(soft guitar intro about 8 secs. at most)

VERSE 1 ( soft and slow)
cold hands and empty eyes
it hit you hard when you realized
that the world we live in ain't so wonderful...
you tried your best to help them heal their scars
but by yourself, you couldn't get that far
and the stress and sorrow started to take its toll...
but you should've known...

CHORUS ( medium-fast and passionate)
you don't gotta be like atlas
you don't gotta carry the weight of the earth
you don't gotta be like atlas
you don't gotta give until it hurts
Oh, when you're running out of strength to lend
and it's getting harder to pretend
you don't gotta be like atla-a-a-as
as long as you've. got. me. as a friend...

(5 sec. guitar break)

VERSE 2 (soft and slow again)
you look outside and there's so much to see
but it's all clouded by the poverty
and everything just seems to be so gray...
Yeah, you've seen so much but still try to be
the happy person that everyone needs
when inside you've begun to fade away...
oh, but you should've known...

BRIDGE ( fast and really passionate)
you don't gotta be like atlas
you don't gotta carry the weight of the earth
you don't gotta be like atlas
you don't gotta give until it hurts
OH BABY
just say the word and I'll be there
at any time, I'll go anywhere
so you won't have to be like atla-a-a-as
when I've got a shoulder to share
no, you won't have to be like atla-a-a-as
when I've got a shoulder to share

( 15 sec. guitar solo)

CHORUS ( softest yet and slow)
you don't gotta be like atlas
you don't gotta carry the weight of the earth
you don't gotta be like atlas
you don't gotta give until it hurts
Oh, when you're running out of strength to lend
and it's getting harder to pretend
you don't gotta be like atla-a-a-as
as long as you've. got. me. as a friend...
(soft but passionate)
no no no no!
you don't gotta be like atla-a-a-as
as long as you've. got. me. as a friend...

integrals of goldfish and scrollin
significantly easier than expected
bracelets and blocks and rockets
from breakin a hundred

short drive the hill that rarely took
bowl of quinoa and another of pudding
just like the cups on the table of atla
waiting whistling losing air in digital pacing

it was four minutes after
one down and just to two
once again im wonderin but this time i know that its not true

cutting ice with knives and gliding with lemons
bodyprox'd knees and coworkers girlfriends
gargoyling fountains and relacing skates
i wouldnt much mind getting used to this

its dark and its late and you asked me what sort of changes id been thru
the second that ive ever told to

the first stop was closed but the next one was perfect
yoyo slingin in the parking lot
with rippled notes blastin tunes
reference typin effect affect i love you