|
|
|
SongsByMike |
It Shouldn’t Hurt To Be A Child |
|
A good friend of our family is the executive director of a non-profit organization in Yuma called Amberly’s Place. It is an organization that serves as an advocate for women and children in abusive situations and works to expedite processes and protect their rights. She sees and experiences a lot of things that might be termed depressing, while providing a wonderful and needed service for our community. She has always been very complimentary of my music and mentioned to my wife one day that she really liked the song, “Through the Eyes of a Child,” and thought that it might be good if I could compose a song that might specifically address or champion the cause of abused children. My wife mentioned these comments to me and I kept them working in the back of my mind for a while. The state of Arizona issues a special license plate meant to raise awareness of the issue that says, “It shouldn’t hurt to be a child” and our friend has one on her vehicle. This was the theme that stuck in my head as I sat down at the piano. I did not want to focus on the depressing side that may seem so obvious in this sensitive issue, but rather help to motivate the listener to heed an innate responsibility in each of us; to heed back to a more innocent time that we all once knew and remember the positives that come with that; to protect that innocence for our rising generation for as long as possible so that they may discover their potential before it becomes tainted by the concerns and less-than-virtuous influences found in their world. I hope that this is the message that comes through.
Post-Script: Those that have visited my website prior to September 2007 may have heard this song in a little different way. I had unwittingly created one of the verses in a way that could be construed inappropriately. So we changed it and headed back to the recording studio. Since we were going back anyway, and there was talk of using this song in some presentations for Amberly’s Place, I decided to take some friends with me to the studio and enhance it a bit. The main child’s voice in this recording is my daughter, Rachel, but we also had some help from some other youth and adults. Michael Coleman’s ( www.orangewoodrecording.net ) studio engineering talents (and patience) were also a major component. My thanks to all of them.
By Michael D. Squires
Hopscotch, jump rope, Hide & Seek, stars through a telescope, Doll houses, pretend time, Riding our bikes in endless days of sunshine.
If this was our childhood, how grateful we should be To those who have helped us get through it properly.
But what of our children that now walk in our place? Is childhood now shorter because of what they have to face?
It shouldn’t hurt to be a child, let them stay there a while; But they must feel safe, in their innocence. Let them find out who they are, then they can go so far; For now, they just need us to let them be a child.
But what of our children that now walk in our place? Is childhood now shorter because of what they have to face?
Generations of tomorrow, Need us to stop the pain and sorrow, And see the challenge that lies before us, And join our voices as we sing this chorus:
It shouldn’t hurt to be a child, let them stay there a while; But they must feel safe, in their innocence. Let them find out who they are, then they can go so far; For now, they just need us to let them be a child.
It shouldn’t hurt to be a child, let them stay there a while; But they must feel safe, in their innocence. Let them find out who they are, then they can go so far; For now, they just need us to let them be a child.
Hopscotch, jump rope, Hide & Seek, stars through a telescope, Doll houses, pretend time, Riding our bikes in endless days of sunshine. |
|
It Shouldn’t Hurt To Be A Child |
|
To contact me: |
|
Words and Music by Michael D. Squires |
|
LISTEN AND/OR DOWNLOAD |
