Specials - Too Much Too Young - Lyrics Meaning

Released in 1980, this song tells the story of a teenage mother, with the lyrics suggesting she has wasted her life by having a child when still so young herself. Written by keyboard player Jerry Dammers, it was based on a 1969 Lloyd Charmer record titled `Birth Control'. With its updated soundtrack and modernized lyrics it manages to give us a pretty clear picture of the writer's stance on teenage pregnancy in just a fraction over two minutes.

At the start of the song we're given the impression that the singer might be saddened by the young woman's decision not to be with him. The lines, `You're married with a kid when you could be having fun with me,' hint at a little jealousy - especially when the word `could' is soon replaced with `should - but we soon realize there's a much stronger message being put across through the lyrics when the `kid' is described as, `...just another burden on the welfare state.'

The bulk of the song suggests that the young woman was foolish to have had the child in the first place and has ruined her own life by doing so, now facing a mundane existence, `chained to the cooker.' Towards the end, the lyrics really hit hard with a scathing personal attack stating that he might not want much from his own life but he can still look down or hers. It's not clear whether he doesn't want to be in her shoes or her child's shoes when he spits out the line, `...I'd really hate to have the same name as you,' but it's pretty harsh either way!