Lyrics: Be As You Are

Virginia Woolf and poetry
No one seemed to notice me
Being young was getting so old
Cheap beer and cigarettes
Life was like a movie set
And I seemed to be given no role

But in times of trouble
I can turn to my mother
And I know that she gon’ understand
So at age 18
I cried to my mother
And she told me, “young man”

“There are moments when you fall to the ground
But you are stronger than you feel you are now
You don’t always have to speak so loud, no
Just be as you are
Life is not always a comfortable ride
Everybody’s got scars that they hide
And everybody plays the fool sometimes, yeah
Just be as you are”

They played me on the radio
And everything was changing, so
I thought I was all the way grown
But I can still remember in that cold November
When I realized I’m all alone

But in times of trouble
I can turn to my mother
And I know that she gon’ understand
So at age 22
I cried to my mother
And she told me, “young man”

“There are moments when you fall to the ground
But you are stronger than you feel you are now
You don’t always have to speak so loud, no
Just be as you are
It doesn’t matter if you become some star
Life is better when you open your heart
You don’t always have to act so hard, no
Just be as you are”

If I’m speaking truthfully
I’m not who I used to be
And I know some people might laugh
‘Cause my music doesn’t sound the same
And my head’s no longer shaved
I’m worried if I’m on the right path

But in times of trouble
I can turn to my mother
And I know that she gon’ understand
So at age 26
I spoke to my mother
And she told me, “young man”

“There are moments when you fall to the ground
But you are stronger than you feel you are now
You don’t always have to speak so loud, no
Just be as you are
It doesn’t matter if you become some star
Life is better when you open your heart
You don’t always have to act so hard, no
Just be as you are”

Be as you are