To Be A Child Again
Johnny Tillotson Lyrics

To be a child again and have no worries on my mind
To experience the freedom and joy of being a child, without any adult worries or responsibilities to weigh on the mind. The biggest concern is which movie to watch on Saturday.

Cept what show am I gonna see at the Saturday matinee
Except for the simple decision of which movie to watch at the Saturday matinee, life was carefree and fun as a child.

Will mom let me skip my napkins stay outside and play
The biggest challenge was getting permission from Mom to skip nap time and play outside instead, showing the innocence and parental dependence of childhood.

Why the roosters flock their wings and crow that way
As a child, even the mundane mysteries of the animal kingdom, like why roosters flap their wings and crow, seemed fascinating and worth pondering.

Had no problems then to be a child again
The artist reflects on the simplicity of childhood and the lack of serious problems or concerns that seemed insurmountable, wishing to go back to that carefree time.

To be a child again and have a child's faith in things
To relive the experience of having innocent, childlike faith in things, such as believing that all the bad guys are just on the screen, without any understanding of the realities of the world.

Why the all the bad guys I knew were the outlaws on the screen
As a child, the most prominent villains were those seen in movies, with little understanding of more complicated or nuanced conflicts in the world.

You could win me over with a dish of ice creme
Life was simple and easily enjoyable as a child, with even a simple dish of ice cream being enough to make one happy and content.

Any man in uniform to me would like a king
As a child, authority figures were idolized and viewed as all-powerful, with even a uniform creating the impression of royalty in the eyes of the artist.

Men were like giants then to be a child again
With an innocent and limited worldview, men and other authority figures seemed like giants to the artist when they were a child, without any sense of intimidation or fear.

Well I'm a man now and the world weights heavy on my shoulders
Reflecting on the burdens and stress of adulthood, the singer recognizes how heavy the weight of the world can feel compared to the simplicity of childhood, becoming overwhelmed with the responsibilities of adulthood.

And my problems get bigger every day as I grow older
As the artist learns more about the world and takes on more responsibilities as an adult, they find that their problems only grow and become more complex with each passing day, contrasting with the simple worldview of childhood.

To be a child again and have no worries on my mind
The chorus repeats, emphasizing the desire to return to the carefree state of being a child, without any adult worries to weigh on the mind.

When I'd go fishin' I put on my old torn shirt
Reflecting on the simple joys of childhood, like going fishing, the singer recalls how little he cared about appearances or material possessions, happily wearing an old and tattered shirt to enjoy this pastime.

My little dog would lick my face whenever I got hurt
Showing the unconditional love and support that can be found in childhood, the singer recalls his little dog, who would offer comfort and care when he was hurt or upset.

And if I was good I'd get an extra helping of dessert
Simple rewards for good behavior, like getting an extra helping of dessert, were all that was necessary to motivate and encourage the artist as a child.

But that was way back then to be a child again
Reflecting on the past, the artist recognizes that childhood has passed and is now just a distant memory, lamenting the impossibility of reliving those simpler times.