Perpetual Child
Ice Age Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The seeds are drawn & scattered
Deep inside the hungry earth
We are as miracles conceived
Into the outstretched arms
Of an earnest but unfinished world
Into a life of ritual received

He played upon the swing
And wrestled on the soothing sands
He dreamt upon the dew - soaked grass
Watched the picture - screen
With wide & unsuspecting eyes
And spoke aloud before the class

Perpetual child
Read the fables in his hands
Unconvinced he let them fall
Perpetual child
On the edge of knowing
Perpetual child
At the foot of the Wetsren Wall

For a memory he was bound
Slipped away without a sound
Light a torch for one who tried & failed to cross
The Great Divide

Lost inside
The Great Divide
Lost inside
The Great Divide
Lost inside
The Great Divide
Lost inside
The Great Divide

They were as one beneath the shelter of the ancient tree
They carved their oath upon it′s bark
That is all that's left
Of passion & naivete
The twisting ache of unformed hearts

Perpetual child
His defenses in his hands
Terrified to let them fall
Perpetual child
On the edge of knowing
Perpetual child
At the foot of the Western Wall

The iron bonds of youth
Became precarious in his hands
He watched as his illusions fell away
The passage was to steep for him
His feet could find no hold
He never learned to climb

In the shadows of his room
Like the stillness of the womb
Vowed to reach beyond the prison of his history

For a memory he was bound
Slipped away without a sound
Light a torch for one who trued & failed to cross

The passage was too steep for him
His feet could find no hold
He never learned to climb

Perpetual child
Held the future in his hands
Defiantly he let it fall
Perpetual child
On the edge of knowing
Perpetual child
At the foot of the Western Wall

For a memory he was bound
Slipped away without a sound
To the wind consigned his freedom & identity

We become as strangers all
As we′re battered by the squalls
And retreat into the comfort of our secrecy

To a memory he was bound
For his ship has run aground
Light a torch for one who tried & failed to cross
The Great Divide

Lost inside
The Great Divide
Lost inside
The Great Divide
Lost inside
The Great Dive




Lost Inside
The Great Divide

Overall Meaning

Ice Age's song "Perpetual Child" is a poignant reflection on the journey towards adulthood and the difficulties that come with it. The band describes the seeds being drawn and scattered deep within the hungry earth, symbolizing the beginning of life's journey. They recognize that we are all miracles conceived, brought into the world of an unfinished reality and molded by rituals that we receive. The lyrics describe a child, one who plays on swings, wrestles on sandy beaches, and watches picture screens with wide, unsuspecting eyes. He is a perpetual child who, at the foot of the Western Wall, is on the edge of knowing, with fables and defenses in his hands.


As the song progresses, the child becomes lost, stuck in the Great Divide between youth and adulthood. He never learned to climb, and his feet could find no hold on the steep ascent towards maturity. In the shadows of his room, he vows to reach beyond the prison of his history and break free from the chains that bind him. However, he slips away without a sound, leaving only memories and unfulfilled aspirations.


The lyrics of this song invite the listener to reflect on their own journey towards maturity, the challenges they faced, and the memories of their past. It provides insight into the struggle of leaving childhood behind and the constant battle of maintaining one's innocence against the harsh realities of the world.


Line by Line Meaning

The seeds are drawn & scattered
The potential for growth is spread around randomly


Deep inside the hungry earth
Buried deep within the soil, eager to flourish


We are as miracles conceived
We come into existence through a miraculous process


Into the outstretched arms
Born into a world that is welcoming and supportive


Of an earnest but unfinished world
A world that is keen to be developed but not yet complete


Into a life of ritual received
Into a society that has customs and traditions that are passed down


He played upon the swing
Enjoying the simple pleasures of childhood


And wrestled on the soothing sands
Playing rough with friends in a peaceful setting


He dreamt upon the dew - soaked grass
Lying in the grass, imagining endless possibilities


Watched the picture - screen
Absorbing the world through the media


With wide & unsuspecting eyes
Without questioning what he's seeing or being told


And spoke aloud before the class
Uninhibited, sharing ideas without worrying about judgment


Perpetual child
One who can't quite let go of their youthfulness


Read the fables in his hands
Looking for answers and guidance in stories


Unconvinced he let them fall
Not fully trusting the tales he's been told


On the edge of knowing
Almost ready to understand something important


At the foot of the Western Wall
Feeling stuck and uncertain, unsure of what's next


For a memory he was bound
Chained to a past event or moment


Slipped away without a sound
Lost without warning, leaving an empty space


Light a torch for one who tried & failed to cross
Remembering those who have attempted something difficult and not succeeded


Lost inside
Feeling trapped and unable to move forward


They were as one beneath the shelter of the ancient tree
Bonded with someone under the protection of something old and wise


They carved their oath upon it′s bark
Making a promise that is tied to something permanent


That is all that's left
The relationship has ended and only a memory remains


Of passion & naivete
Of a time when emotions and ideals were still pure and innocent


The twisting ache of unformed hearts
The pain of a love that hasn't yet fully developed or grown


His defenses in his hands
Protecting himself from vulnerability and hurt


Terrified to let them fall
Scared to expose himself and let go of his barriers


The iron bonds of youth
The tight grip of holding onto one's young adulthood


Became precarious in his hands
Starting to slip away, becoming fragile and unstable


He watched as his illusions fell away
Seeing the world as it truly is, not as he desired it to be


The passage was too steep for him
The path he wanted to take was too difficult for him to navigate


His feet could find no hold
He had no firm footing or stability


He never learned to climb
He never developed the strength or skills to overcome obstacles


In the shadows of his room
Alone and hidden, away from the outside world


Like the stillness of the womb
Quiet and unmoving, like before birth


Vowed to reach beyond the prison of his history
Determined to break free from the limitations of his past


To the wind consigned his freedom & identity
Surrendering to fate, losing control of his life and sense of self


We become as strangers all
As we grow older and change, we become unfamiliar to ourselves and others


As we′re battered by the squalls
As life throws difficulties our way


And retreat into the comfort of our secrecy
Hiding our true selves and emotions in order to protect ourselves


For his ship has run aground
His life has hit a major obstacle or failure


To the wind consigned his freedom & identity
Giving up control and accepting whatever comes his way


Lost inside
Feeling trapped and unable to move forward




Contributed by Isaac D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

FunerealObsession

This is the album I wish Dream Theater released.

Mike Reiss

Imo, this is way heavier than images and words.

Mike Reiss

A classic of prog metal.

SolidHead

MORE THEN PERFECT!

Stephen Lella

They're playing Prog Power in 2023 - holy shit I can't wait

GreyWarden

I love this one

Ryan Martin

They’re back 🤘🤘🤘

mariajosse182

WOW WHAT A GREAT SONG!!! where can i dowload it???

D F

he sounds like Michael Sweet. which isn't a bad thing.

Drum Bang


"Ice Age" reunion scheduled for 2015
View the NEW "Ice Age" Official Fan Page on Facebook @
Ice Age Progressive Rock Band
For more details and updates

More Comments

More Versions