BECAUSE OF YOU
Ben Moody/David Hodges/Kelly Clarkson Lyrics

I will not make The same mistakes that you did
The singer will not repeat the same actions as their parent figure did in the past.

I will not let myself Cause my heart so much misery
The singer will avoid putting themselves in situations that will cause them pain.

I will not break The way you did, you fell so hard
The singer will not succumb to the same emotional downfall as their parent figure.

I've learned the hard way To never let it get that far
The artist has learned from experience to avoid certain situations that may cause them pain or harm.

Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk
The artist feels pressure to stay within safe boundaries due to the actions of their parent figure.

Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
The singer learned to avoid risk and stay in their comfort zone due to their parent figure's mistakes.

Because of you I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
The singer has difficulty trusting others due to their parent figure's actions.

Because of you I am afraid
The artist is fearful because of the negative impact their parent figure had on them.

I lose my way And it's not too long before you point it out
The artist is criticized by their parent figure when they make mistakes or go off track.

I cannot cry Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
The artist is discouraged from showing emotion because their parent figure views it as a weakness.

I'm forced to fake A smile, a laugh every day of my life
The singer feels the need to put on a facade and hide their true emotions because of the pressure from their parent figure.

My heart can't possibly break When it wasn't even whole to start with
The artist's heart was never complete or whole due to the emotional trauma caused by their parent figure.

I watched you die (I watched you die, in your sleep) I heard you cry every night in your sleep
The singer witnessed their parent figure's emotional and mental decline, and the pain it caused them.

I was so young You should have known (I was too young for you to lean on me) Better than to lean on me
The singer was too young to handle the emotional burden of their parent figure's struggles and should not have been depended on in that way.

You never thought of anyone else (you never saw me, yeah) You just saw your pain
The parent figure was unable to recognize the impact their actions had on others and was solely focused on their own pain.

And now I cry in the middle of the night For the same damn thing
The artist experiences the same emotional pain and struggles as their parent figure did, causing them to cry from the pain.

Because of you I try my hardest just to forget everything
The artist tries to forget the past, but the trauma caused by their parent figure makes it difficult for them to move on.

Because of you I don't know how to let anyone else in
The singer struggles to trust and allow others into their life because of the emotional trauma caused by their parent figure.

Because of you I'm ashamed of my life Because it's empty
The singer feels shame about their life because it lacks fulfillment, likely due to the impact of their parent figure.

Because of you I am afraid
The artist continues to feel fear and apprehension due to the impact of their parent figure.

Because of you (ah, ah) Because of you, mmm, oh
The chorus repeats to emphasize the ongoing impact that the parent figure has had on the artist's life.