When I Grow Up

The Pussycat Dolls

About When I Grow Up

"When I Grow Up" is a song by American girl group The Pussycat Dolls from their second and final studio album Doll Domination (2008). It was released by Interscope Records on May 27, 2008, as the lead single from the album. "When I Grow Up" was their first single following the departure of the group's longest-standing member Carmit Bachar. The song was originally written with Britney Spears in mind, but her label rejected it. It was first recorded for Nicole Scherzinger's planned solo project, Her Name Is Nicole, but after its cancellation and Scherzinger's return to the group, she felt that the song was better suited for the group. It was written by Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas and Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, who also produced the song. It is an uptempo electropop song. It samples the 1966 song, "He's Always There" by British rock band The Yardbirds. "When I Grow Up" speaks about the desire to be famous, and was described as being "autobiographical" by Scherzinger. The single was received favorably by contemporary music critics, many of whom highlighted it as a stand-out. It peaked at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming the group's highest charting single since "Buttons" (2006). The song has sold over two million digital copies in the United States, making the Pussycat Dolls the first female group in digital history to have three singles pass the two million mark in digital sales. The song reached the top-five in countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and the top-ten in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. 


Year:
2008
4:06
47 
#3

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Boys call you sexy
And you don't care what they say
See every time you turn around
They screaming your name

Boys call you sexy
And you don't care what they say
See every time you turn around
They screaming your name

Now I've got a confession
When I was young I wanted attention
And I promised myself that I?d do anything
Anything at all for them to notice me

But I ain't complaining
We all wanna be famous
So go ahead and say what you wanna say

You don't know what its like to be nameless
Want them to know what your name is
'Cause see when I was younger I would say

When I grow up
I wanna be famous
I wanna be a star
I wanna be in movies

When I grow up
I wanna see the world
Drive nice cars
I wanna have groupies

When I grow up
Be on TV
People know me
Be on magazines

When I grow up
Fresh and clean
Number one chick
When I step out on the scene

Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it
You just might get it
You just might get it

Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it
You just might get it
You just might get it

They used to tell me I was silly
Until I popped up on the TV
I always wanted to be a superstar
And knew that singing songs would get me this far

But I ain't complaining
We all wanna be famous
So go ahead and say what you wanna say

You don't know what its like to be nameless
Want them to know what your name is
'Cause see when I was younger I would say

When I grow up
I wanna be famous
I wanna be a star
I wanna be in movies

When I grow up
I wanna see the world
Drive nice cars
I wanna have groupies

When I grow up
Be on TV
People know me
Be on magazines

When I grow up
Fresh and clean
Number one chick
When I step out on the scene

Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it
You just might get it
You just might get it

Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it
You just might get it
You just might get it

I see them staring at me
Ooh I'm a trendsetter
Yes this is true 'cause what I do
No one can do it better

You can talk about me
'Cause I'm a hot topic
I see you watching me watching me
And I know you want it, oh

When I grow up
I wanna be famous
I wanna be a star
I wanna be in movies

When I grow up
I wanna see the world
Drive nice cars
I wanna have groupies

When I grow up
Be on TV
People know me
Be on magazines

When I grow up
Fresh and clean
Number one chick
When I step out on the scene

Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it
You just might get it
You just might get it

Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it
You just might get it
You just might get it

When I grow up
I wanna be famous
I wanna be a star
I wanna be in movies

When I grow up
I wanna see the world
Drive nice cars
I wanna have groupies

When I grow up
Be on TV
People know me
Be on magazines

When I grow up
Fresh and clean
Number one chick
When I step out on the scene

Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it
You just might get it
You just might get it

Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it
You just might get it
You just might get it

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The Pussycat Dolls

The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble, founded in Los Angeles by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a burlesque troupe. After attracting national attention, Antin negotiated a record deal with Interscope Records in 2003 turning the group into a music franchise, which developed a global image and commercial brand overseen by Antin, Interscope and various partners. The first recording group (Nicole Scherzinger, Melody Thornton, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta, Kimberly Wyatt and Carmit Bachar) produced two albums and numerous singles between 2004 and 2009 including the world-wide hits "Don't Cha", "Stickwitu", "Beep", "Buttons", "When I Grow Up", "I Hate This Part", and "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)". "Stickwitu" earned a 2005 Gra… more »

3 fans

Written by: Rodney Jerkins, Jim McCarty, Paul Samwell-Smith, Theron Makiel Thomas, Timothy Jamahli Thomas

Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


20 facts about this song

Release Date
"When I Grow Up" was released by The Pussycat Dolls on May 27, 2008.
Song Lyrics' Meaning
The song lyrics cover ambition and future dreams, making it an empowering anthem for women and girls everywhere.
Chart Performance
"When I Grow Up" reached number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 6 on the UK Singles Chart.
Award Wins
The song won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Dancing in a Video in 2008.
Music Video
The video for "When I Grow Up" was directed by famous director Joseph Kahn and features the group in various scenarios envisioning the fame they seek.
Sales
"When I Grow Up" was certified Platinum in Australia and the United States.
Album
The song is part of the Pussycat Dolls' second studio album, "Doll Domination".
Producers
The song is produced by Ron Fair, Nicole Scherzinger and team of producers known as Darkchild.
Songwriting
The song was written by Theron Thomas, Timothy Thomas, and Rodney Jerkins.
Noteworthy Performance
The Pussycat Dolls performed "When I Grow Up" at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.
Cover Versions
It was notably covered by the cast of the TV show "Glee" in 2015.
Genre
The genre of "When I Grow Up" is dance-pop and R&B.
Recognition
Billboard named the song #96 on their list of "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time".
Featured Artists
The song does not feature other artists, but it prominently showcases lead vocalist Nicole Scherzinger.
Cultural Impact
The song is universally recognized as a vibrant representation of late 2000s pop culture.
Music Video Views
As of 2021, the music video for "When I Grow Up" has over 165 million views on YouTube.
Song Inspiration
A key motif in the song is dealing with the misconception that fame and success come easily, and was largely inspired by the group's rise to stardom.
Sample
The song utilizes a sample from The Yardbirds' 1965 song, "I'm Not Talking" on its bridge part.
Worldwide Reception
"When I Grow Up" was a global hit, charting in the top 10 in over 15 countries.
Live Performances
The song is often used as a closing number in The Pussycat Dolls’ concert tours.

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    When I Grow Up

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 2008

    Billboard #9


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