The Outsider
Embracing Individuality: The Outsider's Anthem by Rodney Crowell
Lyrics
You don't have to be rich
You don't need wealth to be accepted or valued.
I don't have to be drunk in a ditch
Being intoxicated or in a dire situation is not a prerequisite for significance.
You don't have to be the top of your class
Achieving top academic status is not mandatory.
I don't have to have wavers of brass
Not requiring outward displays of honor or prestige.
You don't have to be cute
Physical attractiveness is not obligatory.
I don't have to look good in a suit
Not needing to conform to societal expectations of dressing well.
You don't have to have a dog in his race
No need to be actively involved in a competition.
I don't have to have an egg on my face
Not needing to face embarrassment or humiliation.
The outsider is watching your back
An outsider is providing support and protection.
The outsider cut me some slack
Requesting leniency or understanding from the outsider.
The outsider just a little off keel
The outsider has a slightly unconventional or eccentric nature.
The outsider is something you feel
The outsider is a sensation or emotion rather than a tangible entity.
I don't have to be straight
Not conforming to conventional standards of behavior or sexuality.
You don't have to be something I hate
Acceptance without being something despised.
I don't have to be white as a ghost
Not needing to be excessively pale or lifeless.
You don't have to be dumb as a post
Not requiring foolishness or ignorance.
I don't have to be hip
Not needing to be fashionable or up-to-date.
You don't have to start losin' your grip
Others don't have to lose control for you to gain significance.
I don't have to be right if you're wrong
Being right is not essential if someone else is wrong.
You don't have to be weak if I'm strong
Not requiring weakness for someone else to display strength.
The outsider like a coat when you're cold
The outsider provides comfort and protection like a coat in cold weather.
The outsider like a friend when you're old
The outsider is a loyal friend in old age.
The outsider a little devil may care
The outsider embodies a carefree and nonchalant attitude.
The outsider it's just something that's there
The outsider is a presence that exists naturally.
You don't wanna be a saint
Avoiding the pressure of being morally perfect.
I don't wanna be something I ain't
Rejecting the idea of pretending to be something one is not.
First you get a little long in the tooth
As you age, you become aware of the passing of time.
Next you're tryin' to find a fountain of youth
Seeking ways to regain youthfulness.
It's a pain in the butt
Life becomes challenging when stuck in a routine or unchanging situation.
But that's the trouble when you're stuck in a rut
Expressing the difficulty of breaking free from a monotonous situation.
We don't have to find a permanent bliss
Not necessarily pursuing eternal happiness but aiming for improvement.
But we've got to do better than this
A call to strive for a better state than the current condition.
The outsider like a stone you don't throw
The outsider is like an unthrown stone, a potential for harm that is not acted upon.
The outsider like a bomb you don't blow
The outsider is like an unexploded bomb, a potential danger left untouched.
The outsider like a mountain don't move
The outsider is like a steadfast mountain, unyielding and unmovable.
The outsider you've got nothin' to prove
Being an outsider doesn't require proving oneself to others.
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