In this song, Steve Tyler seems to be talking about the music & entertainment industry which has the power to "jade" and cause cynicism within people over time. He's definitely not immune to it, and accepts that, but deplores the fact that his jaded outlook on the world has been subconsciously passed onto the others around him - namely his daughter. In a way, any parent could be singing this to their child. When you're younger, you have an optimism for the world that is quickly scrutinized by those who are elder, more maturer, and who have seen the "cruelties of the world" so to speak. Indirectly, especially as a parent, you can drastically alter a child's outlook on the world. While protecting your children from reality is wrong, so is exploring your own life with so much bitterness and distrust so that your kids learn nothing about things in life that really matter.
In this song, Steve Tyler seems to be talking about the music & entertainment industry which has the power to "jade" and cause cynicism within people over time. He's definitely not immune to it, and accepts that, but deplores the fact that his jaded outlook on the world has been subconsciously passed onto the others around him - namely his daughter. In a way, any parent could be singing this to their child. When you're younger, you have an optimism for the world that is quickly scrutinized by those who are elder, more maturer, and who have seen the "cruelties of the world" so to speak. Indirectly, especially as a parent, you can drastically alter a child's outlook on the world. While protecting your children from reality is wrong, so is exploring your own life with so much bitterness and distrust so that your kids learn nothing about things in life that really matter.