1) A band with… Read Full Bio ↴There are, at least, two bands known as The Alphabet.
1) A band with members Forest Christenson, Judith Shimer & Parker Ross. They showcased piano chamber rock, rock electronica and, what they called, ctrl-alt-tronica - an amalgamation of orchestral instruments (piano, violin & double bass), with contemporary ones (vocals, drums & electronics). They were known as Pretty Balanced & changed to The Alphabet, on 18 Apr 2009. In Jun 2009, they released Scarlet Starlet. In Feb 2010, they disbanded. Official site: http://mySpace.com/theAlphabetMusic
2) A rock band from Harrisonburg, Virginia. Harper prefers 'Rambo:First Blood Part 2'. Ben prefers 'Rambo'. Chris prefers 'First Blood'. Matt chooses poorly with 'Rambo 3'. http://mySpace.com/thealphabetva
Children
The Alphabet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
no one really cares, but everyone i know pretends
where are you at school and do they offer jobs and that
heres my daughters e-mail, you should talk, she goes to prat
when we all are fifty we won't be the same
projecting all our pipe dreams on our children
projecting all our failures on our children
when we all are fifty
projecting all our pipe dreams on our children
projecting all our failures on our children
all the stuff i want to say, you wouldn't want to hear
i live in new england
we all drink a lot of beer
my roomate is in rehab, and i have a nasty cat
my art makes people say "my kindergardner could do that"
when we all are fifty
we won't be the same
projecting all our pipe dreams on our children
projecting all our failures on our children
when we all are fifty
we won't be the same
projecting all our pipe dreams on our children
projecting all our failures on our children
The Alphabet's song "Children" is a commentary on the pressures of growing up and the societal expectations placed on children. The first stanza starts with the singer stating how everyone they know hates talking to their parents' friends, but they still pretend to care. This could represent the social pressures placed on children to be polite and respectful to their elders, even if they don't want to. The following lines talk about the questions adults often ask children, such as where they go to school and if they offer jobs. The singer ends by offering their daughter's email to the listener, projecting their own desires onto their child. This could represent the pressure placed on children to succeed and meet their parents' expectations.
The chorus repeats the idea that when everyone is fifty, they won't be the same. The lines "projecting all our pipe dreams on our children, projecting all our failures on our children" appear twice, emphasizing the societal pressure placed on children to succeed and fulfill their parents' dreams. The second stanza talks about the singer's personal life, representing the internal struggles and pressures children may face. The lines "my roommate is in rehab, and I have a nasty cat" could represent the singer's personal struggles and how they may project their feelings onto their children.
Overall, the song suggests that societal expectations can be harmful to children and can lead to the projection of personal desires and failures onto them.
Line by Line Meaning
everyone i know hates talking to their parents friend's
No one likes talking to their parents' friends but people pretend they do.
no one really cares, but everyone i know pretends
People don't actually care but pretend they do.
where are you at school and do they offer jobs and that
Asking about where someone goes to school and if it leads to job opportunities.
heres my daughters e-mail, you should talk, she goes to prat
Sharing a daughter's email for networking purposes.
when we all are fifty we won't be the same
As we age, we change.
projecting all our pipe dreams on our children
Putting our hopes and dreams onto our children.
projecting all our failures on our children
Blaming our children for our own shortcomings.
all the stuff i want to say, you wouldn't want to hear
There are things I want to tell you but you wouldn't be interested.
i live in new england
I live in the northeastern region of the United States.
we all drink a lot of beer
Drinking alcohol is a common activity in the area.
my roomate is in rehab, and i have a nasty cat
My roommate is undergoing rehabilitation and I have an unpleasant cat.
my art makes people say "my kindergardner could do that"
My artwork is simple enough that even a child could create it.
Contributed by Eliana A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.