Children
A.M.O.S Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Words are whispered low
Confessing sins
They must invent
Harmless fantasies
Penance they must pay
And their souls
Must all be saved
You call them the sins of children
And children must be brave
You call them the sins of children
And children, children must all be saved
Angry voices heard
From another room
Afraid to move
Afraid to cry
And if they should die
Before the morning breaks
Pray their souls Someone will take
You call them the sins of children
And children must be brave
You call them the sins of children
And children, children must all be saved
They must be saved
The lyrics to A.M.O.S's song "Children" describe a scene of children confessing their "sins" on bended knees, whispering words of harmless fantasies and paying penance for their supposed misdeeds. The song implies that these sins are invented by the adults in power, who demand that the children be brave and save their souls through penitence. The children are afraid to move or cry, and if they should die, they pray for someone to take their souls. The song paints a picture of a world in which adults impose their morality on the innocent and demand obedience and submission to uphold their authority.
The repeated refrain of "You call them the sins of children / And children must be brave / You call them the sins of children / And children, children must all be saved" creates a haunting and sad tone. The lyrics suggest that the sins are not real or harmful, but are imposed on the children to control and manipulate them. The phrase "children must be brave" implies that they are enduring something difficult, but they must do so for their own salvation. The line "pray their souls someone will take" adds to the sadness and desperation of the scene, as the children hope for some kind of redemption or rescue from their oppressors.
Overall, the lyrics to "Children" paint a picture of a world in which adults impose their morality on the innocent and demand that they submit to their authority, even if it means inventing sins or causing harm in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
Down on bended knees
The children are being forced to confess their supposed sins and submit to the authority of the adults.
Words are whispered low
The children are scared and are speaking softly to avoid being punished further.
Confessing sins
The children are being made to admit to things that they did not actually do.
They must invent
The children are being pressured into making up imaginary faults to appease the adults.
Harmless fantasies
The so-called sins the children are being accused of are innocent and imaginative.
Penance they must pay
The children are being punished for things they never did, and they have to suffer further to make amends for fake sins.
And their souls
The adults are more concerned with controlling the children's spiritual wellbeing than their happiness.
Must all be saved
The children's souls are thought to be in danger and need to be rescued by the adults.
You call them the sins of children
The adults label innocent behavior as sins and use it as an excuse for their cruelty.
And children must be brave
The children are forced to be brave and not show their fear, as they risk being punished further.
Angry voices heard
The adults are agitated and are taking out their frustrations on the children.
From another room
The abuse is happening somewhere where the children cannot escape or get help.
Afraid to move
The children are frozen in fear and cannot bring themselves to act.
Afraid to cry
The children are not allowed to express their emotions, and so they suffer in silence.
And if they should die
The situation is so terrible that the children fear for their lives.
Before the morning breaks
The abuse continues all night long.
Pray their souls Someone will take
The children hope that someone, anyone, will rescue them from this torment.
They must be saved
The children's lives, both physical and spiritual, are in peril and they need to be rescued from their abusers.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Martha Helen Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind