Kids
The HillBenders Lyrics


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You were a child, crawling on your knees towards it
Making momma so proud
But your voice is too loud

We use to watch you laughing
Picking insects off the plants
No time to think of consequences
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanting
To be haunted

Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanting
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 wanting
To be haunted

Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanting
To be haunted

Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanting
To be haunted

Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanting
To be haunted

Control yourself




Take only what you need from it
A family of trees

Overall Meaning

The HillBenders' "Kids" is a reflective song that delves into the idea of innocence, growth, and the consequences of life. The first two lines of the song create a vivid image of a crawling child with their mother watching in pride. However, as the child grows and their voice becomes louder, it becomes evident that they have lost their innocence. The line "Picking insects off the plants, no time to think of consequences" emphasizes the carefree nature of childhood and how quickly that can turn into adulthood.


The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea of controlling oneself and only taking what is necessary from life. The repetition of "Take only what you need from it, a family of trees wanting to be haunted" suggests that life is like a forest with each tree representing a desire or goal. Just as a forest needs to be haunted to maintain its balance, humans need to take only what they need to maintain their balance in life.


The second verse of the song continues with the theme of growth and change. The line "The memories fade like looking through a fogged mirror" signifies how memories become unclear over time. The line "Decision to decisions are made and not bought, but I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot, I guess not" suggest that decisions in life aren't always easy and can have unforeseen consequences.


Overall, The HillBenders have created a song that can be interpreted in various ways. One can view it as a reflection on the importance of controlling oneself and taking only what is necessary from life to maintain balance. Others may view it as a commentary on how quickly innocence is lost and how difficult it is to make decisions in life.


Line by Line Meaning

You were a child, crawling on your knees towards it
As a child, you were so captivated by 'it' that you would even crawl towards it


Making momma so proud
Your mother was happy to see you so engaged and interested


But your voice is too loud
Your excitement was too much to handle and you were too loud


We use to watch you laughing
We would observe you laughing uncontrollably


Picking insects off the plants
You were interested in the world around you, even the insects on the plants


No time to think of consequences
You didn't have the knowledge or awareness to think of the consequences of your actions


Control yourself
Be mindful of your actions and emotions


Take only what you need from it
Don't be greedy or excessive, just take what you really need


A family of trees wanting
A group of trees that desire


To be haunted
To have a ghostly presence or to be visited by spirits


The water is warm, but it′s sending me shivers
Despite the warm water, something seems to be causing chills or fear


A baby is born
A new life is brought into the world


Crying out for attention
The baby is trying to seek attention or care


The memories fade like looking through a fogged mirror
Memories become hazy and unclear, like looking at oneself through a fogged mirror


Decision to decisions are made and not bought
You make your own decisions, they cannot be purchased or obtained from someone else


But I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot, I guess not
I thought something wouldn't be painful, but it turned out to be more hurtful than expected


Control yourself
Again, be mindful of your actions and emotions


Take only what you need from it
Again, don't be greedy or excessive, just take what you really need


A family of trees wanting
Again, a group of trees that desire


To be haunted
Again, to have a ghostly presence or to be visited by spirits


Control yourself
Once again, be mindful of your actions and emotions


Take only what you need from it
Once again, don't be greedy or excessive, just take what you really need


A family of trees wanting
Once again, a group of trees that desire


To be haunted
Once again, to have a ghostly presence or to be visited by spirits


Control yourself
Yet again, be mindful of your actions and emotions


Take only what you need from it
Yet again, don't be greedy or excessive, just take what you really need


A family of trees
Once again, a group of trees




Writer(s): Andrew Vanwyngarden, Ben Goldwasser

Contributed by Ellie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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