your little hand's wrapped around my finger
and it's so quiet in the world tonight
your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming

so i tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light
to you everything's funny
you got nothing to regret

I'd give all i have, honey
if you could stay like that
(chorus)

oh darling don't you ever grow up
don't you ever grow up
just stay this little

oh darling don't you ever grow up
don't you ever grow up
don't you ever grow up

it could stay this simple
i won't let nobody hurt you
won't no one break your heart

and no one will desert you
just try to never grow up
never grow up

you're in the car on the way to the movies
and you're mortified your mom's dropping you off
at 14, there's just so much you can't do

and you can't wait to move out someday
and call your own shots
but don't make her drop you off around the block

remember that shes getting older too
and don't lose the way you dance around your pj's getting ready for school
(chorus)

oh darling don't you ever grow up
don't you ever grow up
just stay this little

oh darling don't you ever grow up
don't you ever grow up
it could stay this simple

no one's ever burned you
nothing's ever left you scared
and even though you want to

please try to never grow up
take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home

remember the footsteps, remember the words said
and all your little brother's favorite songs
i just realized that everything i have is someday gonna be gone

so here i am in my new apartment
in a big city, they just dropped me off
it's so much colder than i thought it would be

so i tuck myself in and turn my night light on
wish I'd never grow up
i wish I'd never grow up

oh i don't wanna grow up
wish I'd never grown up
i could still be little

oh, i don't wanna grow up
wish I'd never grown up
it could still be simple

oh darling don't you ever grow up
don't you ever grow up
just stay this little

oh darling don't you ever grow up
it could stay this simple
won't let nobody hurt you

won't let no one break your heart
and even though you want to
please try to never grow up

oh
don't you ever grow up
never grow up

just never grow up