When I was born they looked at me and said   what a good boy,   what a smart boy,    what a strong boy,   When you were born, they looked at you and said   what a good girl,   what a smart girl,   what a pretty girl,   We got these chains hanging round 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.      This chain is the hairshirt I wear   and this hearshirt is woven from   your brown hair   This song is the cross that I bear   Bear it with me , bear it 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 really give a damn   And if they do they'll soon forget   cuz' it won't take much for me to show   my life ain't over yet      I wake up scared I wake up strange    and I wake up wondering if   anything in my life is ever gonna change   I wake up scare 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 hanging 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