Please don't mistake me or try to make me
The shadow of anybody else
I ain't the him or her you think I am
I'm just trying hard to be myself
Though society's goal is to be part of the whole
That may sound good to you, not to me

Let me be, let me be
To think like I want to
Let me be, let me be
That's all I ask of you
I am what I am and that's all I ever can be

Don't try to plan me or understand me
I can't stand to be understood
I could never give in to or ever live up to
Being like you think I should
I've got some inner need that I'm tryin' to heed
I can't take hand-me-down destiny

Don't try to change me or rearrange me
To satisfy the selfishness in you
I'm not a piece of clay to mold to your moves each day
And I'm not a pawn to be told how to move
I'm sorry I ain't the fool you thought would play by your rules
A to-each-is-own philosophy

I said that's all I ever can be


Lyrics submitted by delial

Let Me Be song meanings
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3 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    wow the turtles are so underrated! the theme of this song is very popular in todays music of freedom of expression, but the turtles were doing it 40 years before!

    sofa king coolon January 08, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is a great song. another one of my favorites. The Turtles really are underrated. It's really too bad because they were truly amazing. Today's music just isn't the same. I only wish I had lived during those times.

    iamduckyon June 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Simple and amazing song. It's about boldly denying the pressure that other people put on you, and realizing that the only way to stay sane when living in a culture you don't agree with is to go on being yourself.

    zachwhitedevon August 30, 2019   Link

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