Sprawling on the fringes of the city
In geometric order
An insulated border
In between the bright lights
And the far unlit unknown
Growing up it all seems so one-sided
Opinions all provided
The future pre-decided
Detached and subdivided
In the mass production zone
Nowhere is the dreamer or the misfit so alone
(Subdivisions)
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
(Subdivisions)
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth the unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth
Drawn like moths we drift into the city
The timeless old attraction
Cruising for the action
Lit up like a firefly
Just to feel the living night
Some will sell their dreams for small desires
Or lose the race to rats
Get caught in ticking traps
And start to dream of somewhere
To relax their restless flight
Somewhere out of a memory of lighted streets on quiet nights...
(Subdivisions)
In the high school halls
In the shopping malls
Conform or be cast out
(Subdivisions)
In the basement bars
In the backs of cars
Be cool or be cast out
Any escape might help to smooth the unattractive truth
But the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth
How well said, Neil! As I sit here tonight, contemplating both my past and my future, this song seems so fitting. Those who grew up in my generation understand. Whether or not you like Rush, you know that these words describe what we all lived. Our kids don't know, and I can only think that in some ways that's a good thing. But in more ways it's not so good.
Our kids have grown up in a time where communication is so easy. They've always had the internet, email, and cell phones. First it was Xanga, then Myspace and now Facebook. Now they have PS2, or Nintendo Wii, or X-box, or whatever the video system of the day is. They have no idea what "pong" was...or Atari. Anybody remember Galaga, or Missile Command? LMAO!!
Our kids have so much more at their command than we did, yet they've also missed on so much of the things we enjoyed as kids. It's sad for me to say, but I'm not even sure if my daughter, who is now 21 yrs old, ever played a game of kickball. Or "hide and seek". I know there were some things she did...the games of "four square", the times of digging in the sand at the neighbors house...but she never had the chance to camp out in the back yard every night during the summer, and ride her bike around the subdivision at 2 or 3 in the morning because the parents were asleep, and it was safe back then, like I did. She never had the opportunity to discover the world around her like I did, without there being an adult present.
I grew up in the last of the best time to be a kid in America. Yes there was peer pressure. Yes, you had to conform or be cast out. But we were so free back then, so much more than our kids. Back then, even the outcast...the one who wouldn't conform, had a chance. I know, I was one of those. Yet I have such great memories of my youth...the games of kickball or hide and seek we had on our street. And later, the baseball and basketball games in Jr high and high school. I had the fortune that my daughter was a very good tennis player...she played tennis from 7th grade until 10th grade. She only stopped playing competetivly because in 10th grade she left public school, and went to Ft Worth Academy of Fine Arts. They had no sports. But by that time, along with being one of the best singers FWAFA, and the Singing Girls of Texas has ever had, she could still school any boy her age, as well her dad, on the tennis court. And dear old dad was a pretty good tennis player!
Like it's stated in the title...just random thoughts from a random mind! I just wish the next generation could have the best of the previous two...I want my grandkids to have the safety, security, and sense of community I grew up with as well as the technology their parents have enjoyed. I want them to be able to communicate with any friend anytime, but also to know how to get along with the kids next door...or down the street...and build the great memories that I have.
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