Heroes
Navigating Heroism: Expectations, Disillusionment & Human Complexity
Lyrics
They say that when it comes to choosing heroes
Advice on choosing heroes; suggests selecting those not present.
It's best to pick the ones who aren't around
Emphasizes the idea of choosing heroes who have passed away.
If you choose among the living
Caution about selecting living heroes, anticipating potential letdowns.
You tend to have misgivings
Expectations and doubts when a living hero disappoints.
When your hero lets you down
Reflects on the emotional impact when a hero falls short.
He might have a bad night in your town
Suggests a hero may have a negative experience in the speaker's town.
And so I will not name my heroes
Declares the decision not to name heroes and to maintain distance.
And I'll keep my distance when I can
Expresses a desire for detachment from named heroes.
But if time should bend or break them
Hopes to support heroes in times of difficulty or vulnerability.
I hope I won't forsake them
Commitment to stand by heroes during challenging moments.
If by chance they need a friend
Willingness to be a friend or offer assistance on regular occasions.
Or need to walk on ordinary ground
Recognition of the challenges heroes face in everyday life.
God knows it must be tough to be a hero
Acknowledgment of the difficulties faced by heroes.
To wake up in a hero's state of mind
Reflection on the mental state of being a hero.
They say it's hard to be heroic
Noting the challenges of maintaining a heroic status.
Much easier to blow it
Suggests it's easier to make mistakes than to be heroic.
When somebody's watching all the time
Highlighting the scrutiny heroes face, making it challenging.
And you're dancing on the thin edge of a dime
Describing the precarious nature of being a hero.
They say it's hard, so hard
Reiteration of the difficulty of being a hero.
They say it's hard, ain't it hard
Repetition emphasizing the toughness of being a hero.
If someday I'm mistaken for a hero
Expresses a hope to be recognized as a hero after death.
I only hope it's after I am gone
Desire for posthumous acknowledgment rather than during life.
Some of us are heroes
Recognition of the diversity between heroes and those who fall short.
Some of us are zeros
Contrast between actual heroes and those who aspire but never achieve.
Wannabes who never were the one
Refers to individuals who wish to be heroes but never attain that status.
But who is who when all is said and done
Rhetorical question pondering the true identity after everything.
They say that when it comes to choosing heroes
Restatement of the advice on choosing heroes from the beginning.
It's best to pick the ones who aren't around
Reiteration of the caution against choosing living heroes.
If you choose among the living
Repeat of the idea that living heroes may disappoint.
You tend to have misgivings
Reiteration of the emotional impact when a hero falls short.
When your hero lets you down
Repetition of the idea that a hero may have a bad night in the speaker's town.
He might have a bad night in your town
Reiterates the possibility of a hero experiencing difficulties locally.
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