Children are called the future of an adult world
They are born with spirits so innocent
'Til we teach them how to hate
Add to the world's confusion

We teach our kids rules
That we don't adhere to ourselves
Right or wrong
What examples can they take?

The people we learn from
Forge the ideas we become

Living in a world they didn't make
Living in a world that's filled with hate
Living in a world where grown-ups break the rules
Living in a world they didn't make
Paying for a lot of adult mistakes
How much of this madness can they take
Our children

Children grow to become our young adults
Problems of the world
They must learn how to confront
Doing drugs and joining gangs to rebel

Colors show they belong
To the social override
'Cause they're living in a space
They feel out of place

Living in a world they didn't make
Living in a world that's filled with hate
Living in a world where grown-ups break the rules
Living in a world they didn't make
Paying for a lot of adult mistakes
How much of this madness can they take
Our children (how much can they take?)

Living in a world they didn't make
Living in a world that's filled with hate
Living in a world where grown-ups break the rules
Living in a world they didn't make
Paying for a lot of adult mistakes
How much of this madness can they take
Our children (how much can they take?)

Children of the world
They are born so innocent
How much can they take?

Living in a world they didn't make (save the babies)
Paying for a lot of adult mistakes (save the babies, save the babies)

This just in
At least five people are dead and thirty others wounded
After a gunman opened fire on a California school playground
And then killed himself, apparently the gunman
Armed with an automatic rifle
Shot the kids during their recess time


Lyrics submitted by Madame Me

Livin' in a World (They Didn't Make) Lyrics as written by Terry Steven Lewis James Samuel Harris

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Livin' in a World (They Didn't Make) song meanings
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2 Comments

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  • +1
    Song Meaning

    Good song and lyrics. It is about how children are born innocent into a word full of hate and how the cycle continues and needs to end.

    dejavulaon July 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Awesome... I live in the Netherlands and when I bought this cd in 1989 I never heard of a school shooting as in the newsflash at the end of this song. Unfortunately I do now, and the whole world I suppose. If you google it, you will find a chronological list on wikipedia. It's heartbreaking. The one in this song could be Stockton, CA, January 17, 1989. I don't know what to say about it. Awful.

    About the song though, it is great. Starts with a nice piano as in a lovesong and in a sense it is. The love Janet has for children I guess, eventhough she didn't have them at that time (does she now? I don't know). I do have kids, two boys and I obviously love them with all my heart. And they ARE born innocent people until stuff happens in their lives which makes them resentful and do bad things. I really believe that if somebody never got hurt or mistreated he/she would still be sweet as a child. Unfortunately that is nearly impossible in this society we've created.

    I hope people will keep listening to this song and remember to give the good example because that is the best you can do. Be kind and forgiving. Do what's best for the kids because they really are the future.

    Hanszelon March 10, 2018   Link

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