Kids with guns
Kids with guns
Taking over
But it won't be long
They're mesmerized
Skeletons
Kids with guns
Kids with guns
Easy does it, easy does it, they got something to say no to

Drinking out (push it real, push it)
Pacifier (push it real, push it)
Vitamin souls (push it real, push it)
The street desire (push it real, push it)
Didn't mean to (push it real, push it)
But it won't be long (push it real, push it)
Kids with guns
Kids with guns
Easy does it, easy does it, they got something to say no to

And they're turning us into monsters
Turning us into fire
Turning us into monsters
It's all desire
It's all desire
It's all desire

Drinking out
Pacifier
Sinking soul
There you are
Doesn't make side to
But it won't be long
'Cause kids with guns
Kids with guns
Easy does it, easy does it, they got something to say no to

And they're turning us into monsters
Turning us into fire
Turning us into monsters
It's all desire
It's all desire
It's all desire

Push it, push it real, push it real
Push it, push it, push it real, push it real
Push it, push it, push it real, push it real
Push it, push it, push it real, push it real
Push it, push it, push it real, push it real
Push it, push it, push it real, push it real
Push it, push it, push it real, push it real
Push it, push it, push it real, push it real
Push it, push it, push it real


Lyrics submitted by adamr, edited by Sydneysider

Kids with Guns Lyrics as written by Brian Joseph Burton Damon Albarn

Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Kids With Guns song meanings
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97 Comments

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  • +6
    General CommentLets see if we can break it down...

    Kids with guns
    - Sounds like its about soldiers. The US army is mostly just 18 yr old kids with guns.

    Mesmerized skeletons
    - Seems to back up the last statement... but i'll get to that in a second.

    Turning us into monsters
    Turnin us into fire
    Turning us into monsters
    But its all desire
    - The sounds like the pretext for war. Recruiting these kids on a lie and a "cause". Taking them far away and making them into killers. But it's not a just cause, its all desire. Monsters are the killers, fire is the vengence... but its all for greed (desire).

    The mesmerized skeletons is about these poor kids with guns who are convinced that they're going to war for a noble reason but they're just being sent to kill and die for other people's desires and gains.

    Easy does it. Easy does it.
    Think of something to say no to.
    - Dont go off and kill, think of why and say no.

    [/2 cents]
    paradox23on February 07, 2006   Link
  • +3
    General CommentA lot of people are steering clear of this song and I don't know why...

    I'll try, but I have a feeling i may be way off base =^\

    Its a song about kids with guns and how their ruining society, "turning us into monsters"...

    The end =^(
    RTBRAND1on May 26, 2005   Link
  • +3
    General CommentSociety is teaching children nowadays to be cold and heartless monsters; how you may ask? By showing them that having a gun is OK, by showing them that killing another human being is no big deal. Nobody cares about anyone else anymore. Humans loose their ability to feel compassion for others.
    HunterRodrion June 05, 2005   Link
  • +3
    General Commentalso does anyone else think it should say "push it real" instead of is she real. at least towards the end
    imissbeckysamplifieron November 21, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General CommentThis song to me is about guerilla warfare in Africa, where little boys are stolen from their homes, tortured, drugged and then forced to fight in armies.


    "They're mesmerised
    Skeletons"


    "And they're turning us into monsters
    Turning us into fire
    turning us into monsters"


    The kids cannot escape, they are threatened to be killed if they do. Some manage to, thankfully.
    tiggiepopon August 15, 2007   Link
  • +2
    Song MeaningMy older brother is in the Army National Guard and he had to go through Basic Training(basically Boot Camp), which he recalled to be the worst weeks of his life. He also claimed to me that the fresh-out-of-highschool men there were childish and gun crazy, or "kids with guns". I wasn't in Basic, so I can't say that I've had the pleasure to be around those new recruits but he has told me about them. They join the National Guard half-cocked and ready to kill. A guy in Basic apparently couldn't figure out why we shouldn't bomb the entire Middle East area. Those guys were naive, immature, and ignorant. I'm not sure if Gorillaz intended for this song to describe U.S. soldiers in general, but I can see how it could.
    CatNapperon June 07, 2013   Link
  • +2
    My InterpretationLets see if we can break it down...

    Kids with guns
    - Sounds like its about soldiers. The US army is mostly just 18 yr old kids with guns.

    Mesmerized skeletons
    - Seems to back up the last statement... but i'll get to that in a second.

    Turning us into monsters
    Turnin us into fire
    Turning us into monsters
    But its all desire
    - The sounds like the pretext for war. Recruiting these kids on a lie and a "cause". Taking them far away and making them into killers. But it's not a just cause, its all desire. Monsters are the killers, fire is the vengence... but its all for greed (desire).

    The mesmerized skeletons is about these poor kids with guns who are convinced that they're going to war for a noble reason but they're just being sent to kill and die for other people's desires and gains.

    Easy does it. Easy does it.
    Think of something to say no to.
    - Dont go off and kill, think of why and say no.

    [/2 cents]

    In addition to the above "Is she real" refers to lady liberty
    tim1170876on May 01, 2014   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI totally agree with RippedPaper13. I was listening to the radio the other day and there was an interview with Damon Albarn (2D) that the record was all about Iraq.

    p.s. If anyone is interested in listening to some of that interview the website is abc.net.au/triplej/2004/listen/
    look for Gorillaz-Part One and Gorillaz-Part Two, but the interview is only what wasn't aired on the show so the part where he says, and i quote "i'ts about Iraq" isn't on there. If you want the rest of the interview you'll have to download this weeks show, but it only stays on for a week, so you may be too late.
    petste101on July 11, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI find that the phrase "Kids with Guns" is referring to the youth being handed anything and everything without consequences or the responsibility of experience. "But it won't be long", at the rate the youth is being forced to grow up and interact with an ever-increasing lack of experience in being able to handle what comes. Eventually society will just be handing kids guns and expecting them to act appropriately.
    traumahoundon May 26, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General CommentWhen I first listened to this, I was about 8 or 9. I loved Gorillaz and relapsed into a sort of reverie everytime I listened to a song. When I listened to Kids with Guns, I saw figures who were sort of half grown adults. They weren't proper adults, and they were in a sandbox. To me the song was always about the stupid ( or I saw them as stupid ) trivial battles adults had, like children bickering for space or toys. Which is what they do fight about really, land and weapons.
    I also loved the use of the word "pacifier", because it meant both "a peace maker" and "a device that a child uses to suck on"
    MissScarletMaeon April 05, 2010   Link

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