All These Kids I Never Knew
Jesse Marchant Lyrics
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All I heard was rain on my windowsill
In the passing days
Before the blood dried
There was all this will
You can share a picture
And show how much you care
While you are running away
To be fat and scared
Saddest man running
I have ever seen
Who's gonna stand a chance
I wouldn't have, no one ever would
When your fate lies in the hands
Of a black heart hanging inside
To be so proud in your hateful form
Big grown man, small as an ant
It's a long ride home
This year from the pride parade
And the streetlights shine
Onto soft skin and young lovers' wills
Who you gonna tell who to love
When everyone's just trying
To feel alright
Since I was a kid I have fought
A darkness I would never shake
When there is so little left to feel
But from the touch
Of the one you trust
It is a long life
To be handled like old shoes
And they are all these kids
All these kids I never knew
The song All These Kids I Never Knew by Jesse Marchant portrays the tragedy of violence and the fundamental human issue of acceptance. The first verse describes how the sound of gunfire has become normalized in society, to the point where it sounds like rain on a windowsill. The second verse describes the vulnerability of the victim, who is shot in the back while running away. The bridge delves into the idea that hate exists in people of all types, whether they are big and proud or small and scared.
The third verse pivots to the subject of love and relationships, painting a picture of young lovers under the soft glow of streetlights. The chorus brings in the theme of acceptance, asking who has the right to dictate who should love whom, and how important it is to simply feel alright in a world that can often be hostile. The final verse reflects on the singer's own personal struggles with darkness and how his trust in someone else can help him cope. The song ends with a somber note as the singer reflects on all the kids he never knew, who were stripped of their potential due to senseless violence and societal division.
Overall, the lyrics of the song are extremely emotive and thought-provoking, highlighting the importance of empathy and understanding in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving. It is a song that encourages the listener to open their hearts and minds, to seek out common ground with others, and to fight against the forces of hate and oppression that seek to divide us.
Line by Line Meaning
When the shots rang out
When the gunshots were fired
All I heard was rain on my windowsill
I was inside my house, and the sound of the gunshots sounded like raindrops hitting my windowsill.
In the passing days
As time went by
Before the blood dried
Immediately after the shooting, before the blood had dried
There was all this will
There was a strong desire to do something about the tragedy
You can share a picture
You can share a photo on social media
And show how much you care
To show that you care about what happened
To be shot in the back
To be shot from behind
While you are running away
While you are trying to escape
To be fat and scared
To be overweight and afraid
Saddest man running
The man looked very sad as he ran away
I have ever seen
From my perspective, I have never seen anyone run away that looked so sad
Who's gonna stand a chance
Who will have the power to change what happened?
I wouldn't have, no one ever would
I wouldn't have the power to change what happened, and I believe no one else would either
When your fate lies in the hands
When what happens to you is determined by
Of a black heart hanging inside
The person who did the shooting had an evil heart
To be so proud in your hateful form
To be confident and unapologetic about one's hateful beliefs
Big grown man, small as an ant
The shooter was a big and grown man, but his actions make him seem as small and insignificant as an ant
It's a long ride home
The journey home is long and difficult
This year from the pride parade
On the year of the pride parade
And the streetlights shine
The streetlights illuminate the way
Onto soft skin and young lovers' wills
The light from the streetlights falls on the skin of young lovers and makes their emotions more visible
Who you gonna tell who to love
Why would you interfere with someone's choice of who to love?
When everyone's just trying
When everyone is just trying to be happy
To feel alright
To feel okay or content
Since I was a kid I have fought
I have struggled with
A darkness I would never shake
A negative feeling that I could never get rid of
When there is so little left to feel
When there are almost no positive emotions left
But from the touch
Except for the feeling of
Of the one you trust
From the person you trust the most
It is a long life
Life can feel long and difficult
To be handled like old shoes
To be treated poorly and without care, like an old pair of shoes
And they are all these kids
And there are all these children
All these kids I never knew
Children that I have never met or had any connection with
Contributed by Eliana A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dale
on Words Underlined
Great interpretation of a deeply emotional and introspective song!