The 2nd and real meaning of "The Lost Children"

loka

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I noticed that few people understood that the "lost children" are us, the adults...

You understand that as soon as you know from which episode of the Twilight Zone are taken the children voices of the beginning of the song...
 
To be honest, I think you yourself misunderstood the song, and Michael's meaning of the song. "The lost children" is literally about children that are 'lost'; taken from their parents who don't know where their child is, or if they are even alive. Children that are alone, families who are hoping for the child to come home safely.

"We sing songs for the wishing, of those who are kissing, but not for the missing"
 
I think lost can also mean being mentally lost e.g. children being frustrated and confused and "wishing them home" can be a metaphor for returning to a calm state of mind.
 
To be honest, I think you yourself misunderstood the song, and Michael's meaning of the song. "The lost children" is literally about children that are 'lost'; taken from their parents who don't know where their child is, or if they are even alive. Children that are alone, families who are hoping for the child to come home safely.

"We sing songs for the wishing, of those who are kissing, but not for the missing"


I agree with you. I think the song has a literal meaning about the lost children, children who are missing from home.
 
I remember reading in an article prior to the release of Invincible that MJ was going to publicise a true life case of a missing child in the album booklet.

Obviously that never happened, but I think that story goes to prove that the song can be taken as literally being about lost/missing children.
 
I remember reading in an article prior to the release of Invincible that MJ was going to publicise a true life case of a missing child in the album booklet.

Obviously that never happened, but I think that story goes to prove that the song can be taken as literally being about lost/missing children.

This :yes:
 
To me it's ambivalent and BOTH. Primarily it's the "missing" yes, but followed pretty closely by the inner missing child that went lost a long time ago.

Michael always mentioned how he just wanted a dad whom he could just look up to and call "dad". Saying
Home with their fathers,
Snug close and warm, loving their mothers
I see the door simply wide open
But no one can find thee

is the perfect way of expressing both. Children that are missing and children who want and deserve nothing more than loving parents and a safe heaven, a home.

It's a wonderful way of expressing both.
 
Can I just take a moment to say that I think this is one of the best songs on Invincible and is vastly underrated by many fans. I'm glad it has it's own thread.

It has one of the best bridges ever...whenever I hear "I see the door simply wide open" I want cry on my knees. It's beautiful. It's not a "cool" song. It's mushy at first glance. If you take a couple more glances, it's not mushy at all.

"When you sit there addressing
counting your blessings
biding your time
when you lay me down sleeping
my heart is weeping"- I have heard so many people critiquing this as mushy ballad, but I challenge anybody to write such true and profound lyrics while keeping it simple...that's a real art.
 
Can I just take a moment to say that I think this is one of the best songs on Invincible and is vastly underrated by many fans. I'm glad it has it's own thread.

I agree. I love this song. It's amazing. It always hurts me to read the fans bashing this song...
 
To be honest, I think you yourself misunderstood the song, and Michael's meaning of the song. "The lost children" is literally about children that are 'lost';

you're wrong !

it's not a coincidence if some sounds come from :

an episode of the Twilight zone where adults try to be young again...

You should watch this episode and realize how smart was MJ when he wrote "the lost children"

entire epîsode but in french version

http://www.indavideo.hu/video/86_-_...ISODE_86_-_THE_TWILIGHT_ZONE_-_KICK_THE_CAN_2
 
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The dedication was going to be for a toddler who went missing from her Florida home. The police always believed the parents were covering for each other so no new information ever came for her. She was never found and the parents never charged. The reason why the dedication was stopped was because of the National Group for Exploited Children. They felt putting the picture and the girls name while the investigation was ongoing and the parents not cooperating would be a bad idea. The parents would become intimidated.
 
It's my favorite piece from the "Invincible" album. There were no single time I was listening to it without sharing at least one tear.
You can interpret it in both ways: you can think it's about adults searching for the child within itself. But for me it's really about children. Those who are missing, can't find their way home. And also those who don't have where to come back, who don't have to real home, loving families. Like from the broken families, living in poverty, who don't have "Home with their fathers, snug close and warm, loving their mothers"
Because of he way how I see the meaning of this song, it is so important to me. Every single one lost child feels special, when it hears that it has a place in Michaels heart...
 
you're wrong !
I'm not wrong. Read the other posts in this thread about the dedications Michael wanted to make to children that were taken from their families. Quite clearly, that's what it's about.

Also, the lyrics of the song convey the message that while we are so busy focusing on other things, we tend to sometimes forget that these children are still lost and not home where they should be. But Michael never forgot, and he worried for them.

"When you sit there addressing, counting your blessings
Biding your time
When you lay me down sleeping and my heart is weeping
Because I’m keeping a place for all the lost children"

Michael has always been concerned about the children of the world. Hence why he wore the armband around his upper arm.....he vowed to keep wearing it for as long as there were children suffering, and in need for our care.
 
I do not think he would have sampled that episode of the Twilight Zone if it didn't have anything to do with your finding enter child. Even the back-ups for the chorus go from adult voices to child voices. It's pretty obvious.
 
I do not think he would have sampled that episode of the Twilight Zone if it didn't have anything to do with your finding enter child. Even the back-ups for the chorus go from adult voices to child voices. It's pretty obvious.
Let me guess, you also believe in conspiracy theories? You also believe Michael is still alive and hiding somewhere? Because you're looking into things way too much, in my humble opinion. The song is what it is.......an anthem for children that are lost, taken from their families.
 
The dedication was going to be for a toddler who went missing from her Florida home. The police always believed the parents were covering for each other so no new information ever came for her. She was never found and the parents never charged. The reason why the dedication was stopped was because of the National Group for Exploited Children. They felt putting the picture and the girls name while the investigation was ongoing and the parents not cooperating would be a bad idea. The parents would become intimidated.

so the cops and the parents never cared for the child, but when Michael decided to care, the government stepped in and 'pretended to care', but, just didn't want to be showed up, by Michael. nothing new, there..and a child lost, in the offing..which the cops, the National center, and those parents will PAY for, in the by and by. another case of sacrificing and hating children, to just not be shown up by Michael.
 
Because you're looking into things way too much, in my humble opinion. The song is what it is.......an anthem for children that are lost, taken from their families.

so why these samples from this Episode of Twilight Zone an why not an other ?
 
I just also wanted to add that "The Lost Children" is one of his most emotional songs. We get to look into his beautiful soul, like we do with songs like "Heal The World"

Thank you Mike.
 
so why these samples from this Episode of Twilight Zone an why not an other ?
Because Michael liked Twilight Zone. It was an inspiration for Threatened. But not for The Lost Children.

It's sad, that you don't see the song for what it is. An anthem for those that have dissapeared.
 
I can just think of the clip of Michael singing this with Paris and Prince. :cry:
 
Songs are like poetry. Just like every poem you can interpret the song in a way you feel it's right. It's your/mine/his interpretation and that's it's magic, it's amazing what the others can see in the same words, in which you see some other meaning. Amazing:) :flowers:
 
Because Michael liked Twilight Zone. It was an inspiration for Threatened. But not for The Lost Children.

It's sad, that you don't see the song for what it is. An anthem for those that have dissapeared.

but why this Particular episode ?

do you know the subject of "kick the can" ???

it's not a coincidence...

why don't you want to see the 2 meanings of the song ?
 
but why this Particular episode ?

do you know the subject of "kick the can" ???

it's not a coincidence...

why don't you want to see the 2 meanings of the song ?
my question to you is why don't you want to see the song for what it is, and what it was meant for?
The song is about children that were taken from their parents, or are living on the streets with no family to care for them and Michael is telling us to remember these LOST CHILDREN.

Tell me, have you thought about Madeleine Mc Cann today? Exactly. Michael is telling us that while we are busy living our lives,we sometimes forget that these children are still missing. He is singing this song because he wants to say: "I have not forgotten about you".

And Twilight? It IS a coincidence.

I'm going to Moonwalk out of this thread because at this point I think you're just trying to piss me off. Have a good day.
 
Let me guess, you also believe in conspiracy theories? You also believe Michael is still alive and hiding somewhere? Because you're looking into things way too much, in my humble opinion. The song is what it is.......an anthem for children that are lost, taken from their families.

Thank you for being so rude.
 
I think one of the many things that made him such an amazing song writer is that one can find different interpretations and meanings in the same song. IMO it doesn´t have to be either-or. It can be both.
His heart always bled for children in need and he did more than most people on this planet to raise awareness of and to relieve sufferings of children. But he also had a deep understanding of how most adults have lost the connection with the inner child inside of them and lost sight of the magic and playfulness of life. In Dancing The Dream he talks about The Magical Child “Deep inside, you know it´s true. Just find that child, it´s hiding in you”. He also had a deep understanding of how most adults (at least at some level) have a lost and hurt child inside of them. In the beautiful oxford speech for example he talks about healing the child within us. I think it´s a beautiful interpretation that The Lost Children at some level also could be about adults, with a missing inner child or a lost child inside of them.
 
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