Buck up son, you'll do just fine
School will break you down
And you'll move on the next line
What, you think you're special
What, you think you're real
Honey let me tell you
You're only whatever we need
You're not a president's offspring
Just a son off the street
Why would you ever try to think
You could be whatever you dream
Slow down, bucko
Oh, you'll do just fine
If you'll just stand in line
Oh, just take some time
And you'll be cookie-cutter fine

'Cause you're only whatever we need
And if you're thinking any different
Then you're living to a fool's creed
You'll only ever have a few dreams
Living what you're living, oh
You'll only ever be what we need

And I just couldn't believe
What they wanted me to be
What they wanted from me
Oh, it seemed so obscene
But I put down the baseball
And I picked up the bat
Fighting battles on the streets
Easier to die young like that
Don't forget, watch your tone, boy
Mind your filthy tongue
And there isn't a real method
No, no method to move on
You just gotta hope it ends
And that when it ends you've done no wrong

'Cause you're only whatever we need
And if you're thinking any different
Then you're living to a fool's creed
You'll only ever have a few dreams
Living what you're living, oh
You'll only ever be what we need

And here at the end
With the daughter that you've raised
Shutters made of white steel
And the lawn's gone all ablaze
Your life's pulling punches
While the world's so full of rage
Fear's on the docket now,
Yeah, this is worst case
But don't worry boy, you'll do just fine
We taught all of this
And we taught you just in time
Man, this is the world that you made
We raised a bunch of killers
And we based it off of shame

'Cause you're only whatever we need
And if you're thinking any different
Then you're living to a fool's creed
You'll only ever have a few dreams
Living what you're living, oh
You'll only ever be what we need