The playground kids are all the same (oh oh)
They stick together for the game (oh, the game)
As they grow up the friendships change (oh oh)
Insulting starts, it's the teen age

(Oh oh oh)
Children
(Oh oh oh)
Listen
I'm down on my knees
Friends now enemies

I'm not looking pretty
Spat upon with hate and mockery
People wanna hurt and injure me
So now the kids are looking dirty
I get sick of trying
I'm worn out fighting prejudice
Wiping off those dirty offenses
So now the kids are looking dirty

The scars and scrapes don't make them frail (oh oh)
Your words won't put them down again
(down again)
Inside they're damaged but they'll still
Show you that they don't give a shit

(Oh oh oh)
Children
(Oh oh oh)
Listen
I'm left standing here
Daring you to throw your stones

I'm not looking pretty
Spat upon with hate and mockery
People wanna hurt and injure me
So now the kids are looking dirty
I get sick of trying
I'm worn out fighting prejudice
Wiping off those dirty offenses
So now the kids are looking dirty
(Yeah, uh-huh) So now the kids are looking dirty
(Uh-huh, yeah, Lil Trip y'all, huh)
So now the kids are looking dirty

Why can't we all live in peace
We got the world at our feet
But see, you keep on hatin'
'Cause you different than me
Don't wanna make no enemies
I just wish that I was free
When the world like woop
Be who I wanna be
Y'all keep on hurting each other
Although you call yourself brothers
Now you're lookin' at me
Like who's the next one to suffer
Yeah, we can't stop the heat
We keep it high on the beat
Now we 'bout to show the world
What we're destined to be, yeah
La la la la la
Now we 'bout to show the world
What we're destined to be, yeah
La la la la la (uh-huh)
Now we 'bout to show the world
What we're destined to be, yeah

So we're not looking pretty
Spat upon with hate and mockery
People wanna make us feel messy
Children

We're not looking pretty
Spat upon with hate and mockery
People wanna make us feel dirty
So now the kids are looking dirty
We get sick of trying
We're worn out fighting prejudice
Wiping off those dirty offenses
So now the kids are looking dirty
Yes, we're looking dirty
But this will not bring us down
Messy children
Yes, we're looking dirty
But this will not bring us down
Messy children