Playing Pretend

Played in the dirt, embraced every quirk, always getting hurt
And we did not want to eat lunch before dessert
The messiest hair, life without a care, say your little prayers
Before you wake up again, and everything's fair

Oh, the days of growing up
When drawing in the lines was tough
And mom's approval was enough
But it became lost in drugs and filling up our cup

Well, I wanna know when I was stripped of my innocence
And trading cards turned into trading hearts
And I wanna know when joy became just a past tense
And a Band-Aid no longer healed all our scars
When every relationship has an end
Well, I wanna go back to playing pretend

Always sucking thumbs, girls covered in crumbs, everything was fun
And great when we thought that we'd stay forever young
Innocent laughs, nightly bubble baths, no regretting past mistakes
Or always having goodbyes that last

Oh, the days of growing up
When drawing in the lines was tough
And mom's approval was enough
But it became grief, mistrust, and hands held down by cuffs

Well, I wanna know when vain and I had spread apart
And dumb and rich became the new smart
And I wanna know when beauty meant hating who you are
And a plastic face and body became art
When authentic meant following the trends
Well, I wanna go back to playing pretend