Lyrics
Who Knew
Expressing surprise or realization about something unknown
if i was a cute little kid
Fantasizing about being a cute little kid
i would show you the painting i did for you
Wishing to share a painting with someone special
but i'm up in the air i'm not here and not there
Feeling disconnected, neither here nor there
if i was a sad-eyed eighteen
Imagining doing something special for a sad-eyed eighteen-year-old
i would cut all the holes in your jeans for you
Expressing a willingness to make an effort for someone
but now what can i say i'm too little too late
Regret for being too little and too late
if i was a middle-aged man
Imagining doing something generous as a middle-aged man
i would buy you a new minivan or two
Expressing a desire to provide material support
but i'm stumbling around
Feeling lost or uncertain
with one foot on the ground
Struggling to find stability
if i was a hundred and three
Imagining being a hundred and three, sharing life experiences
i would share all my boring stories with you
Expressing a willingness to share mundane stories
but you caught me too soon
Feeling caught off guard or unprepared
darling what can i do
Expressing helplessness in the situation
all along i did what i could but you tell me my timing's no good
Reflecting on efforts made, but facing criticism for timing
who knew
Rhetorical question expressing surprise or irony
if i was marty mcfly
Imagining being Marty McFly and wanting to go back in time
i would go back to when we were nine or ten
Recalling a specific age from the past
and i'd be your best friend
Expressing a desire to be close friends at a young age
say that i knew you when
Claiming familiarity and connection from the past
if i was a ghost on your hall
Imagining a ghostly presence and its impact
i would haunt you and walk through your walls at night
Expressing a haunting desire to be close at night
but i'm flesh and i'm bone
Contrasting the desire with the reality of being flesh and bone
and i'm stiff as a stone
Emphasizing rigidity or stiffness in the present state
all along i did what i could but you tell me my timing's no good
Repeating the reflection on efforts and criticism for timing
who knew
Rhetorical question, reiterating surprise or irony
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