There's a boy losing sleep on the east side

He comes home at night under street lights

He's known a hard life and knows what it's like to pick a fight

And that boy's he's got a friend in the high rise

Grinding out his days looking less alive

Staring at the city you know it's such a pity

When you want what you can't find

And all the wannabes

Only wanted to be somebody everybody would love

No I don't want to be

Another wannabe who never seemed to feel like enough

So tell me who you want to be

Well he's got a best friend, who's gonna be a star

So they started a band and made plans

But left them in his mom's garage

'Til going off to uni and finding himself a roomie

And truly he didn't really even like him at first

So tell me who you want to be

And all the wannabes

Only wanted to be somebody everybody would love

No I don't want to be

Another wannabe who never seemed to feel like enough

So tell me who you want to be

I want to be kind

I want to have heart

I want to see bright in a little less dark

I want to be real

I want a fresh start

I want to wake up in the morning and not feel like falling apart

And all the wannabes

Only wanted to be somebody everybody would love

No I don't want to be

Another wannabe who never seemed to feel like enough

I want to be kind

I want to have heart

I want to see bright in a little less dark

I want to be real

I want a fresh start

I want to wake up in the morning and not feel like falling apart

So tell me who you want to be