By Dylan Norman
I love this song. It's rhythm and rhyme make it hard to ignore, while it's strong lyrics make it a favorite of mine. Too long have I seen strong lyrics paired with an equally dark tune, as you see in Hozier's music. While it's nice once it a while, you can easily get depressed by it. But onto the song. It is rare where I see a catchy tune, strong lyrics, and a centralized theme all in one song. The theme is about childhood, and I am still trying to decide whether it is written from the perspective of a man reminiscing about childhood or written from a kid's prospective. Either way, after examining the song, interesting themes appear to us. For instance, the idea about the lack of information sharing from adults to kids, and how kids think they should prove themselves to get it. Finally, it feels like the writer is still grappling with childhood, unready to let it go. But for now, let's get into the examination:
I love this song. It's rhythm and rhyme make it hard to ignore, while it's strong lyrics make it a favorite of mine. Too long have I seen strong lyrics paired with an equally dark tune, as you see in Hozier's music. While it's nice once it a while, you can easily get depressed by it. But onto the song. It is rare where I see a catchy tune, strong lyrics, and a centralized theme all in one song. The theme is about childhood, and I am still trying to decide whether it is written from the perspective of a man reminiscing about childhood or written from a kid's prospective. Either way, after examining the song, interesting themes appear to us. For instance, the idea about the lack of information sharing from adults to kids, and how kids think they should prove themselves to get it. Finally, it feels like the writer is still grappling with childhood, unready to let it go. But for now, let's get into the examination:
1 Walk little walk
2 Small talk big thoughts
3 Gonna tell them all just what I want 1-3 Right from the go get we see images of our young lives. 1 is talking about how we have such a short stride. 2 is saying when we are young, we have a limited vocabulary, but such massive dreams. When I look at line 3, I chuckle, because I can imagine a kid directly asking for a piece of candy. When we grow older, this directness is shocking, and surprising.
4 That street two streets I see you and me
5 Hanging on the empty swings 4-5 The meaning of this sentence for me is confusing. The band, "Foster the People," tends to write in this repetitive, rhyming, catchy verse, that can make some lyrics flat out confusing. This sentence might mean in a very literal sense, roaming the streets with a friend, which if this is true, carries onto line 5. The image of two friends roaming around a city pops into my mind. Another theory I have is that this might be teenage love, because the idea of hanging on the empty swings feels very romantic, like something you might see out of a movie. Finally, my last thought is that both these sentences are symbolic. We use streets to go places, so could this mean of where the kids are going in life? And perhaps we have a good friend that we want to carry out our dreams with? The empty swings could mean a place we go after we roam the streets of life, and we finally settle down to one place: the swings.
6 'Count high low don't worry my eyes are closed 6 All I can think of is playing hide and seek when I read this sentence.
7 I'm a superman and it's my show 7 I think when we are young we think we know more than others, because of a complete lack of information sharing. The adults around us think we are to young to understand things, so we feel that the adults don't understand us and because we don't know much about there past experiences, we think we know more. I think there is always that ah-ha moment in childhood where you realize that your parents know far more than they are putting on, and the world grows infinitely bigger.
8 One shoe two gonna kick with my new shoes
9 I'm going to kick until I need new shoes 8-9 I think these two sentences are pretty much strait forward. First, we get new shoes to replace the old ones. Second, we use the new shoes till they are wrecked. Finally, we get new shoes. I could be over-reading it but I feel like this cyclical motion reminds me of the life cycle. Born, have kids, die, new generation has kids, and so on. Because this song is about childhood [or at least I think it is], this cycle of shoes might relate to the life cycle.
2 Small talk big thoughts
3 Gonna tell them all just what I want 1-3 Right from the go get we see images of our young lives. 1 is talking about how we have such a short stride. 2 is saying when we are young, we have a limited vocabulary, but such massive dreams. When I look at line 3, I chuckle, because I can imagine a kid directly asking for a piece of candy. When we grow older, this directness is shocking, and surprising.
4 That street two streets I see you and me
5 Hanging on the empty swings 4-5 The meaning of this sentence for me is confusing. The band, "Foster the People," tends to write in this repetitive, rhyming, catchy verse, that can make some lyrics flat out confusing. This sentence might mean in a very literal sense, roaming the streets with a friend, which if this is true, carries onto line 5. The image of two friends roaming around a city pops into my mind. Another theory I have is that this might be teenage love, because the idea of hanging on the empty swings feels very romantic, like something you might see out of a movie. Finally, my last thought is that both these sentences are symbolic. We use streets to go places, so could this mean of where the kids are going in life? And perhaps we have a good friend that we want to carry out our dreams with? The empty swings could mean a place we go after we roam the streets of life, and we finally settle down to one place: the swings.
6 'Count high low don't worry my eyes are closed 6 All I can think of is playing hide and seek when I read this sentence.
7 I'm a superman and it's my show 7 I think when we are young we think we know more than others, because of a complete lack of information sharing. The adults around us think we are to young to understand things, so we feel that the adults don't understand us and because we don't know much about there past experiences, we think we know more. I think there is always that ah-ha moment in childhood where you realize that your parents know far more than they are putting on, and the world grows infinitely bigger.
8 One shoe two gonna kick with my new shoes
9 I'm going to kick until I need new shoes 8-9 I think these two sentences are pretty much strait forward. First, we get new shoes to replace the old ones. Second, we use the new shoes till they are wrecked. Finally, we get new shoes. I could be over-reading it but I feel like this cyclical motion reminds me of the life cycle. Born, have kids, die, new generation has kids, and so on. Because this song is about childhood [or at least I think it is], this cycle of shoes might relate to the life cycle.
10 Yeah, yeah I said don't stop, don't stop, don't stop
11 Talking to me, stop don't stop don't stop
12 Giving me things 10-12 Ah, childhood. These lines make me wonder if the writer is writing from the perspective of a kid, or if he is writing from the perspective of an adult reminiscing about the times he was a kid. I think we all miss the easy-going part of childhood, where we just got things easily, and it was a much easier world.
11 Talking to me, stop don't stop don't stop
12 Giving me things 10-12 Ah, childhood. These lines make me wonder if the writer is writing from the perspective of a kid, or if he is writing from the perspective of an adult reminiscing about the times he was a kid. I think we all miss the easy-going part of childhood, where we just got things easily, and it was a much easier world.
13 I run they run everybody run run
14 And we're all just having fun 13-14 This reminds me of a herd. Sometimes, when I play basketball, someone runs earlier than they are supposed to, making other members think it's time to go. So, my perspective of these two sentences is that the writer ran before the whistle, and everyone thought they should be going to, and he got in trouble for it. His excuse, either to the instructor or to himself, is that we're all just having fun.
15 Sleigh ride boat ride piggy back ride
16 I'm going to show them all how I can ride 15-16 This goes back to the idea of parents not trusting the kids with information. I think the kid here is trying to show of how good he is at doing all the different kind's of riding to show his parents that he is worthy of there respect.
17 One two three close your eyes and count to four
18 I gonna hide behind my bedroom door 17-18 I assume this is hide and seek, because for this sentence I am having trouble over-reading it.
19 Crayon on the walls
20 Color on the wall
21 I'll draw until I've broken every law I personally never drew on the walls, but I know about it from "Despicable Me."
14 And we're all just having fun 13-14 This reminds me of a herd. Sometimes, when I play basketball, someone runs earlier than they are supposed to, making other members think it's time to go. So, my perspective of these two sentences is that the writer ran before the whistle, and everyone thought they should be going to, and he got in trouble for it. His excuse, either to the instructor or to himself, is that we're all just having fun.
15 Sleigh ride boat ride piggy back ride
16 I'm going to show them all how I can ride 15-16 This goes back to the idea of parents not trusting the kids with information. I think the kid here is trying to show of how good he is at doing all the different kind's of riding to show his parents that he is worthy of there respect.
17 One two three close your eyes and count to four
18 I gonna hide behind my bedroom door 17-18 I assume this is hide and seek, because for this sentence I am having trouble over-reading it.
19 Crayon on the walls
20 Color on the wall
21 I'll draw until I've broken every law I personally never drew on the walls, but I know about it from "Despicable Me."
22 I said don't stop, don't stop, don't stop 22 Don't stop is saying that he doesn't want his childhood to end.
23 Talking to me
24 Stop don't stop don't stop
25 Giving me things 23 and 25 More sentences that makes me wonder if the writer is reminiscing about the 'good 'ol times.'
23 Talking to me
24 Stop don't stop don't stop
25 Giving me things 23 and 25 More sentences that makes me wonder if the writer is reminiscing about the 'good 'ol times.'
26 Stop, don't stop, don't stop
27 Laughing about it 27 One of my first thoughts of the song was about this line. It felt so out of place when I first heard it, but I think it is about gaining respect through being funny. I think it is about a joke to his parents, and they are laughing. He doesn't want them to stop laughing, because that means that his time in the spotlight will go away.
28 Stop don't stop don't stop
27 Laughing about it 27 One of my first thoughts of the song was about this line. It felt so out of place when I first heard it, but I think it is about gaining respect through being funny. I think it is about a joke to his parents, and they are laughing. He doesn't want them to stop laughing, because that means that his time in the spotlight will go away.
28 Stop don't stop don't stop
29 Don't stop, don't stop don't stop don't stop
30 Talking with me, stop don't stop don't stop
31 Giving me things, stop don't stop don't stop
32 Laughing about it
33 Stop don't stop don't stop I said 33 I really like the 'I said' line at the end. I can imagine a huffy. controlling kid, probably similar to a past version of me, yelling this at someone refusing to obey him. Ah, childhood.
34 Stop don't stop don't stop I said
35 Stop don't stop don't stop
36 Stop don't stop don't stop
37 Stop don't stop don't stop me 37 YEEEEESSS! YEEEEESSSS! This line is awesome! I love songs like this one that add a simple word to a sentence that is going on and on, that completely changes the meaning. Instead of saying, 'don't let my childhood end, I am not ready to grow up,' It is saying, 'Don't stop me from whatever I want to do.' This sentence seems to be saying that the kid wants freedom to do what he wants to do, while the parents realize that he is not old enough to govern himself. This song is jumping from the lighter side of childhood to the darker side, but mainly showing the less desirable parts. The band, "Foster the People," can write some pretty dark lines disguised in some pretty happy tunes. Want proof? Listen to their other song that was crazy popular, "Pumped Up Kicks."
30 Talking with me, stop don't stop don't stop
31 Giving me things, stop don't stop don't stop
32 Laughing about it
33 Stop don't stop don't stop I said 33 I really like the 'I said' line at the end. I can imagine a huffy. controlling kid, probably similar to a past version of me, yelling this at someone refusing to obey him. Ah, childhood.
34 Stop don't stop don't stop I said
35 Stop don't stop don't stop
36 Stop don't stop don't stop
37 Stop don't stop don't stop me 37 YEEEEESSS! YEEEEESSSS! This line is awesome! I love songs like this one that add a simple word to a sentence that is going on and on, that completely changes the meaning. Instead of saying, 'don't let my childhood end, I am not ready to grow up,' It is saying, 'Don't stop me from whatever I want to do.' This sentence seems to be saying that the kid wants freedom to do what he wants to do, while the parents realize that he is not old enough to govern himself. This song is jumping from the lighter side of childhood to the darker side, but mainly showing the less desirable parts. The band, "Foster the People," can write some pretty dark lines disguised in some pretty happy tunes. Want proof? Listen to their other song that was crazy popular, "Pumped Up Kicks."
Written by Eric D. Dawkins, Harvey Jay Mason, Antonio Lamar Dixon, Patrick J. Que Smith, Damon E. Thomas • Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group
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