Childhood Lyrics
Have you seen my childhood?
I'm searching for the world that I come from
'Cause I've been looking around
In the lost and found of my heart
No one understands me
They view it as such strange eccentricities
'Cause I keep kidding 'round
Like a child, but pardon me
[Chorus]
People say I'm not okay
'Cause I love such elementary things
It's been my fate to compensate
For the childhood
I've never known
[Verse 2]
Have you seen my childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like pirates in adventurous dreams
Of conquest and kings on the throne
Before you judge me, try hard to love me
Look within your heart, then ask
Have you seen my childhood?
People say I'm strange that way
'Cause I love such elementary things
It's been my fate to compensate
For the childhood (Childhood)
I've never known
[Verse 3]
Have you seen my childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like fantastical stories to share
The dreams I would dare, watch me fly
Before you judge me, try hard to love me
The painful youth I've had
[Outro]
Have you seen my childhood?
About
The 10th track on Michael’s album HIStory – Past, Present & Future, and it’s other first single, being a double A-Side alongside “Scream”. Michael gets very personal, and sings about his hard childhood, having to sing and getting abused by his father.
Michael also stated that this is the most autobiographical song he’d ever written.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
In an interview with 60 Minutes' Ed Bradley in 2003, Michael Jackson has mentioned this song is his most autobiographical:
On his website in 1995 was a clip of Michael speaking about this song:
Our personal history begins in childhood, and the song “Childhood” is a reflection of my life years ago, when I was much younger. And it’s about the pain, some of the joys, some of the dreaming, some of the mental adventures that I took because of the different lifestyle that I had in being a child performer. I was born on the stage. And “Childhood”, it is my mirror. It’s my story.
- 5.Off the Wall
- 6.Girlfriend
- 12.Baby Be Mine
- 13.The Girl is Mine
- 14.Thriller
- 15.Beat It
- 16.Billie Jean
- 17.Human Nature
- 20.Bad
- 22.Speed Demon
- 23.Liberian Girl
- 28.Dirty Diana
- 29.Smooth Criminal
- 30.Leave Me Alone
- 31.Jam
- 33.In the Closet
- 37.Heal the World
- 38.Black or White
- 39.Who Is It
- 40.Give In to Me
- 42.Keep the Faith
- 43.Gone Too Soon
- 44.Dangerous
- 45.Scream
- 48.This Time Around
- 49.Earth Song
- 50.D.S.
- 51.Money
- 52.Come Together
- 54.Childhood
- 55.Tabloid Junkie
- 56.2 Bad
- 57.HIStory
- 59.Smile
- 61.Morphine
- 62.Superfly Sister
- 63.Ghosts
- 64.Is It Scary
- 73.Unbreakable
- 74.Heartbreaker
- 75.Invincible
- 76.Break of Dawn
- 77.Heaven Can Wait
- 79.Butterflies
- 80.Speechless
- 81.2000 Watts
- 82.You Are My Life
- 83.Privacy
- 84.Don’t Walk Away
- 85.Cry
- 87.Whatever Happens
- 88.Threatened
