Step 1

You write a simple chorus

Don′t you bore us with an intro or a clever little verseStep 2

Stop pretending there's some kind of formula for making it

I′ve never been so sure

Only time will tell me if I'm something

If I'm cursed or if I′m cunning

If I′m talented or stale

'Cause every song is an attempt to just impress you

It′s an educated guess to light a bulb or ring a bell

And here I am as I cut corners

On a left turn up a sentimental street

And all I do I do to make my parents proud

Of who I am or who I'm ′bout to be

Yeah, here I am

Gotta hand it to me

I can write a tune

I guess success just still depends

On who I'm singin′ to

Working hard, feelin' tense, worrying about my fashion sense

Since when do I give up an inch to incidental tackiness

I'm disoriented, so distracted from my bit

But should I fight to force the issue when I′m out of lubricant to help this

To help my words come easy, to help to ease the heat we

Generate from friction wishin′ inspiration wouldn't treat me

Like I′m a leper build me right up to the edge

Of a legend just to pull back leaving fame inside my head

I'm at an open mic, feeling like that token guy

"Please buy my CD′s it's worth ten dollars but I′ll take a five"

There's so much talent balanced on a rusty knife

Can I compete with guys who have been playing their entire lives?

For I am tied to mind my manners and my language

'Cause "hecks" the only exclamation I can get away with

′Cause my grandmas gonna listen to this and I still refuse

To sway her sweet opinion of me or lose her approval

But it′d be nice to emphasize the weight of what I say

Tell me which one will convince you that I'm finally okay?

I′m Okay, or

I'm Goddamn Okay!

And here I am as I cut corners

On a left turn up a sentimental street

And all I do I do to make my parents proud

Of who I am or who I′m 'bout to be

Yeah, here I am

Gotta hand it to me

I can write a tune

I guess success just still depends

On who I′m singin' to

I'm not a gambler but I bet you′re esoteric

Tearing down these local artists as too poppy or generic

It′s apparent you regard your judgment in such high esteem

But it's as welcome as Americans as tourists overseas I′m seein'

I′m seein' people asking where they go to find my stuff

And yeah, I′m up on iTunes next to every band with 30 bucks

A dozen albums sold, to me it's like a treasure,

But I guess I'm far from Guinness I′m not setting any records

And I′m making Indie music that may never top the charts

But like the greatest chef's will tell you: "my fanbase is getting larger"

I′m half a hermit, introverted if I'm honest

The fact I′m here's a testament to how badly I want it, cause I

I′ve no aversion to searching, to look or wonder

Or to try out different styles or to leave my zone of comfort

'Cause I flirt with burning candles, they'll either all extinguish

Or they′ll blacken all my fingers till I lose all sense of feeling I like

I like my girls like I like my schedule: hectic

I like beauty, smarts, and talent but that orders alphabetic

I′m a sucker for independence, a girl who needs her space

I used to cling like static back when I was a teenager

I may never recapture the happiness of that first love

'Cause I was unaware of what a heartache really was

So now I guard a little harder lustin′ for a crush

And I can see it's so unhealthy when it bubbles up at once

I′m not breaking any ground I think this problem's pretty ancient

It′s the fabric of a classic passed down every generation

So to summarize this song for all the people that've been watching this

Find another artist if you don't like stream of consciousness