Children of PAIN

[VERSE 1]

Do you know
What it’s like to be a child
Of a parent always in need
To be grown before your time
And not know exactly what you’re doing

[VERSE 2]

Growing up too fast
Because you’re the one who has
The responsibility
To be responsible

[VERSE 3]

Mom’s smoking crack
Or drinking cognac to intoxication
Dad’s chasing the skirts of whores after work
Never around when you need him

[VERSE 4]

Or dad’s the jerk
And mom’s not leaving
Instead she’s crying and weeping
‘Bout what a no-good S.O.B. he is

[VERSE 5]

Parents Always In Pain
Generally come in pairs
Because one or the other is screwing up
And the other is always complaining

[HOOK]

Children of PAIN
Children of Parents Always In Need
Children of PAIN
Who’s listening
When you’re the one that’s needing?

[VERSE 6]

You may not understand the feeling
They don’t all act the same
But children of PAIN
Have a lot in common
From taking care of parents who are weak

[VERSE 7]

It’s all supposed to be so simple
A child, then the parents’ doing the raising
But it all gets reversed
When the childhood is taken
By parents in need of intervention

[VERSE 8]

What happens to the children of PAIN
The impact is not all the same
Too many follow in mom and dad’s footsteps
And some grow into a life
Of incredible service

[VERSE 9]

Never realizing how much childhood they’ve missed
Never asking for help
Taking on more than their share
Because asking in childhood got them nowhere

[VERSE 10]

Children of PAIN can be independent as hell
And that may seem swell
Except life is community
Not meant to be solitary . . . confinement

[HOOK]

Children of PAIN
Children of Parents Always In Need
Children of PAIN
Who’s listening
When you’re the one that’s needing?

Children of PAIN
Children of Parents Always In Need
Children of PAIN
Who’s listening
When you’re the one that’s needing?