You crawled out from Oxnard with nothing but a name
you didn’t care for anymore.
And you took your act east to a small Tompkins County bookstore.
You swore you’d never beg, but ugly thoughts got in your head,
and a third story window shone a light on you that said:
“You belong.”
And a new dawn rose for you on your birthday.
You gotta be you when everything else feels broken.
You gotta live up to your truth.
No matter what they say, it’s better than living with the pain.
Show the world what’s new; you gotta be you.
So you take what makes you realize all the dreams you had,
and you throw away everything else that used to make you feel mad,
because your crew around here says if you get too mad,
They might not lock you away for that,
but it’ll make you look real, real bad.
It’ll make you feel bad.
You know you survive in this soft, little bubble.
If you venture too far, folks might still give you trouble
and you’ll feel split in two and spit onto.
You might feel split in two and spit onto.
You gotta be you when everything else feels broken.
You gotta live up to your truth.
No matter what they say, it’s better than living with the pain.
Show the world what’s new; you gotta be you.
And a new dawn’s rising for you.
You’re finally gonna get what you’re due
and be who you always knew you’d be someday.
You gotta be you when everything else feels broken.
You gotta live up to your truth.
No matter what they say, it’s better than living with the pain.
Show the world what’s new; you gotta be you.