The theme of growing, as portrayed in the lyrics of the song growing by ALAN HATCHER, is the concept of change within a relationship and the transition of growing from pressure to choice. One of the key elements brought within the song growing is the identified moment of recognizing that changes should be made and the concept of recognizing, instead of accepting or rejecting the thought, is met by humor and the concept of growing from a placed distance by ALAN HATCHER. The relevance of the first step of growing is important as it recognizes the concept of growing as resistance, irony, and the element of control.

But as the song progresses, the concept of growth slowly evolves. A joke turns into something more substantial. ALAN HATCHER resorts to the concept of growth in plants as a metaphor that is both simple and powerful. It seems almost reckless and insensitive on one level. On the second level, it becomes something of a representation of effort, of work, of responsibility. It would no longer be something that needs to be imposed upon ALAN HATCHER, something that ALAN HATCHER would then start to explore for his own reasons and motivations.

An excellent aspect of the lyrics can be found in their connection between the process of creativity and the process of growth. Songwriting as a process of development can be linked to planting a seed and caring for it. This also emphasizes that development can be more than just improving upon weaknesses. This process of development can also be linked to creativity, curiosity, and self-discovery, not as a function of meeting someone else’s expectations but as a function of self-understanding when nobody is there to push you. ALAN HATCHER reveals that he has been learning, has been grappling with self-doubt, and this has generated a sense of authenticity.

The song also lingers on memories of promises made and implied in a relationship. ALAN HATCHER considers how much was left unsaid in previous times, not due to nefarious motives, but because of how little they knew about themselves back then. This is a reflection without rancor. There is no finger-pointing at what went wrong in the relationship. It is simply an acknowledgment that we all grow at different levels and did the best we could.

Another very significant part of the lyrics is the emphasis on the need to be patient. Becoming has also been given as an analogy to plants, which are very delicate. ALAN HATCHER also understands that improving for another person takes kindness towards oneself as well. Forgiving oneself has also been linked to the healing process that an individual needs to possess when he or she wants to love another person, which requires some kind of healing that the lyrics make very straightforward to interpret rather than over-analyze.

But then, near the end of the song, the tone completely shifts. The sense of being pushed ahead that was so prevalentin the beginning actually reverses itself and turns into an invitation. ALAN HATCHER ceases from defensively or jokingly responding. ALAN HATCHER actually invites the other person to accompany him. This message is so vital because it gives the listener the understanding that real change is not something that catches up with somebody else. It’s finding yourself and then choosing to share that with somebody else.

In the context of the full album “Phantom Sounds,” “Growing” can be seen as a milestone in terms of themes being explored. Most of the songs in “Phantom Sounds” focus on the idea of being unheard and love being a reality that never gets accomplished. In “Growing,” instead, the lyrics demonstrate a shift from being frustrated to becoming assertive. The lesson of “Growing” is made evident through its own process of change from being distant to being near, from being protective to being open. 

The overall impact of “Growing” lyrics by ALAN HATCHER is that they maintain simplicity in ideas and allow the emotion to be complicated. They depict the fact that growing may be messy, slow, and even a funny situation to begin with. More importantly, they reveal that growing on one’s own can turn out to be a situation of love- not for others, but for oneself.