Hey, hey, hey, I keep looking for a reason to run away

Dragging the weight of shame

Oh no, trying so hard not to throw it a bone

I hear it scratching at the screen door of a bad dream

I'm all alone, sneak out the window into the night

Looking over my shoulder, I hold my breath, but the dogs still bite

Waking in a sweat so cold

Breathing in the thrill of rock and roll

Wishing I could shut it down when the crowd gets mean

Looking for the fault in all my dreams

Hoping I'll get dressed up for a big mess

Who am I now? Have I really been ruled by the madding crowd?

I keep on pleasing, I look in the mirror, who do I see?

Listening for a signal, am I coming

In clear through the constant noise?

If they don't play it on the radio

It doesn't mean I gotta turn it down

I can't hear myself through the echoing doubt

Surrendering to the static every time it drowns me out

I knew a friend who was daring, gleaming

Wanted to climb up the tallest tree

Always reaching higher, dreaming was all they knew

Even when the kids were laughing at school

No inhibitions, they were never listening

Do they look like me?

Do I remember how it felt to be free?

I'm the pretender and I can't recognize the truth I'm trying to find

A signal, am I coming in clear through the constant noise?

And if they don't play it on the radio

It doesn't mean I gotta turn it down

Sending out a signal, am I coming in clear through the echoing doubt?

And if they don't play it on the radio

It doesn't mean I'm gonna turn it down

And everywhere you look, everybody's trying to keep you quiet

If I surrender to the static, it'll drown me out