[Verse 1]
C Em
That was the way, that was the way it was
Am F
When you're five years old and don't have nowhere else to run
C Em
Except into your mother's arms, where she held you so tight
Am F
And you're scared of the dark so you sleep with your little night light
C Em
When you walked up to school and everyone there was your best friend
Am F
When you learned your numbers and shapes and played pretend
C Em
You didn't mind that your hair was a mess, you were so carefree
Am F
You didn't know how cold and cruel this world would one day be
[Chorus]
Dm G
We were just so young
C
We should have known
Em Am
We should have known
Dm G C
That one day we'd hate our bodies and we'd orbit around buttons on a phone
Em Am
We should have known
Dm G C
That one day we'd pluck our eyebrow hairs and wonder why the cool kids stared at me
Em Am
Oh why'd it have to be
Dm
Our imaginations have run dry
G C
We hate ourselves and have a nightly cry
Em Am
And then we act like we're fine
Dm G C
It's alcohol and bombs and drugs, don't ever let your children grow up
Em Am
(Oh oh oh oh oh oh)
C Em
[Verse 2]
C Em
We would swing on the swings and jump off and pretend we could fly
Am F
But as soon as we blinked we grew up and we're junior high
C Em
So our dads dropped us off at the park and we stayed out 'till ten
Am F
So the makeup comes out and we think we need the perfect boyfriend
[Chorus]
Dm G
We were just so young
C
How didn't we know
Em Am
How didn't we know
Dm G C
That we'd be independent on our own and lose more friends while traveling down the road
Em Am
Oh, how didn't we know
Dm G C
That there's more to life than sleepovers and jocks turn out worse than the science nerds
Em Am
But somehow that all gets blurred
Dm
And some relationships they end real fast
G C
And though you want you might never get it back
Em Am
The doors close just like that
Dm G C
It's depression and it's broken love, don't ever let your children grow up
Em Am
(Oh oh oh oh oh oh)
C Em
(Vocals)
[Outro]
Dm G
We're no longer young
C
So now that we know
Em Am
So now that we know
Dm G C
That this world could use some turning 'round, if only we could find some common ground
Em Am
But it's up to us
Dm G C
And although at times it gets so rough, you have got to let your children grow up
Em Am
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Dm G C
Yeah, you have got to let your children, got to let your children grow up