb - to allow someone to do something
go /ɡoʊ/ A1	verb - to move or travel from one place to another
wonder /ˈwʌndər/ A2	verb - to think about something with curiosity
pray /preɪ/ A2	verb - to speak to a god or gods, asking for help or expressing thanks
kid /kɪd/ A1	noun - a young person, especially a child
hurt /hɜːrt/ A1	verb - to cause physical pain or injury to someone adjective - feeling physical or emotional pain

Key Grammar Structures

• I used to shut my door when my mother screamed in the kitchen

  ➔ Used to + infinitive (past habit)

  ➔ "Used to" indicates a past habit or state that is no longer true in the present. The speaker no longer shuts the door when their mother screams.

• I'd turn the music up, get high and try not to listen

  ➔ Conditional 'would' to express a typical behaviour in the past.

  ➔ "'d" is a short form of "would". In this context, "would" describes a repeated action in the past. It's like saying 'I used to turn the music up...'.

• Cause neither one was right

  ➔ Neither + singular noun (pronoun)

  ➔ "Neither" refers to two things (in this case, her parents in the argument) and means 'not one or the other'. Because it refers to two things individually, it takes a singular verb ("was").

• I swore I'd never be like them

  ➔ Reported speech with "would". Past simple "swore" followed by "would + infinitive".

  ➔ This is an example of reported speech. The original thought or statement was likely "I will never be like them." When reported in the past (using "swore"), "will" changes to "would".

• The older I get, the more that I see

  ➔ The + comparative, the + comparative (parallel increase)

  ➔ This construction shows a correlation between two things: as one thing increases, the other also increases. In this case, as the speaker gets older, they understand more.

• My parents aren't heroes, they're just like me

  ➔ Simple present tense for stating a general truth.

  ➔ The simple present tense ("aren't", "are") is used to express a general truth or a fact that is generally accepted.

• And loving is hard, it don't always work

  ➔ Subject-verb agreement with a gerund phrase as the subject. (Incorrect use of "don't")

  ➔ "Loving" is a gerund (a verb acting as a noun). Since it's singular, the verb should be "doesn't." However, the use of "don't" is likely a deliberate colloquialism for emphasis or style.

• Sometimes it's better to let someone go

  ➔ It + be + adjective + to + infinitive (impersonal construction)

  ➔ This is an impersonal construction where "it" doesn't refer to anything specific. The focus is on the general truth or recommendation that letting someone go is sometimes better.