Kids
MGMT＀ Lyrics


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(Five, four, three, two, one, ah)

You were a child
Crawling on your knees toward it
Making mama so proud
But your voice is too loud
We like to watch you laughing
You pick the insects off plants
No time to think of consequences

Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted

The water is warm
But it's sending me shivers
A baby is born
Crying out for attention
The memories fade
Like looking through a fogged mirror
Decision to decisions are made and not bought
But I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot
I guess not

Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted

Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself




Take only what you need from it
A family of trees

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of MGMT's "Kids" explore the bittersweet memories of childhood and the realization that growing up involves losing some of that innocence. The opening lines of "Five, four, three, two, one, ah" set the tone for a song that is both playful and ominous. The imagery of a child crawling on their knees towards something their mother is proud of, but with a voice that is too loud, depicts the confusion of growing up in a world that has its own set of expectations.


The chorus encourages control, caution, and taking only what one needs, but also suggests the possibility of being haunted in the process. The line "a family of trees wanted to be haunted" is cryptic, but can be interpreted as a metaphor for the way in which our past experiences and memories can continue to influence us, even as we try to move forward.


The second verse shifts focus to the natural world, with the warm water sending shivers, a baby crying out for attention, and memories fading like a fogged mirror. The line "decision to decisions are made and not bought, but I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot, I guess not" is introspective, suggesting that the singer is coming to terms with the fact that life doesn't always go as planned, and that growing up involves making choices that can hurt.


Overall, "Kids" is a wistful and reflective song that captures the complex emotions of coming of age. It's open to interpretation, but conveys a sense of nostalgia, loss, and the need for caution and control.


Line by Line Meaning

You were a child
You were young and innocent.


Crawling on your knees toward it
You were chasing after something with all your heart.


Making mama so proud
Your mother was happy to see you achieving things.


But your voice is too loud
You're being heard by everyone because you're speaking too loudly.


We like to watch you laughing
We enjoy seeing you happy and having fun.


You pick the insects off plants
You're doing something good, but not really understanding the consequences of your actions.


No time to think of consequences
You're too busy enjoying life to worry about the potential negative outcomes of your actions.


The water is warm
The situation is comfortable.


But it's sending me shivers
Despite the comfort, there's something unsettling about it.


A baby is born
A new life has entered the world.


Crying out for attention
The baby needs care and attention, and is vocalizing that need.


The memories fade
Remembering things becomes more difficult.


Like looking through a fogged mirror
The memories are cloudy and unclear.


Decision to decisions are made and not bought
Choices are made by individuals, not influenced by others' opinions or monetary gain.


But I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot
I didn't expect this situation to be so painful.


I guess not
But it actually is.


Control yourself
Have discipline and self-control.


Take only what you need from it
Only take what's really important and necessary.


A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Nature wants to be acknowledged and remembered, wants to be part of the human world.


Control yourself
Have discipline and self-control.


Take only what you need from it
Only take what's really important and necessary.


A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Nature wants to be acknowledged and remembered, wants to be part of the human world.


Control yourself
Have discipline and self-control.


Take only what you need from it
Only take what's really important and necessary.


A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Nature wants to be acknowledged and remembered, wants to be part of the human world.


Control yourself
Have discipline and self-control.


Take only what you need from it
Only take what's really important and necessary.


A family of trees
Nature as a whole.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Benjamin Nicholas Huner Goldwasser, Andrew Wells Vanwyngarden

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@corruption3299

5 FUCKING YEARS AND I FINALLY FOUND THIS SONG.

@DanielRod

Corruption x2

@ovoxo4558

same here brother :p hahaha fuck i still have one more song...

@serserser6666

ClassyNeverTrashy how it goes?

@Jockedemus

which is the other one?

@gproxi4632

same xD

56 More Replies...

@MinerDiner

"Hey I got a good idea for a music video"
"yeah, what is it?"
"Let's mentally scar a toddler"
"genius"

@callumjerry

lol do better, watch 'the making of' video and then come back

@MinerDiner

@@callumjerry I'd say I basically got the gist of it

@rREC

@@MinerDiner then you know that the kid was an actor that got treated super good and whenever he got scared they would stop the whole recording to see if he was okay

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