Child Of The Universe
Barclay James Harvest Lyrics


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I'm a child of South Africa
I'm a child of Vietnam
I'm a child of Northern Ireland
I'm a small boy with blood on his hands
Yes, I'm a child of the universe
Yes, I'm a child of the universe
You can see me on the TV every night
Always there to join in someone else's fight

I didn't ask to be born and I don't ask to die
I'm an endless dream, a dream machine
That cannot reason why

Yes, I'm a child of the universe
Yes, I'm a child of the universe




You can see me on the TV every day
I'm the child next door three thousand miles away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Barclay James Harvest's "Child of the Universe" depict a child who is a victim of war and political conflict all over the world. The opening line, "I'm a child of South Africa, I'm a child of Vietnam, I'm a child of Northern Ireland," emphasizes the message that the song conveys โ€“ war and conflict knows no boundary, and children are the most vulnerable victims. The line "I'm a small boy with blood on his hands" talks about how children, even though innocent, are caught up in violence and made to take part in it.


The chorus, "Yes, I'm a child of the universe," emphasizes how we are all connected in the world, and despite our differences and conflicts, we are all part of the same planet. The line "You can see me on TV every night, always there to join in someone else's fight" talks about how the media portrays these conflicts and how people observing them become passive observers.


The last verse, "I didn't ask to be born, and I don't ask to die, I'm an endless dream, a gene machine that cannot reason why," stresses how we are born into a world with no guarantee of peace or justice. The song calls for people to empathize with those who are suffering and to recognize that every child, regardless of where they are from, is equal and deserves to live in peace.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm a child of South Africa
I came into the world in South Africa


I'm a child of Vietnam
I was born in Vietnam


I'm a child of Northern Ireland
I was born in Northern Ireland


I'm a small boy with blood on his hands
I was involved in something where someone got hurt and it left me remorseful and feeling guilty.


Yes I'm a child of the universe
But I am first and foremost a creation of the universe


Yes I'm a child of the universe
And I belong to this universe like everyone else does


You can see me on the TV every night
I am constantly represented on television sets by people who exploit my experiences


Always there to join in someone else's fight
I get into conflicts often, usually on behalf of others and without the right motive or thought process


I didn't ask to be born and I don't ask to die
Being alive wasn't my choice and neither will be my death


I'm an endless dream, a gene machine
I am a being capable of dreaming and occupying an eternal place in this universe because of my genetic makeup


That cannot reason why
But in doing so, I may not always have the power to make sense of my experiences


Yes I'm a child of the universe
This fact remains inescapable and universal


Yes I'm a child of the universe
And no amount of physical or ideological diversity can change that fact


You can see me on the TV every day
It's too easy to exploit me for others' gains


I'm the child next door three thousand miles away
I am the same and different at the same time, whether you find me in your immediate vicinity or 3000 miles away




Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LEES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@EstebanSerra-sc8tq

Es ist so aktuell wie noch nieโคโคโค

@hildegardrichter

Das Lied ist so schรถn und zum Nachdenken...โค

@howa301

remember this from the 70's. still as relevant today and a brilliant song.

@olearyma57

Yep From that great LP Everybody is Everybody Else

@kevingill648

Love this song, the most underrated band ever!

@adamgretton1051

This was the 1st song I saw them play live in Ipswich 1977 - my 1st ever gig age 15. A stunning and life-changing experience! RIP Mel and Woolly, never forgotten.

@johnkuipers8625

๐Ÿ˜‚

@saqua22

That I'm a "child of the universe" just popped into my head. Then googled it out of boredom and found this lovely sad song - exactly how I'm feeling right now <3

@sheilajones2360

That's exactly what I did!

@marcusaurelius7461

@@sheilajones2360 There are amongst us those who are still listening ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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