[Verse 1]
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"

[Pre-Chorus 1]
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, we just look away

[Chorus]
This name is the hair shirt I wear
And this hair shirt is woven from your brown hair
This song is the cross that I bear
Bear with me, bear with me, bear with me
Be with me tonight
I know that it isn't right
Be with me tonight

[Verse 2]
I go to school, I write exams
If I pass, if I fail, if I drop out, does anyone give a damn?
And if they do, they'll soon forget
'Cause it won't take much for me to show my life ain't over yet
[Pre-Chorus 2]
I wake up scared, I wake up strange
I wake up wondering if anything in my life is ever gonna change
I wake up scared, I wake up strange
And everything around me stays the same

[Chorus]
It's the hair shirt I wear
And this hair shirt is woven from, is woven from your brown hair
This song is the cross that I bear
Bear with me, bear with me, bear with me
Be with me tonight
I know that it isn't right
Be with me tonight

[Verse 3]
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 and I watched TV, laid awake all night

[Pre-Chorus 1]
We've got these chains hanging around our necks
People want to strangle us with 'em before we take our first breath
Afraid of change, afraid of staying the same
When temptation calls, we just look away
[Chorus]
Oh, this name is the hair shirt I wear
And this hair shirt is woven from, is woven from, is woven from hair
This song is the cross that I bear
Bear with me, bear with me, bear with me
Be with me tonight

[Outro]
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", yeah-yeah