All the kids, all the kids these days
All the kids, all the kids these days
Do you really wanna be that way?
Do you really wanna be that way?
Let me say, let me say, let me say
Let me say, let me say, let me say
Does it really have to be that way?
Does it really have to be that way?
And, did you know you could make me scream?
And, did you know you could make me scream?
Like the kids in the neighborhood
Like the kids in the neighborhood
Tell me what to say, tell me what to say
Tell me what to say, tell me what to say
Did you do your best today?
Did you do your best today?
All the girls, all the girls these days
All the girls, all the girls these days
Did you do your best today?
Did you do your best today?
All the boys, all the boys these days
All the boys, all the boys these days
Look away, look away, look away
Look away, look away, look away
Champagne, cocaine, champagne, cocaine, champagne, cocaine, champagne
You better just manage your weight
You better just manage your weight
Let me say, let me say, let me say
Let me say, let me say, let me say
You could do your best today
You could do your best today
All the kids, all the kids these days
Do you really wanna be that way?
Do you really wanna be that way?
Let me say, let me say, let me say
Let me say, let me say, let me say
Does it really have to be that way?
Does it really have to be that way?
And, did you know you could make me scream?
And, did you know you could make me scream?
Like the kids in the neighborhood
Like the kids in the neighborhood
Tell me what to say, tell me what to say
Tell me what to say, tell me what to say
Did you do your best today?
Did you do your best today?
All the girls, all the girls these days
All the girls, all the girls these days
Did you do your best today?
Did you do your best today?
All the boys, all the boys these days
All the boys, all the boys these days
Look away, look away, look away
Look away, look away, look away
Champagne, cocaine, champagne, cocaine, champagne, cocaine, champagne
You better just manage your weight
You better just manage your weight
Let me say, let me say, let me say
Let me say, let me say, let me say
You could do your best today
You could do your best today
Lyrics submitted by AndrewIndie, edited by jdc00
Tell 'Em Lyrics as written by Derek Miller Sydney Alexis Krauss
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I'm surprised at these interpretations saying Alexis is pointing fingers at the younger generation... I personally think it's more of Alexis embodying society's views towards youth and just rehashing all the cliche and demeaning phrases used towards kids.
The older generation (and even the media if we wanna go a bit further) generally believe that all kids are about now a days are things like "cocaine, champagne, cocaine, champagne" and they're constantly saying "do you really want to be that way?" urging kids to change their ways and conform.
I feel like the title "Tell 'Em" really hints at the irony of it, because it's like she's telling the kids to rebel and resist against what the greater society is telling them to do, and basically "Tell 'em off."
I could be completely off base but that's what I'm thinking. Maybe Sleigh Bells aren't a band that uses irony in this way, but I really can't think of it as looking down on young people when a lot of their other songs seem to be centered around youth culture in a non-demeaning way. And after all they're a rock band, not some angry group of old geezers.