This is a song about an innocent
Who died at the hands of a desperate man
He trusted those who he thought he knew
He trusted those who he looked up to
I'll never forget the joy in his face
He'd laugh and he'd cry and he'd ruin my place
He'd drive me crazy, and he'd drive me wild
I used to scream and shout all day long

Now I hope you know this song
Is about a child who now has gone
And other children like him, too
Abused and used by what adults do
So don't tell me about politics
Or all the problems of our economics
When you can't look after what you can't own
You scream and shout all day long


Lyrics submitted by numb

All Day Long song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    Eh, about child abuse.

    Smokleron January 18, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    yep, agree with Smokler. Barney's said it's one of the few songs he's written where the lyrics do actually mean something.

    sijon January 21, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Most New Order lyrics are a little obtuse to figure out. However this is clear and succinct and powerful. Child abuse was hardly ever talked about back then. It’s a beautiful haunting song, it makes me cry, it makes me think about when I was a boy and what happened to me and how fucked adults can be.

    MaxiDon August 10, 2022   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Mode000on August 16, 2002   Link

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