Give The Kid A Break
1927 Lyrics


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Little boy lost in games of make believe
Making up names and friends who play for free
Too many people in the real world
Telling him to be seen but never heard
He’s having a tough time keepin’ up at school
Tough enough just remembering all the rules
He’s learning the first few facts of livin’
Little mistakes stay unforgiven
And trouble comes when you don’t know what you’ve done

Why don’t you give (Give a little bit)
Give the kid a break

Little girl lost in dreams and magazines
Everyone laughs they call her “Movie Queen”
Nobody shows no understanding
Nobody shows her dreams that can be
Made to come true she’s stuck with making do

Why don’t you give (Give a little bit)
Give the kid a break
All the hard (all the hard, hard times)
The Hard times can wait

Why don’t you give (why not give)
Give a little bit (give the kid)
For the future’s sake (give the kid)
Give the kid a break

Too many kids are wondering “What’s the use?”
Every time they ask they get abused
Too many questions go unanswered
Too many kids are taking chances
Trying to find one good reason why

Why don’t you give (Give a little bit)
Give the kid a break
All the hard (all the hard, hard times)
The hard times can wait

Why don’t you give (why not give)
Give a little bit (give the kid)




For the future’s sake (give the kid)
Give the kid a break

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to 1927's song "Give the Kid a Break" tell the story of two children who are struggling to make sense of the real world around them. The first verse is about a boy who is lost in games of make-believe, creating imaginary friends as a way to escape from the pressures of the real world. The second verse is about a girl who dreams of being a movie queen, but is laughed at and has no one to understand her aspirations. Both children are struggling to find their place in the world, and the chorus encourages listeners to give them a break and show them some understanding.


The lyrics highlight the struggles that many children face, including feeling invisible or unheard, dealing with the pressures of school, and feeling like their dreams are out of reach. The song is a call to action for adults to pay attention, show compassion, and offer support to the children around them. The repeated refrain of "give a little bit" is a reminder that even small gestures of kindness can make a big difference in a child's life.


Overall, "Give the Kid a Break" is a poignant and thought-provoking song that speaks to the challenges of growing up and the importance of supporting the next generation. It encourages listeners to be more mindful of the children around them and to make an effort to build a more supportive and nurturing world.


Line by Line Meaning

Little boy lost in games of make believe
A young boy is lost in the imaginary world of his mind.


Making up names and friends who play for free
He has created imaginary friends who don't judge him.


Too many people in the real world
There are too many people who are telling him to conform.


Telling him to be seen but never heard
They want him to follow their rules without question.


He’s having a tough time keepin’ up at school
The young boy is struggling to keep up in his studies.


Tough enough just remembering all the rules
He is overwhelmed by the amount of rules he needs to remember.


He’s learning the first few facts of livin’
He is just starting to learn the basics of life.


Little mistakes stay unforgiven
He is not given a chance to learn from his mistakes.


And trouble comes when you don’t know what you’ve done
It is hard to fix a problem when you don't know what caused it.


Little girl lost in dreams and magazines
A young girl is lost in the idealized world of magazines.


Everyone laughs they call her “Movie Queen”
Others mock her for her dreams and aspirations.


Nobody shows no understanding
She is not given any empathy or support.


Nobody shows her dreams that can be
Nobody tells her that her dreams can be achieved.


Made to come true she’s stuck with making do
She feels like she has to settle for less than what she wants.


Too many kids are wondering “What’s the use?”
There are many children who are questioning the value of life.


Every time they ask they get abused
They are treated poorly when they express their doubts.


Too many questions go unanswered
Their questions are not taken seriously and often ignored.


Too many kids are taking chances
They are taking risks because they feel they have nothing to lose.


Trying to find one good reason why
They are searching for a purpose or something to believe in.


All the hard (all the hard, hard times)
Life is difficult and challenging for many children.


The Hard times can wait
Children deserve a break from their struggles and hardships.


Why don’t you give (why not give)
Why not provide some assistance.


Give a little bit (give the kid)
Extend a helping hand to a child in need.


For the future’s sake (give the kid)
Invest in the future by helping children in the present.


Give the kid a break
Children deserve a chance to be heard, supported, and understood.




Contributed by Hudson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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