Her debut EP Lights was released in July 2008 and achieved commercial success which enabled the release of her first full-length album, The Listening, on September 22, 2009. Her second album, Siberia, was released on October 4, 2011. Both albums have been certified gold in Canada. Lights released her third studio album, Little Machines, on September 19, 2014, which debuted on the Canadian Albums Chart at number five. Her fourth album, Skin&Earth, which featured "Giants", was released in September 2017, accompanied by a graphic novel of the same name. Her albums won the Juno Award for Pop Album of the Year in 2015 and 2018.
Lights has collaborated with artists including Bring Me the Horizon, Silverstein, Deadmau5, Felix Cartal, i_o, Owl City and Sleepy Tom. Lights signed with Fueled by Ramen in 2019 and released Skin&Earth Acoustic, which included three new songs.
Child
Lights Lyrics
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Where is everybody going?
What am I doing here?
Can't separate what I really need to know and
What I just want to hear
Maybe I'm alone maybe everybody's lost too
Looking for their own way out
Maybe I don't know maybe I don't even want to
There is no sureness, I kind of just stumble along
There must be purpose in trying to keep on
What do I know, I'm a child
Just trying to talk like a mother does
Seeing life come and go all the time
It's never as long as you wish it was
Oh oh oh, maybe I'm still trying to see like a child does
And I always feel like I did when I was younger
Can't talk sense into me
How do you decide when to know or how to wonder
Or how to just get free
There's no certainty, I kind of just stumble along
Doesn't bother me, I'm trying to keep on
What do I know, I'm a child
Just trying to talk like a mother does
Seeing life come and go all the time
It's never as long as you wish it was
Oh oh oh, maybe I'm still trying to see like a child does
I've seen both sides and felt it all
I'm not a child anymore but I can't stand in here
The way I did when I was a kid
What do I know, I'm a child
Just trying to talk like a mother does
Seeing life come and go all the time
It's never as long as you wish it was
What do I know, I'm a child
Just trying to talk like a mother does
Seeing life come and go all the time
It's never as long as you wish it was
Oh oh oh, maybe I'm still trying to see like a child does
Oh oh oh, maybe I'm still trying to see like a child does
"Child" talks about the confusion of growing up and trying to navigate the world as an adult. The singer is uncertain about their place in the world, questioning where everyone else is going and what they are doing here. They are struggling to distinguish between what they need to know and what they want to hear. The singer wonders if they are alone in this feeling or if everyone else is lost as well.
The chorus is the singer acknowledging that they are still like a child, with a child's perspective, even though they are now an adult. Life seems fleeting, and the singer wishes they could see the world as a child does again. They feel like they can't make sense of their life or decisions, and they are trying to figure out how to just be free.
The bridge reflects on how the singer has seen both sides and felt it all. They are no longer a child, but they also can't go back to how they felt or stood in the world when they were young.
Overall, "Child" is a poignant reflection on adulthood and the feelings of uncertainty that come with it, and the desire to hold on to the innocence and clarity of youth.
Line by Line Meaning
What is this about?
Questioning the meaning of life and what it all means
Where is everybody going?
Wondering where people are headed in life
What am I doing here?
Questioning one's purpose and existence
Can't separate what I really need to know and
What I just want to hear
Struggling to differentiate between what is essential to understand and what is just pleasing to hear
Maybe I'm alone maybe everybody's lost too
Looking for their own way out
Feeling isolated and uncertain, while questioning if others are in the same boat, searching for a way forward
Maybe I don't know maybe I don't even want to
Just don't want to be let down
Feeling unsure about oneself and the future, with a desire to avoid disappointment and staying in the comfort zone
There is no sureness, I kind of just stumble along
There must be purpose in trying to keep on
Admitting the lack of certainty and confidence, yet understanding the significance of persevering
What do I know, I'm a child
Just trying to talk like a mother does
Seeing life come and go all the time
It's never as long as you wish it was
Acknowledging the limited understanding and experience, but still trying to make sense of life's transience
Oh oh oh, maybe I'm still trying to see like a child does
Possibly hoping to retain the innocence, curiosity, and wonder of childhood
And I always feel like I did when I was younger
Can't talk sense into me
Feeling stuck in the past and resistant to change, despite attempts to reason
How do you decide when to know or how to wonder
Or how to just get free
Questioning the balance between gaining knowledge, embracing mystery, and breaking free from constraints
There's no certainty, I kind of just stumble along
Doesn't bother me, I'm trying to keep on
Accepting the lack of assurances, yet continuing to move forward without being discouraged
I've seen both sides and felt it all
I'm not a child anymore but I can't stand in here
The way I did when I was a kid
Admitting to gaining experience and maturity, but still feeling unsure and nostalgic for the past
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ANDREW PEARSON, LIGHTS VALERIE POXLEITNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind