This is the sixth track off the debut album, “The Listening”, by Lights. It is a nostalgic song, in which she constantly reminisces about how wonderful being a child was, and how she’d give a lot to go back to that stage in time.
[Verse 1]
Once in a while, I act like a child
To feel like a kid again
It gets like a prison
In the body I'm living in
'Cause everyone's watching and quick to start talking
I'm losing my innocence
Wish I were a little girl
Without the weight of the world
[Chorus 1]
It would be nice to start over again
Before we were men
I'd give, I'd bend
Let's play pretend
[Verse 2]
Remember the time we had soda for wine
And got by on gratitude?
The worst they could do to you
Was check your attitude
Yeah, when fights were for fun, we had water in guns
And a place we could call our own
How we lost hold of home
I guess I'll never know
[Chorus 2]
It would be nice to start over again
Before we were men
I'd give, I'd bend
Let's play pretend
And when it's the end
Our lives will make sense
We'll love, we'll bend
Let's play pretend
[Bridge]
It's not going to be long before we're all gone
With nothing to show for them
Stop taking lives, come on
Let's all grow up again
[Chorus 2]
It would be nice to start over again
(It would be nice if we start over)
Before we were men
I'd give, I'd bend
Let's play pretend
And when it's the end
Our lives will make sense
(And when it's the end
Our lives will make sense)
We'll love, we'll bend
Let's play pretend
Pretend was written by Lights.
Pretend was produced by Lights & Thomas “Tawgs” Salter.