3. "When You Were Young" by: The Killers

3. "When You Were Young" by: The Killers

The song “When You Were Young” by the Killers is a great example of the societal stereotypes we have created for girl that we discussed in English this year.  The following lyrics illustrate this:

“You sit there in your heart ache,

Waiting on some beautiful boy to

Save you from your old ways”

When we read the article from Dr. Learner, the idea was brought up that girls are raised to personify the damsel in distress archetype.  Society teaches our girls to wait around for boys.  For example, it isn’t socially accepted for a woman to ask out a guy, or ask him to a dance, or even propose.  This song tells about a girl who is doing just that, sitting around and waiting for “Mr. Right” to come along.  Instead of fixing anything or changing her lifestyle she waits for someone to come save her, and show her what she is doing wrong. 

The title itself, “When You Were Young” suggests that she has been fed these ideas ever since she was a little girl.  She has the perfect idea of a man she formed as a young girl, and waits for someone to fill that mold.