This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
When we were young, the future was so bright (whoa)
The old neighborhood was so alive (whoa)
And every kid on the whole damn street (whoa)
Was gonna make it big and not be beat
Now the neighborhood's cracked and torn (whoa)
The kids are grown up but their lives are worn (whoa)
How can one little street swallow so many lives?
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams, go
Jamie had a chance, well, she really did (whoa)
Instead she dropped out and had a couple of kids (whoa)
Mark still lives at home 'cause he's got no job (whoa)
Just plays guitar and smokes a lot of pot
Jay committed suicide (whoa)
Brandon OD'd and died (whoa)
What the hell is going on?
The cruelest dream, reality
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams, go
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams
The old neighborhood was so alive (whoa)
And every kid on the whole damn street (whoa)
Was gonna make it big and not be beat
Now the neighborhood's cracked and torn (whoa)
The kids are grown up but their lives are worn (whoa)
How can one little street swallow so many lives?
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams, go
Jamie had a chance, well, she really did (whoa)
Instead she dropped out and had a couple of kids (whoa)
Mark still lives at home 'cause he's got no job (whoa)
Just plays guitar and smokes a lot of pot
Jay committed suicide (whoa)
Brandon OD'd and died (whoa)
What the hell is going on?
The cruelest dream, reality
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams, go
Chances thrown, nothing's free
Longing for what used to be
Still it's hard, hard to see
Fragile lives, shattered dreams
Lyrics submitted by spitfirek7, edited by UndeadFan112
The Kids Aren't Alright Lyrics as written by Bryan Keith Holland
Lyrics © ROUND HILL CARLIN, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think this song is about our childhoods, and how eagar we were to venture into the world, we were all hell bent on succession. But then the teen years roll around and everyone's made mistakes and screwed up their life bad. Longing for how we used to be, happy go lucky with something to hope for and live by. And you watch your friends turn from young perfect children to suicidal, or getting in a mess with teen pregnancy, and other mistakes many people have made time after time, and chances we should have taken, gone now, and no one's giving us a ride into the world, and its hard and again we're wishing for what used to be.
reminds me of myself..... i wish i was 5 again
Great song. This song makes me think about when you are younger you go into the world with aims. You all have high aims like doctors and vets and hairdressers. But when you get older you realise this may not be realistic. Things can get in the way of things like this that kids hadn't planned on. You look back on when you were a kid when you thought you could make it big and every thing was so simple and wish you were back there.
This song is blunt with no hidden meaning. When you were six suicide or drugs werent even in your vocabulary so it's just growing up, seeing and hearing shit that is depressing or what have you. "Longing for used to be." <---says it all
not my fav but like 2# fuck yeah btw #1 is gone away.....look into it
This song is about how as kids we are so innocent and have big dreams, being doctors scholars, etc... but when they become exposed to all the evil stuff in the world (suicide, teen pregnancy, dong drugs and overdosing). Because once you go that path there's no gong back. It's the teenage dilemma, "longing for what used to be." After all the cruelest dream is reality!
Every person named in the second verse of this song I know one of them: I knew a girl who had a chance, but got pregnant....I know a guy who rather sit and do drugs and nothing more....I have a friend who committed suicide(really got to me) and I have a friend who OD'd and almost died.....Unfortunatly the "Cruelest dream is reality" AND mentioned above about teens making the "wrong desicions" its true.....As we see in this song, MISTAKES ARE HARD TO UNDO
i think i used to live in this neighborhood
Wait, did we live in the same neighborhood then? lol. My best friend Jason commited suicide 6 years ago. When he was 20 and I was 19. A good friend of ours, Brandon o.d'd on heroin just last year and died. My ex high school girlfriend Jamie dropped out of school in 9th grade, pregnant with her first child, she has had 5 now. She was head of the student council and in mostly honor classes. My friend Mark is a guitar player in garage bands. He smokes pot and drinks heavily. I think he may have a job now, at McDonalds. I am not joking at all. I think this song was written about my old neighborhood name by name. I am going to have to see if Dexter Holland grew up aroung me somewhere lol. Seriously. It's uncanny!
Wait, did we live in the same neighborhood then? lol. My best friend Jason commited suicide 6 years ago. When he was 20 and I was 19. A good friend of ours, Brandon o.d'd on heroin just last year and died. My ex high school girlfriend Jamie dropped out of school in 9th grade, pregnant with her first child, she has had 5 now. She was head of the student council and in mostly honor classes. My friend Mark is a guitar player in garage bands. He smokes pot and drinks heavily. I think he may have a job now, at McDonalds. I am not joking at all. I think this song was written about my old neighborhood name by name. I am going to have to see if Dexter Holland grew up aroung me somewhere lol. Seriously. It's uncanny!
It's pretty sad how everything's become. Probably everyone's seen this neighborhood before, or at least heard of it. :S
i totally agree with insanity x! now that ive read that comment, ill never hear this song the same way again. it is by far one of the greatest songs of all time dontcha think? and its message is so cool. how could anyone not think this is a good song?!? i was gonna add my own interpretation, but insanity x has got it on the dot! way ta go! and yeah, this song is sad when you think about it. the more times i hear it the better and sadder it gets.
This reminds me alot of my old street. Too much.
1 of the truest lines in a song:The cruelest dream, reality