Society, as a rule, condemns people who stubbornly do not want to grow up and first linger in childhood, then enjoy their youth longer than usual, and then refuse to call themselves old people until death. Respectable uncles and aunts consider them careless lazy people who are afraid of responsibility (although it is possible that it is envy), and in popular psychology a special term was coined for this phenomenon – the Peter Pan complex.
That’s exactly what – “Peter Pan Complex” – was the name of the famous song “What’s My Age Again?” (“How Old Am I?”) by the popular American punk band Blink-182, written by bassist Mark Hoppus and guitarist Tom DeLonge.
The prototype of the main character of the song was Hoppus. He always seemed like a big kid even compared to his Blink-182 comrades, although they aren’t too serious either.
Released in November 1999, “What’s My Age Again?” was the first single from the band’s third album, “Enema of the State”, and one of their most successful songs.
Its success was largely facilitated by a wild video in which the members of Blink-182 in full force run naked through the streets. In fact, in the scenes that were filmed outside the set, the guys were wearing tiny thongs, but they are not visible in the frame.
Subsequently, Mark Hoppus said that this video became a real curse for them, because since then everyone began to ask them to take off their pants or wonder if there would be a continuation in the same spirit.
Interesting Facts
- Change title from “Peter Pan Complex” to “What’s My Age Again?” the musicians of the group were forced into the record company MCA Records.
- Some lines of the song were written by Mark on the day of the studio recording, so some phrases are not in the demo version of “What’s My Age Again?”.
- During live performances, Hoppus often reworks the lyrics and title of the song. For example, “What’s My Asian Friend?” (“Where is my Asian friend?”).
- The video features adult star Jeanine Lindemulder, who is also featured on the cover of the Enema of the State album.
Lyrics of What’s My Age Again? by Blink-182
I took her out, it was a Friday night
I wore cologne to get the feeling right
We started makin’ out and she took off my pants
But then, I turned on the TV
I put on perfume to make things go right
We started making out and she pulled down my pants
But at that moment I turned on the TV And that’s about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you’re 23
And are still more amused by TV shows
What the hell is ADD, my friends say I should act my age
What’s my age again?
What’s my age again? That’s when she left me
Nobody likes that you’re 23
More fun TV shows
What the f**k is ADD, my friends say I should act my age
How old am I?
How old am I? Then later on, on the drive home
I called her mom from a pay phone
I said I was the cops and your husband’s in jail
This state looks down on sodomy
I called her mom from a pay phone
And he said that I was from the police, and her husband was behind bars,
Because this state is on trial for homosexuality and that’s about the time that bitch hung up on me
Nobody likes you when you’re 23
And are still more amused by prank phone calls
What the hell is caller ID, my friends say I should act my age
What’s my age again?
What’s my age again? That bitch hung up the phone
Nobody likes that you’re 23
More fun phone pranks
What the f**k is this AON, my friends say I should act my age
How old am I?
How old am I? And that’s about the time she walked away from me
Nobody likes you when you’re 23
And you still act like you’re in freshman year
What the hell is wrong with me, my friends say I should act my age
What’s my age again? That’s when she left me
Nobody likes that you’re 23
Acting like a freshman
Crap! What’s wrong with me, friends say I should act my age
How old am I? That’s about the time that she broke up with me (what’s my age again?)
No one should take themselves so seriously
With many years ahead to fall in line
Why would you wish that on me, I’ll never wanna act my age
What’s my age again?
What’s my age again? That’s when she broke up with me (my age again?)
Nobody should take themselves so seriously
If I have so many more years of life ahead of me,
Why do you demand this from me, I don’t want to behave according to my age
How old am I?
How old am I?
Song quote
This song is about Mark . He’s twenty-eight and he’s still acting like a kid… rolling on the floor and all.
Tom DeLong
