I'm Just A Kid by Simple Plan

Album: No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls (2002)

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Songfacts®:

This song is about being a kid and feeling alone, like no one cares about you. The lyric is delivered with a wink, but it's rather painful, with lead singer Pierre Bouvier singing about being trapped in the house while everybody else is out having fun (or so it seems). "Every night is the worst night ever," he laments.

The group could relate to these feelings of adolescent anguish because they were still in their early 20s when the song was released, with fresh memories of high school.
Directed by Ryan Smith and Frank Borin, the music video is a tie-in with the 2002 film The New Guy, with the film's stars DJ Qualls and Eliza Dushku playing similar roles, but with band members integrated into the story. "I'm Just A Kid" plays in the film and appears on the soundtrack. >>
Suggestion credit:
Melissa - Toledo, OH
This is one of the earliest Simple Plan songs, and one of the first that their songwriting team of lead singer Pierre Bouvier and drummer Chuck Comeau wrote together. Along with "I'd Do Anything," it's one of two songs on their debut album that was included on the original demo that earned them a record deal.

In high school, Bouvier and Comeau were in a band called Reset, which was popular in the area, so life didn't suck that bad. Still, they both knew what it was like to search for a place to belong and to push back against the tides of conformity. In a Songfacts interview with Bouvier, he explained: "From early teenage life, having a band together we were exposed to the punk rock scene in Montreal and played a lot of shows at a very young age, so we identified with this counter culture, Southern California punk music that was coming out from Fat Wreck Chords and Epitaph and some stuff from Europe, and just that whole vibe. We'd go to a show with these people with spiked hair and piercings, and we'd go in the mosh pit and just mosh and get out and then have to take the bus back to our parents' house. I think all of that put together made us feel like we found our place in the world and that we belong. We wanted to give voice to that whole scene - for the kids at the shows. So all that blended together and that's where it came from."
This was Simple Plan's first single, released in February 2002 shortly before their debut album, No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls was issued. It did well in their native Canada and in Japan, but had little impact elsewhere. The band quickly learned that getting a record deal was only half the battle: they had to stay hungry and prove themselves. Fortunately, they were signed to Lava Records, which was partnered with Atlantic but small and autonomous. Executives at Lava were patient with the band and kept promoting them. Their next single, "I'd Do Anything," made headway in America, charting at #51 but not until March 2003. Their next two singles from the album, "Addicted" and "Perfect," kept the band on the radio and on MTV throughout 2003.
The "I'm just a kid and life is a nightmare" line was put in to push the envelope and make the song stand out among the other angsty teenage laments that were out there. They put another ear-catching lyric on their song "Addicted," where Bouvier sings, "I'm a dick. I'm addicted to you."
This was used this in the 2003 movie Cheaper By The Dozen when the kids start at a new school. >>
Suggestion credit:
Melanie - Milwaukee, WI
The song saw a resurgence in popularity in April 2020 shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began. TikTok used "I'm Just A Kid" in a challenge that involved family members re-creating sentimental childhood photos to the tune.

Comments: 19

LaviniaMy friends ignored me a lot, hung out without me, never texted back.. I’m not saying I’m the nicest person ever Im not, but I don’t think I deserve that. That’s when I discovered this song, I played it so much about 8 times a day and it didn’t exactly help, just made me feel better that other people out there feel alone like that too. Since then I got rid of one of those friends because she was ignoring me too much. I bet that people need space but one day I was sitting alone sadly after a sort of fight with my mum. She didn’t ask how I was, didn’t say hi as soon as she saw me, and .. yeah, it really hurt. So I’m so glad this song is out there, it’s not my favourite but it lives in my heart forever.
Alex B from London On this song has pushed me for 6 years in high school I agree with Pierre I can relate every time I say it's true to me my friends they won't "don't get it" when I'm went through that I hope that they will through their heads
Nick P from Ossining, Nyyeah i think everyone can relate to this, high school can really suck sometimes, just gotta stay positive and get through every moment. high school is 4 years, so, stay positive, it is a long time ;)
Iain from Medford, Mai, too can relate 2 this song. i dont have many friends, everyone is a douchebag and i just cant escape this sucky life. and no one really listens 2 me neither. pretty much im just an ugly zit on the face of humanity. hhhmmmmmmmm, i went a bit far didnt i. lol
Kathryn from Dauphin Island, AlI can relate to this song, because no one listens to me, and I'm always left alone when I don't wanna be.
Nathan Ritz from Marengo , Ini can relate to this song too, i have school, but i dont have friends because everyone hates me because im emo, your right A.J. both of those movies do suck
Mike Fuentes from Melvindale, MiI can relate to this song because when I dont have school, I try ti call up my friends to hang out. The next day they did something fun and didnt even bother to tell me about it. Or they say that they are going to do something and tell me thats its canceled when it isnt.
Megan from Fort Wayne, InI can totally relate to this song no one ever listens to me. When ever my dad comes to see us, he neverlistens to me and only talks to my brothers and it hurts me. Same with my mom' my oldest brother hurts me and she doesn't listen and totally blows it off.
Atavan from Muntinlupa, Philippineswell... i definetely love the meaning of the song, i've sang this before at our school prom and all my classmates goes 'gaga' they thought i wrote the song my self.. haha just sharing :)
Trina from Nyc, NyI love Simple Plan. I can really relate to this song, because my father's had six strokes and almost died more than once, and sometimes I feel that I have all this crap dumped on me, and I don't know why, and whenever I listen to this I feel that someone else out there is like me, wondering why they have so much crap dumped on them, since they're only a kid...
Leelee from Burlington, Onthe day this video was shot pierre was actually really sick that day, he did not want to go to film at all but he had no choice
Veddie Edder from Seattle (coincidence), -simple plan is probably the worst band on the planet. this song is terrible as well.
Lauren from Kansas City, Moi can also say that this song can be used to tell parents that our lives aren't all that glamorous
Ollie from London, Englandthis song, like, describes me every day ...
Eric Cartman from What, United Statesok aj grind rocks! but simple plan does too. haha i love this song cuz if you have a bad day you just listen to this and know that your not the only kid who went through stuff like this and that sumbody does care
Tony from Bolingbrook, Ilcheaper by the dozen is pretty cool
Melissa from Toledo, OhAt first I put The New Kid but changed it to The New Guy.
A.j. from Chicago, IlWhat movie did you say it was in at first?

It was also in Grind Cheaper by the Dozen. Both movies bite.
Melissa from My PlaceSorry I made a mistake, this song was used in The New Guy.

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