Ryan Gillmor seems fearless. Bravely leaving the comforts of an idle 4-man … Read Full Bio ↴Ryan Gillmor seems fearless. Bravely leaving the comforts of an idle 4-man band, he ventures out into the enormous sea of hopeful musicians unescorted. With a lot of determination, hope, and a guitar or two, an with the musical freedom he’s always dreamed of, things start moving like the speed of, well…sound.

On July 4th, 2006, Ryan released his debut solo ep, “California Summer.”
With headphones in hand, he followed 2006’s Van’s Warped Tour, selling 2,000 copies at 20 stopsacross the country. In mere months, he shared the stage with such acts as Butch Walker, The Matches, The Higher, Lydia, Better Than Ezra, Collective Soul, Anna Nalick, Howie Day, Never Heard of it, Jupiter Sunrise, Wheatus, Brandston, Melee, Brighten, Danger Radio, Mayday Parade, Sister Hazel, Ronnie Day, Secondhand Serenade, Meg and Dia, Daphne Loves Derby, The Bravery, Sugarcult, Waking Ashland, The Velvet Teen, Tesla, and many more. With the release of his second solo ep, “Counting the Days” in 2007, a second and more successful Van’s Warped Tour trip quickly followed, selling well over 2,000 cds at over 20 stops coast-to-coast. “Counting the Days” has found Ryan more attention than ever, earning his first single, titled, “Hey,” regular rotation on KWOD 106.5, one of Sacramento’s leading radio stations. Packing clubs around Sacramento, Ryan felt the urge to expand his one-man-act into a full, hard-hitting band, adding Los Angeles area band members Jimmy Marvich, Justin Ivey, Tyler Thompson, and Jake Harrison. The stellar addition of these musicans has taken the music to an exciting new level, earning them attention from major music labels, and showcasing for Atlantic, Downtown, and J Records, with more to come.

With soulful melodies, powerful, dead-on vocals, and lyrics so relatable
they will bring a person back in time to an experience similarly shared. Ryan brings beautiful, quirky music right down to earth.

Kids Will Be Kids
Gillmor Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I was a kid, with everything I did
I can't believe that I'm alive and not six feet under ground
Cuz when I was a child I was living on the wild
And I can't believe that I'm still around

Let the kids make up their minds and do what they do best
Walk along the streets of broken hearts and lonelyness
Crimson eyes define the pain that words cannot explain

Tears will fall like rain
Kids are gonna fuck it up and learn from their mistake
And if I had a buck a time a fortune I could make
We can all pretend that we were not the same
But afterall this life is just a game

-Chorus-
When I was a kid, with everything I did
I can't believe that I'm alive and not six feet under ground
Cuz when I was a child I was living on the wild
And I can't believe that I'm still around

I was only 17 and skippin' out of school
Authority would treat me like an adolescent fool
Lips are meant for kissin' ass and breakin' down the wall
To rise above it all

-Chorus-

I can see the parents as their children walk the line
I've heard the voice of repremand and now I'm doin' fine
I'd love to say I told you so like you once said to me
And we will be together in the end
As long as there's redemption to defend

-Chorus-

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gillmor's song "Kids Will Be Kids" speak to the wild, rebellious nature of youth and the experiences that come along with it. The lyricist reflects on their own experiences as a young person, living life on the edge and taking risks that could have easily led to their demise. The chorus repeats the sentiment that they can't believe that they're still alive, despite the dangerous behavior they engaged in.

The second verse specifically references the challenges of dealing with authority figures as a teenager. The lyricist paints a picture of being treated like a foolish child, with their every move scrutinized by those in charge. However, they ultimately triumphed over these obstacles, rising "above it all" with the power of their own determination.

The overall message of the song is that young people will inevitably make mistakes and test their limits, but this is a natural part of growing up. It's important for adults to allow them the freedom to learn from these experiences without judgment or punishment, while also offering guidance and support as needed.

Line by Line Meaning

When I was a kid, with everything I did
When I was young, I lived my life the way I wanted without caring about the consequences.

I can't believe that I'm alive and not six feet under ground
I'm amazed that I survived all of the risks I took, because I could have easily died.

Cuz when I was a child I was living on the wild
I was reckless and adventurous as a kid, without much regard for safety.

And I can't believe that I'm still around
I'm grateful that I wasn't seriously hurt or killed by my childhood antics.

Let the kids make up their minds and do what they do best
Children should have the freedom to make their own choices and discover their true talents.

Walk along the streets of broken hearts and lonelyness
Growing up can be emotionally challenging and kids need to learn empathy and compassion for others.

Crimson eyes define the pain that words cannot explain
Sometimes people are hurting so badly that they can't express it with words and may need help.

Tears will fall like rain
Crying is a natural way to process emotions, especially when going through tough times.

Kids are gonna fuck it up and learn from their mistake
Children are going to make mistakes, but that's how they grow and learn to become better people.

And if I had a buck a time a fortune I could make
If I had a dollar every time a kid messed up, I could make a lot of money.

We can all pretend that we were not the same
Adults tend to forget that they were once kids who made mistakes and should not judge kids too harshly.

But afterall this life is just a game
Ultimately, life is a journey and we should enjoy it while striving to be the best version of ourselves.

I was only 17 and skippin' out of school
At 17, I was rebellious and often skipped school, much to the dismay of authority figures.

Authority would treat me like an adolescent fool
Adults didn't take me seriously or respect my opinions because of my age and behavior.

Lips are meant for kissin' ass and breakin' down the wall
Sometimes you have to be persuasive and charming to get what you want in life.

To rise above it all
To succeed in life, you have to overcome obstacles and not let others bring you down.

I can see the parents as their children walk the line
As an adult, I understand what parents go through as they watch their children make choices and explore their identities.

I've heard the voice of repremand and now I'm doin' fine
I've been scolded and criticized before, but I learned from my mistakes and am doing well now.

I'd love to say I told you so like you once said to me
Part of growing up is realizing that our parents were right about some things and being able to admit it.

And we will be together in the end
Family will always be there for each other in the end, despite disagreements and rough patches.

As long as there's redemption to defend
As long as people are willing to forgive and learn from their mistakes, there is hope for the future.

Contributed by Tristan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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