While you may not remember being 2 years old, it’s a formative time in your life. In these songs, the artists highlight the freedom and confusion of being a 2-year-old, and compare 2-year-olds to immature people or scared individuals. There’s also a lot of love for them too.
Check out these top songs about being 2 years old!
1. “Terribly Terrific Two’s” by Jasmine Watkins
Song Year: 2023
This adorable song is sung from the perspective of a child who just turned 2 and wants a little more freedom because now they’re all grown up! It’s a charming song about trying to grow up and be brave and navigate new feelings and knowledge.
2. ”Old Terror” by Frank Ocean
Song Year: 2008
Old Terror by the iconic indie R&B artist Frank Ocean is about behaving like a 2-year-old even when you’re 22. This unreleased song goes back and forth between talking to a literal 2-year-old in the verses and talking to a 22-year-old in the chorus.
3. ”Nowhere Fast” by Eminem
Song Year: 2017
In this song, Eminem discusses the feeling of rushing around and always being busy despite not having an end goal. He’s always “on” for other people and doing things because he’s asked to, but he advises the listener to forget what other people want and just act like a 2-year-old, doing whatever they want.
4. ”Shady CXVPHER” by Eminem
Song Year: 2014
Shady CXVPHER is an extended freestyle never released on an official record. Eminem, along with other artists, rap about their journey to the top and the path their life has taken. In the song, Eminem has a few verses that discuss his childhood, saying he’s been in the since he was 2 years old and music is his life and saving grace.
5. “Ballad of the Harp Weaver” by Johnny Cash
Song Year: 1960
Johnny Cash sings (or talks) about how his mother was ashamed of the things they had and how he never had nice or new clothes to wear. Throughout his life, he recalls his mother playing the harp in good and bad times, which makes him feel like a 2-year-old every time.
6. ”I’m Livin’ in Shame” by Diana Ross and The Supremes
Song Year: 1969
This tough song about shame and guilt comes from the perspective of a woman embarrassed about where she came from and how her mother behaved. She lied to her friends, saying she was wealthy growing up, and never even introduced her 2-year-old son to her mother.
7. ”Ghetto Vet” by Ice Cube
Song Year: 1998
Ice Cube raps and sings about being a veteran of the harsh streets which led him to who he is now. The lyrics discuss a lot of drug use and its effects, which sometimes makes him feel like a weak and codependent 2-year-old who can’t take care of himself.
8. ”Small Y’All” by Randy Travis
Song Year: 1994
Travis talks about people being mean and petty in this song, acting like 2-year-olds for no reason. The lyrics highlight how people lash out unnecessarily and how quick people are to defend themselves and insult others.
9. ”A Young Gypsy” by Joan Baez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYkHSWrFH6o
Song Year: 1973
This folky song tells the story of a young gypsy who roams around looking for kindness and home. The gypsy drinks, dances, and finds people who make her feel safe. And the very last line of the song delivers a surprise to the listener: the young gypsy is all alone at the age of only 2.
10. ”In Bethlehem” by Johnny Cash
Song Year: 1979
In this song, Johnny Cash poetically tells the story of Jesus being born and the struggles in Bethlehem at the time. He ends the song with a sharp line about how King Herod ordered sinless 2-year-olds to be killed and buried, highlighting their innocence and the cruelty of the time.
11. ”I Try” by Mary J. Blige and Talib Kweli
Song Year: 2004
This touching song talks about the awful things happening in the world, such as suicide and neglectful mothers leaving their 2-year-olds home alone. Mary J. Blige delivers painful lyrics about trying to get through this world with her sensational and bold vocals.
12. ”If You Wear That Velvet Dress” by U2
Song Year: 1997
This song is a romantic rock ballad about desperately loving someone sad. The lyrics talk about how the narrator’s lover keeps coming back and leaving again, but the narrator is just like a 2-year-old, waiting by the door for them to return because they can never get enough.
13. ”We’re In This Together” by Justin Bieber
Song Year: 2021
Many people know that Justin Bieber has been singing and making music since he was very young. These lyrics discuss how difficult it can be growing up, but how music has always been a constant for him ever since he started playing drums as a 2-year-old kid.
14. ”Hol’ Up” by Kendrick Lamar
Song Year: 2011
Kendrick Lamar is known for his clever and poignant lyrics, but this song focuses on his inner thoughts and life up until this point. He plays with age in these lyrics, saying he felt 22 when he was only 2, and now he feels 87 despite still being young.
15. ”Glory” by Jay-Z
Song Year: 2012
Jay-Z wrote and recorded this song for his first child, Blue Ivy, and he raps about how she is his whole world and his greatest creation. At one point, he discusses how he can’t help but spoil her, taking her to high-end shopping locations since she was only 2 years old.
16. ”So So Dumb” by TLC
Song Year: 2002
In this TLC song, the soulful trio sings directly to an unfaithful and irresponsible man who cheats on his wife while she takes care of their 2-year-old son. The trio scolds him for being an insensitive and awful idiot who neglects his family.
17. ”Skibbereen” by Sinéad O’Connor
Song Year: 1998
Like much of O’Connor’s music, this song is a heartbreaking story. Sung from the perspective of a father, it details the events of the town of Skibbereen being terrorized and taken over, causing the family to leave and the listener’s mother to die when they were just 2 years old.
18. ”Rubber Burnin’” by Lil Wayne
Song Year: 2006
This underground Lil Wayne track goes by a few names, including Rubber Burner and Rubber Burning. The song is mostly about wealth and flaunting expensive items. At one point in the lyrics, Wayne compares his vehicle’s massive rims to a 2-year-old, bragging about his assets.
19. ”Tick Tock” by Young Thug
Song Year: 2021
This Young Thug song has a distinct sound that carries Thug’s unique voice and flow. In the song, Thug raps about feeling dazed and confused in his life full of fame and money. Everyone around him is frustrating and fake, including the girls who act like 2-year-old brats.
Best Songs About Being 2 Years Old, Final Thoughts
As you can see, songs about being 2 aren’t always told from a child’s perspective, but many musical artists use metaphors and similes involving 2-year-olds to illustrate a state of naivety or simplicity.
These songs about being 2 all use the idea of 2-year-olds in different ways, showing how much meaning and sentimentality people associate with a specific year in their life.