This song was written for a class of Dutch kids in their last year of primary school.

It was just before the American elections of 2016.

I’d handed them a small questionnaire about their feelings at that particular time in life, intending to give them English vocabulary based on their response.

These kids were seriously impressive!

They were fully aware of what was going on around them. They knew that their contemporary world of international and local politics, personal life and environment concerns were all part of whatever the future brought them. And it looked BIG!

Leaving primary school can be an intense time.

Doing it with those heavy and potentially fragile issues awaiting a person surely doesn’t help.

But…you know. It’s OK.

We have a song for that now! 😉

The Freedom to Be Me.

Kylie van Dam

There’s so much that I don’t understand yet.

Love and hate and why I’m here at all.

The environment and politics can spin my mind.

And why we’re all so different,

But that some of us, need the others to feel small.

My mum and dad they love me and I know it.

Both their homes are warm with food for all.

I live in a land that’s clean and safe with everything I need.

And soon I’ll go to high school,

Where they can teach me, about being me, some more.

‘Cause here I am, about to leave my baby years behind.

I don’t know what is out there,

Not sure of what I’ll find.

The world’s enormous and we can be a crazy human race.

I wonder if I’ll do it all or if I’ll ever find my place.

Friends and Love,

Security.

School and Playing,

The Freedom to be Me.

Friends and Love,

Security.

School and Playing,

The Freedom to be Me.

My friends are all I’ve ever really wanted.

Some pets at home and scoring with the ball.

Better grades are nice although they take a lot of time.

I probably need to work more, to make the future, all mine.

‘Cause here I am, about to leave my baby years behind.

I don’t know what is out there,

Not sure of what I’ll find.

The world’s enormous and we can be a crazy human race.

I wonder if I’ll do it all or if I’ll ever find my place.

‘Cause here I am, about to leave my baby years behind.

I don’t know what is out there,

Not sure of what I’ll find.

The world’s enormous and we can be a crazy human race.

I wonder if I’ll do it all or if I’ll ever find my place.

Friends and Love,

Security.

School and Playing,

The Freedom to be Me.

Friends and Love,

Security.

School and Playing,

The Freedom to be Me.

Friends and Love,

Security.