I don't need to be anything other
Than a prison guard's son
I don't need to be anything other
Than a specialist's son
I don't have to be anyone other
Than the birth of two souls in one
Part of where I'm going is knowing where I'm coming from

I don't want to be
Anything other than what I've been trying to be lately
All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind
I'm tired of looking 'round rooms
Wondering what I've got to do
Or who I'm supposed to be
I don't want to be anything other than me

I'm surrounded by liars everywhere I turn
I'm surrounded by impostors everywhere I turn
I'm surrounded by identity crisis everywhere I turn
Am I the only one who's noticed?
I can't be the only one who's learned

I don't want to be
Anything other than what I've been trying to be lately
All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind
I'm tired of looking 'round rooms
Wondering what I've got to do
Or who I'm supposed to be
I don't want to be anything other than me, ah

Can I have everyone's attention please?
If you're not like this and that, you're gonna have to leave
I came from the mountain
The crust of creation
My whole situation made from clay to stone
And now I'm telling everybody

I don't want to be
Anything other than what I've been trying to be lately
All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind
I'm tired of looking 'round rooms
Wondering what I've got to do
Or who I'm supposed to be
I don't want to be anything other than me

I don't want to be, hey yeah, hey yeah
I don't want to be, oh
I don't want to be
I don't want to be, anything
Anything other than me

(Hey yeah yeah yeah) I don't want to be
(Hey yeah yeah)
(Hey yeah yeah yeah) I don't want to be
(Hey yeah yeah)
(Hey yeah yeah yeah) I don't want to be
(Hey yeah yeah)
(Hey yeah yeah yeah) I don't want to be


Lyrics submitted by BlueAndStarry

I Don't Want to Be Lyrics as written by Gavin Degraw

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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I Don't Want To Be song meanings
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    General Comment

    i first heard this song in between 2 shows on the station The-n and i instantly fell in love with it, even though its kinda popish i like it its very empowering to the kids in school, such as myself, who are trying to find themselves but are being pressured into trying to be something they're not

    alternagirlon July 03, 2004   Link

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