Youth is Wasted on the Young

I got to school yesterday morning and was in the cafeteria doing my morning duties of making sure mayhem doesn't break out. While I was walking around watching the students this tune popped into my head. I kept humming it over and over to myself while I was walking around. When I finally got my piano in my classroom I sat down and plugged out the chords for it. I worked on the song throughout the day, but I couldn't find an easy title for it. I wanted it to be something that was just a simple phrase - possibly something I had heard people say before. Eventually this phrase came to my head and it was the title of the song and it finished up my song for me.

I know the song is short - that's on purpose. I teach my students a lot of folk music and the one thing I love about these old songs is how short they are, but yet some of them are so cool. This isn't destined to go down in history as a folk song, but I was trying to write something short and I accomplished it. It's just a great little song that is fun to sing and play.

Now here's the kicker - the song is actually about the decay of American society. I don't normally write about things of this nature, but I see so many different things around me that just rub me raw. I thought I'd put it out there in a song. There's just too much fighting, selfishness, and lack of respect in this country anymore. There are subtle hints of this in the song. These are my own personal views, but the more I hear around me I am not alone in this thought. The world is rude and selfish. Let's try and get that fixed.


There’s no reason left to cry
We’re still getting by
All the good has now been undone
On the broken wings of dove
You’ll find shaded love
Youth is wasted on the young

Time has seen this life of mine
I’m still doing time
Now my troubles have begun
The system that I’m in
Is never gonna win
Youth is wasted on the young

Silly as it all may seem
No one’s getting free
No one underneath this old sun
Rebels like to pick their fights
Can’t we all unite?
Youth is wasted on the young

Try to live out your days
In the best of ways
Don’t just run away


Youth is Wasted on the Young.mp3