Yes, it’s Cat Stevens.
I was walking my southern neighborhood, 4-mile route today. Many more people, adults with kids included, playing catch, walking dogs, some even cleaning out their garages. It’s Wednesday afternoon. These are strange times!
Midway through the walk I passed two young boys around age 10 sitting on opposite sides of the driveway where the approach meets the street. I overheard one boy saying, “You know the test only costs twenty-five cents”, followed by “But they really don’t know how well they work.” Clearly, he was parroting his parents or other older person “in the know.” But the parks are empty, save the sidewalks, and we go out of our way to stay at least six feet apart. Unspoken new rules that even the children recognize as part of our new reality.
Well I think it’s fine, building jumbo planes
Or taking a ride on a cosmic train
Switch on summer from a slot machine
Yes, get what you want to if you want
Cause you can get anythingI know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?Well you roll on roads over fresh green grass
For your lorry loads pumping petrol gas
And you make them long, and you make them tough
But they just go on and on, and it seems that you can’t get offOh, I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?Well you’ve cracked the sky, scrapers fill the air
But will you keep on building higher
‘Til there’s no more room up there?
Will you make us laugh, will you make us cry?
Will you tell us when to live, will you tell us when to die?I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Yusuf Islam
Where Do The Children Play lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Did you notice the songwriter’s name? I think it’s what he changed his name to when he joined the Muslim religion and moved to Iran.
Love it! Yes, the rules have changed! The song is still great!