1965 Lyrics – Jessie Murph

1965 Lyrics Meaning

[Intro]
This part sets a sarcastic tone, painting an exaggerated picture of the 1960s as a “perfect” time. She mentions things like big hair, cheap drügs, and outdated ideas—like smoking being healthy and women staying in the kitchen. She’s poking fun at how that time is often romanticized, even though it was full of messed-up norms. It’s like she’s saying, “Sure, it looked great, but let’s not forget how crazy some of it actually was.”

[Verse 1]
Here, she imagines a traditional setup where he works and she stays home, doing fun things like singing, but it quickly turns dark. She mentions being hit—not publicly or online, but behind closed doors—suggesting how things were hidden back then. She’s tired of being treated badly and getting late-night texts like she owes him something. She’s upset he didn’t put in effort when they were apart, like writing letters. Even if he was unfaithful, she says back then she wouldn’t have known, which hints at how women were often kept in the dark. There’s frustration and sadness here, mixed with sarcasm and longing for something real and respectful—even if it’s flawed.

[Chorus]
She’s wishing he would love her like people supposedly did back in 1965—with more commitment, presence, and effort. Even though that era had its problems, she’s craving the kind of old-school affection and attention that feels rare now. The repetition of “hair up high” is a nod to that retro style, showing how she’s romanticizing the past. She even says she might give up a few freedoms if it meant being loved fully—showing just how desperate she feels for a deeper, more stable connection.

[Verse 2]
She dreams of a guy who would show up with flowers, ask how she’s doing, and spend time doing simple things like going to the movies or diners. She’d enjoy sweet, physical closeness. Then she makes a bold and darkly humorous point—saying she’d be twenty and he could be forty, which is obviously not okay, but she’s using that to highlight how twisted some standards were back then. Still, she thinks that kind of guy wouldn’t treat her like trash the way her current one does, like speeding off before she even gets in the car. She’s angry, hurt, and just wants to be treated like she matters.

[Chorus]
Again, she repeats the wish to be loved like it’s 1965. It’s not really about that year—it’s more about wanting someone to be all-in, to show up, and to make her feel like she’s enough. The retro references—like the big hair—tie into how she pictures that kind of love. She’s saying she might even accept less independence just to feel truly valued. It’s a raw confession that shows how empty and one-sided her current relationship feels in comparison.

[Outro]
Now she’s kind of rambling, blending humor and sadness. She jokes about not knowing if certain things existed back then, like Bud Light or movies, but what she’s really saying is: none of that stuff matters. What matters is the feeling of belonging to someone and being loved in return. She throws in a thought about having nine daughters and missing out on things like *Dirty Dancing*, but still imagining that kind of love where her partner reads and cares. It’s dreamy, weird, and heartfelt all at once.