Young At Heart

The lyrics reflect on people who had to grow up too soon, and on the speaker’s changing feelings toward them. They married young and, it seems, had little chance to enjoy childhood. The repeated question, “How come I love them now?” suggests that affection or understanding has grown with time. The mood is tender, but there is also regret and a sense of lost freedom.

“Old before their time” means becoming serious or burdened earlier than expected. The contrast between being “young at heart” and being denied the chance “to be a child at all” suggests that youth can describe a feeling, not just an age. “Walk out the door” may imply wanting to escape from a situation or a life that feels limiting, though the lyrics do not say exactly where the speaker hoped to go.

The song’s “they” could refer to a couple, a family, or another group whose choices and stories shaped the speaker’s childhood. The lines about being told “tales” and “lies” suggest disappointment, but do not explain what was hidden or why. The speaker may now love these people more because adulthood brings greater sympathy for their struggles, while still feeling the pain of what they could not provide.