KIDS
Childish Gambino Lyrics


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If we were kids
I'd want to give you everything that you would want
Those other boys
They gave you toys, but all they wanna do is
Keep up
Keep up, keep up, keep up
That's all I want, keep up
Keep up with me, keep up
Keep up
Keep up, keep up, keep up
That's all I want, keep up
Keep up with me, keep up

I guess I'm fucking now
I'm getting used to it
It's cause I shine, and I ain't gotta use a crucifix
Fuck the fussing and fighting and arguing to this and that
And "Why you bein' mean to me Donald?" I never texted back
I know it's comin' quick, wishin' I could fast forward
Tell these nice girls they're the reason that I'm an asshole
Omega to alpha male, because of that dollar bill
When I worked the mail room I ain't have a shot in hell
I called her ass for two months and heard shit from her
These girls couldn't care less when the chips under
The chips are up and on my shoulder, you heard me?
I take it out on girls who don't even deserve it
The girls I tried to hit last year, I still might
Karma's a bitch who doesn't suck, but I still like
If we were kids I'd have the black K-swiss and reebok
If we were kids I wouldn't act like this but we not

If we were kids
I'd want to give you everything that you would want
Those other boys
They gave you toys, but all they wanna do is
Keep up
Keep up, keep up, keep up
That's all I want, keep up
Keep up with me, keep up
Keep up
Keep up, keep up, keep up
That's all I want, keep up
Keep up with me, keep up

You made a mistake
These dudes man you bathing in apes
Finding you is like finding Asians I hate
But they say I got a fetish, nah I'm skipping all of it
Black or white girls come with a set of politics
That's all I was saying
I'm a proud man
They wanna holla when they see your name on SoundScan
Her name Mercedes but she push a brown Focus
And she's doing coke in front of me, but act like I don't notice
"There any breakage in that Trojan?"
She see what she wanna see
So I make her take plan B in front of me
Women talk shit on men like all day
But it's Pete Wentz, goes both ways
They too busy stabbing hoes like OJ
They too busy trapping pros like Kobe
The only thing I put before me is do re
If you had told me the truth we'd be OK

If we were kids
I'd want to give you everything that you would want
Those other boys
They gave you toys, but all they wanna do is
Keep up
Keep up, keep up, keep up
That's all I want, keep up
Keep up with me, keep up
Keep up
Keep up, keep up, keep up




That's all I want, keep up
Keep up with me, keep up

Overall Meaning

In "Kids", Childish Gambino is reminiscing about the innocence and simplicity of childhood, and how life has changed as he has grown into an adult. He wants to go back to a time where he could simply give his love interest everything that she would want, as opposed to the materialistic things that other boys have given her. He wants someone who can keep up with him emotionally and mentally, as well as physically. He speaks about his newfound fame and success, and how it has shaped his identity and relationships with others. He admits to being used to the attention he now receives, but he dislikes the constant fighting and arguments that come with it. He takes out his frustration on women who do not deserve it, and acknowledges that karma will come back to bite him in the future. He makes references to celebrities such as Kobe Bryant and Pete Wentz, showing that he is aware of the hypocrisies in the entertainment industry.


Line by Line Meaning

If we were kids
If we were younger and more innocent


I'd want to give you everything that you would want
I would aim to provide you with everything that you would desire


Those other boys
Other guys in your life


They gave you toys, but all they wanna do is
They gave you material possessions, but all they aim to do is


Keep up
Compete with each other


That's all I want, keep up
That's all I desire from you, to compete with me


Keep up with me, keep up
Match my level of ambition and pace


I guess I'm fucking now
I'm having sexual relationships currently


I'm getting used to it
I'm becoming accustomed to it


It's cause I shine, and I ain't gotta use a crucifix
It's because I'm successful, and I don't need to rely on any religious beliefs


Fuck the fussing and fighting and arguing to this and that
I don't want to deal with any unnecessary drama and conflict


And "Why you bein' mean to me Donald?" I never texted back
I don't respond to people who are rude to me


I know it's comin' quick, wishin' I could fast forward
I know change is coming soon, and I wish I could skip ahead to the future


Tell these nice girls they're the reason that I'm an asshole
I blame these kind girls I've encountered for my cruel behavior


Omega to alpha male, because of that dollar bill
I went from being at the bottom to being the dominant man because of my wealth


When I worked the mail room I ain't have a shot in hell
When I worked in the mail room, I had no hope for success


I called her ass for two months and heard shit from her
I tried to contact her for two months, and she never responded


These girls couldn't care less when the chips under
These girls don't care about me when I'm not rich and famous


The chips are up and on my shoulder, you heard me?
Now that I'm successful, I have a chip on my shoulder


I take it out on girls who don't even deserve it
I release my anger on girls who have done nothing wrong


The girls I tried to hit last year, I still might
I may still try to pursue girls I attempted to date last year


Karma's a bitch who doesn't suck, but I still like
I know that karma exists, and that it can be cruel, but I still acknowledge its presence


If we were kids I'd have the black K-swiss and reebok
If we were younger, I would wear specific types of shoes


If we were kids I wouldn't act like this but we not
If we were younger, I wouldn't behave the way I do now, but we have grown up


You made a mistake
You did something wrong


These dudes man you bathing in apes
These guys you hang out with are foolish and act like wild animals


Finding you is like finding Asians I hate
It's hard to find you, just like how I don't like finding Asians


But they say I got a fetish, nah I'm skipping all of it
People accuse me of having a fetish, but I'm avoiding those accusations


Black or white girls come with a set of politics
Girls, regardless of their race, have certain beliefs and opinions


That's all I was saying
That's all I meant to say


I'm a proud man
I am a confident person


They wanna holla when they see your name on SoundScan
People want to talk to you when they see your name doing well on SoundScan


Her name Mercedes but she push a brown Focus
She has a luxurious name, but drives a basic car


And she's doing coke in front of me, but act like I don't notice
She is using drugs in front of me, but pretends that I don't notice


"There any breakage in that Trojan?"
She is asking if there was a problem with the condom


She see what she wanna see
She perceives things the way she wants to


So I make her take plan B in front of me
I make her take the emergency contraceptive in front of me


Women talk shit on men like all day
Women speak badly about men regularly


But it's Pete Wentz, goes both ways
It can apply to both genders, just like Pete Wentz's bisexuality


They too busy stabbing hoes like OJ
They are too preoccupied with being violent, just like OJ Simpson's incident


They too busy trapping pros like Kobe
They are too focused on trapping women, just like Kobe Bryant's case


The only thing I put before me is do re
The only thing I prioritize myself with is money


If you had told me the truth we'd be OK
If you had been honest with me, our relationship would have been fine


Keep up
Continue to match my level of ambition and pace


Keep up, keep up, keep up
Continuously strive to reach my level


That's all I want, keep up
That's all I desire, for you to keep up with me


Keep up with me, keep up
Match my level of ambition and pace


Keep up, keep up, keep up
Continuously strive to reach my level


That's all I want, keep up
That's all I desire, for you to keep up with me




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DONALD MCKINLEY GLOVER II

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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