Only Children

Album: Reunions (2020)
Play Video
  • Walking around at night
    Fighting my appetite
    Every kid in cutoffs could be you
    Remember when we used to meet
    At the bottom of Mobile Street
    Do what the broken people do

    Are you still taking notes?
    The Holy Ghost could get inside you
    You can do whatever you put your mind to
    Will you read me what you wrote?
    When we were locked outside the building
    Over—encouraged only children

    Cold coffee on the fire escape
    We bet it all on a demo tape
    When we still had something left to steal
    Remember when we took too much
    To get a little of the human touch
    Hand to mouth and reel to reel

    Are you still taking notes?
    Hydrocodone in your backpack
    Maybe these words will hold the beast back
    Will you read me what you wrote?
    The one I said you stole from Dylan
    Over—encouraged only children

    Heaven's wasted on the dead
    That's what your mama said
    And the hearse was idling in the parking lot
    She said you thought the world of me
    And you were glad to see
    They finally let me be an astronaut

    Are you still taking notes?
    Do you have anyone to talk to?
    Castle walls that you can walk through?
    Do the dead believe in ghosts?
    Or are you lost in some old building
    With over—encouraged only children? Writer/s: Michael Jason Isbell
    Publisher: Downtown Music Publishing
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 1

  • Jasper from HydraI cover many Jason Isbell songs and have been working on OnlyChildren for the last weeks. Anyway it gave me goosebumps when I read this article while BEING AT THE ISLAND OF HYDRA!!! How amazing is that?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"

Neal Smith - "I'm Eighteen"They're Playing My Song

With the band in danger of being dropped from their label, Alice Cooper drummer Neal Smith co-wrote the song that started their trek from horror show curiosity to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Brandi Carlile

Brandi CarlileSongwriter Interviews

As a 5-year-old, Brandi was writing lyrics to instrumental versions lullabies. She still puts her heart into her songs, including the one Elton John sings on.

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Early Days of MTV

Early Days of MTVFact or Fiction

If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.