Well, who do you think you're fooling?
You say you're having fun
But you're busy going nowhere
Just lying in the sun
You tried to be a hero
And commit the perfect crime
But the dollar got you dancing
And you're running out of time
And you're messing up the water
And you're rolling in the wine
And you're poisoning your body
And you're poisoning your mind
And you gave me Coca-Cola
'Cause you said it tasted good
Then you watch the television
'Cause it tells you that you should

Ooh, how can you live in this way?
(Why do you think it's so strange?)
You must have something to say
(Tell me why should I change?)
There must be more to this life
It's time we did something right
I said "Child of vision, won't you listen?
Find yourself a new ambition"

I've heard it all before
You're saying nothing new
I thought I saw a rainbow
But I guess it wasn't true
And you cannot make me listen
And I cannot make you hear
So you find your way to heaven
And I'll meet you when you're there

How can you live in this way?
(Why do you think it's so strange?)
You must have something to say
(Tell me why should I change?)
We have no reason to fight
'Cause we both know that we're right
I said "Child of vision, won't you listen?
Find yourself a new ambition"


Lyrics submitted by blinxbcr, edited by threnodia, shadowtraveler

Child of Vision Lyrics as written by Roger Hodgson Richard Davies

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Child of Vision song meanings
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9 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    It's partly about talking about America and partly about his strained relationship with Rick Davies. On wikipedia there's a quote "As I remember, that song was written with two things in mind. I think it was a little bit, maybe my equivalent of "Gone Hollywood". Maybe looking at America and seeing how Americans are living and possibly, also a song to Rick a little bit too, because we did live totally different lives. And life styles, possibly. So maybe it was a little bit of, a little bit of a song to him. In retrospect it was a little judgmental of me, but I think it was probably…we weren't getting on with this album. It was becoming more and more difficult to work together and we were really wanting different things out of life. And I think this was my song to him, as "Casual Conversations" was, I really believe that was a song that he wrote to me. We weren't communicating very well through this album and it tells a lot, that song".

    --Roger Hodgson, In the Studio with Redbeard for The Making of Breakfast in America(first aired in June 1990).

    IntravenusDeMiloon May 04, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    Breakfast in America was an seminal album, which wrapped up the 1970s for me. Amazingly good songs with both tunes and lyrics. Last year, I purchased a pair of Magneplanar speakers for my 58th birthday. My old BIA CD sounded flat and listless on the new speakers. After a little research and reading a few blogs, I purchased an imported CD of Breakfast in America remastered in Germany. My goodness what a difference like night and day - same album, same songs, but a digital remaster at Sony Studios in Hamburg, Germany. After 38 years this album still sounds great - I just listened to it this past weekend.

    Child of Vision, The Logical Song, Breaklfast in America, Gone Hollywood and Just Another Nervous Wreck all have a common them running through them. It speaks about the disillusionment in our materialistic society and our culture of consumption. In many ways, the album follows in the footsteps of another group, my all-time favorite and another seminal album of the early 1970s, Pink Floyd and Dark Side of the Moon.

    Dark Side of the Moon and Breakfast in America, bookend the 1970s as two great and spectacular albums, by groups that both hit their pinnacles of achievement in the 1970s. I grew up as kid and teenager in the 1970s and these two albums capture my life and how my generation was lost during that era and only the music kept us going. As I approach my retirement, I will continue to listen to these albums of my life, over and over again, much to the chagrin of my wife. May the force be with you and live long and prosper.

    althotoson July 11, 2017   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's about the next generation ( actually generation X but I think this could fit with any generations to come ) being " lazy " and robotic. They have everything at their disposal but lack imagination and creativity and put no effort on the things they should.

    Ex Abruptoon July 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Child of "Vision", basically means the television generation. It's how people don't live their lives as much anymore, and spend time in front of the gogglebox.

    Stingfanon November 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I heard it yesterday on the radio...it's all coming back to me...now... great song

    shulloon May 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Someone else on another site said it was about the two main songwriters not getting on. Casual Conversations was written by Rick Davies about this and this was Roger Hodgson's reply. Not sure if it's true but it sounds plausible. If so it's more literal than most Supertramp songs - Roger sings 'how can you live in this way' and Rick replies 'why do you think it's so strange?' and they both sing ' There must be more to this life, It's time we did something right'.

    IntravenusDeMiloon September 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Are we forgetting the title of the album upon which song appears? In case we have...it's Breakfast in AMERICA. This song is talking to America. How obvious does it have to be?

    Phx4stringeron January 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think it could be said that this song could be an example of how far-fetched we view the American Dream. Sure we all have different ones, but we never have difficulty blowing them out of proportion. In all fairness an AMAING song, the piano, so sharp, and the drums add to the drama of it. It's been said that the theme of this album, Breakfast in America, is taking sad lyrical songs and putting them with up beat tunes. But I really think that this song has both an ominous tone and ballet. And I think that it really adds to the song. It gives it the meaning that people can become so brainwashed by everything in society, they don't know how they want to live their own life.

    FanOfFans88on July 05, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    To me this song is about living a life of wasted complacency

    degree7on July 15, 2023   Link

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