Old to Begin

Song Meaning

The lyrics of "Old to Begin" present a weary, almost defiant stance against the passage of time and the pressure to conform. The opening lines invite a kind of resigned acceptance of aging genius, suggesting a cycle of reinvention that feels both familiar and perhaps a bit futile. There's a clear rejection of external narratives or summaries, a desire to resist being boxed in by the "narrative age." The central tension seems to revolve around a feeling of being stuck or regressing, encapsulated in the repeated chorus: "Old to begin / I will set you back." This phrase suggests a cyclical nature, where starting anew actually leads to a return to an earlier, perhaps less desirable, state. It hints at a struggle against progress or change, a desire to rewind rather than move forward. The imagery of becoming "a fixture / Set in 1966" powerfully captures a sense of temporal displacement and stagnation. This feeling is contrasted with the idea of drifting apart and the peculiar notion of finding an "unidentical twin," which could imply a search for a kindred spirit or a reflection of oneself in an unexpected place. The later lines about "menopause," "stress and strain," and "credit cards" ground the abstract feelings of aging in concrete, relatable anxieties, while simultaneously acknowledging a hidden, "extraordinaire" past. Ultimately, the song crafts an effect of jaded introspection. The narrator appears to be grappling with the inevitability of aging and the feeling that past actions, however "extraordinaire," are destined to have consequences. The deliberate repetition and slightly off-kilter phrasing create a sense of a mind circling back on itself, unable to escape a particular, perhaps melancholic, loop.