Words by Steven Page
Music by Steven Page & Ed Robertson
When I was born they looked at me and said
What a good boy, what a smart boy, what a strong boy
And when you were born they looked at you and said
What a good girl, what a smart girl, what a pretty girl
We`ve got these chains that hang around our necks
People want to strangle us with them before we take our
first breath
Afraid of change, afraid of staying the same
When temptation calls we just look away
Chorus
This name is the hairshirt I wear
And this hairshirt is woven from your brown hair
This song is the cross that I bear
Bear it with me, bear with me, bear with me
Be with me tonight
I know that it isn`t right
But be with me tonight
I go to school, I write exams
If I pass, if I fail, if I drop out, does anyone give a damn?
And if they do, they`ll soon forget
`Cause it won`t take much for me to show that my life ain`t
over yet
I wake up scared, I wake up strange
I wake up wondering if anything in my life is ever going to
change
I wake up scared, I wake up strange
And everything around me stays the same
Chorus
I couldn`t tell you that I was wrong
Chickened out, grabbed a pen and paper, sat down and I
wrote this song
I couldn`t tell you that you were right
So instead I looked in the mirror watched tv laid awake all
night
We`ve got these chains that hang around our necks
People want to strangle us with them before we take our
first breath
Afraid of change, afraid of staying the same
When temptation calls....
Chorus
When I was born they looked at me and said
What a good boy, what a smart boy, what a strong boy
And when you were born they looked at you and said
What a good girl, what a smart girl, what a pretty girl, hey
Andy Creeggan: Organ, piano
Jim Creeggan: Double Bass
Steven Page: Guitar, Lead vocal
Ed Robertson: Guitars, vocals
Tyler Stewart: Drums