Songs of Childhood: Show Me
Bringing back a blog post from July 2009. — Jennie 2019/06/19
I’m kind of making a list of songs with lyrics about childhood that appeal to me — celebrating childhood and the innocence and joy of it. This time I’m inducting a song from the 80s into my “Songs of Childhood” hall of fame: it’s “Show Me,” by the Pretenders, from their “Learning to Crawl” album.
| CHORUS: | |
| Show me the meaning of the word | What word? We’ll find out later. |
| Show me the meaning of the word | |
| ‘Cause I’ve heard so much about it | |
| They say, “Hey, you can’t live without it” | |
| Verse 1: | |
| Welcome to the human race | Who is this song being sung to? |
| With its wars, disease and brutality | It’s almost apologizing for how bad a job we’ve done taking care of this world. |
| You with your innocence and grace | I’m rather thinking it’s being sung to a baby who’s just been born. |
| Restore some pride and dignity | |
| To a world in decline | |
| Verse 2: | |
| Welcome to a special place | |
| In a heart of stone that’s cold and gray | I love how it’s still possible to make a special place in an often cold and hard world. |
| You with your angel face | |
| Keep the despair at bay | |
| Send it away, and | |
| Chorus 2: | |
| Show me the meaning of the word | |
| Show me the meaning of the word | |
| ‘Cause I’ve heard so much about it | |
| I don’t want to live without it | |
| I don’t want to live without it | |
| Bridge: | |
| Oh, I want love | Finally, this is the word: love. |
| I want love | |
| I want love | |
| Verse 3: | |
| Welcome here from outer space | My favorite two lines of the song. |
| The Milky Way still in your eyes | A baby is a visitor to this world, in a way, an ambassador from somewhere else. What must they think of us? |
| You found yourself a hopeless case | The songwriter is gently making fun of herself. |
| One that’s seeking perfection on earth | She calls herself foolish for seeking perfection in an imperfect world. |
| Some kind of rebirth, so | Perhaps we’re all born perfect and lose that perfection with time. Deep message. |
| Chorus 3: | |
| Show me the meaning of the word | The idea that a baby knows more about love than anybody else is also a deep message. |
| Show me the meaning of the word | |
| ‘Cause I’ve heard so much about it | |
| Don’t make me live without it | |
| Bridge 2: | |
| Oh, love | |
| I want love | |
| I want | |
| Love | |
| I want love |
