Kids
Retribution Gospel Choir Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The Salvation Army
Was all out of ammo
They threw down their weapons
But kept up the battle
It's so hard to handle
We laughed and we made up
Deflecting the arrows
But cutting your face up

Those damn kids
Don't they understand
That you can't do shit like that
Someday soon they'll be just like us
And they'll stare down at their feet

The kids that we hated
Did better than we did
The girl with the habit
I wish you could see her
'Cause all of the dreamers
Have come to disaster
The panel is waiting
"Just give us your answer"

Those damn kids
Don't they understand
That you can't do shit like that
Someday soon they'll be just like us
And they'll stare down at their feet

Some men bring you flowers
Some men pay the bills




God rest you sons of morning
Amen

Overall Meaning

The song "Kids" by Retribution Gospel Choir tells the story of growing up and looking back on the mistakes made as a youth. The Salvation Army being all out of ammo represents an absence of options, where even those who were once fighting have given up. In the face of adversity, the characters laugh and make up, but still have to contend with figurative "arrows" that cut their faces. This might symbolize the scars that remain from past conflicts or the consequences of poor decisions.


The chorus of the song repeats the mantra "those damn kids," implying that the youth of today do not understand the struggles of adulthood and are not wise enough to make good decisions. However, the second verse suggests that the kids that the characters once hated have done better than they did, with the girl who had a habit now successfully navigating life. The dreamers have come to disaster, perhaps indicating that those who once had lofty aspirations have been let down by reality. The panel waiting for an answer could be a representation of society's expectations and judgment, waiting for people to justify their actions.


Overall, the song seems to be a reflection on the passage of time and how perspectives change as people grow older. The characters once looked down on the kids they deemed as foolish, but now see that they too were once in their shoes. The phrase "some men bring you flowers, some men pay the bills" at the end of the song could signify the lessons learned from experience - some things in life are fleeting and superficial, whereas others are more substantial and impactful.


Line by Line Meaning

The Salvation Army
The religious organization, Salvation Army


Was all out of ammo
Had no resources left


They threw down their weapons
Gave up fighting


But kept up the battle
Continued to struggle


It's so hard to handle
Difficult to cope with


We laughed and we made up
Forgave and forgot


Deflecting the arrows
Ignoring the criticisms


But cutting your face up
Harming yourself


Those damn kids
Young people who are frustrating


Don't they understand
Why don't they comprehend


That you can't do shit like that
They shouldn't behave like that


Someday soon they'll be just like us
They will eventually be like adults


And they'll stare down at their feet
They will feel regretful


The kids that we hated
Young people that we couldn't stand


Did better than we did
Achieved more success than we did


The girl with the habit
A female person with addiction


I wish you could see her
I hope you could witness her


'Cause all of the dreamers
People with aspirations


Have come to disaster
Faced failure and lost their way


The panel is waiting
A group of people are waiting


"Just give us your answer"
"Please provide your response"


Some men bring you flowers
Some males give you gifts


Some men pay the bills
Some males financially support you


God rest you sons of morning
May God bless you


Amen
So be it




Contributed by Isaac J. 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

More Versions