They Provide The Paint For The Picture-Perfect Masterpiece That You Will Paint On The Insides Of You
Streetlight Manifesto Lyrics

There is a man with no face and a name I don't remember
An anonymous figure told me to be cautious of my actions in the presence of an unknown entity.

Lives in a house in the middle of the woods
The location of this mysterious individual is remote and hidden from plain sight.

And he said once 'son, don't you laugh out loud
This individual gave me a stern warning to refrain from drawing unwanted attention to myself.

For they are listening, oh they are listening
This warning was given because there are unknown forces that are eavesdropping on my every move.

Oh, you've got to be strong
I must be resolute and determined to face the challenges that will come my way.

Oh, you've got to keep holding on
I must persevere and not give up, even in the face of adversity.

Now it's just a matter of time'
My success or failure is dependent upon how I navigate through the obstacles ahead of me, and I must be patient.

They provide the paint for the picture perfect masterpiece that you will
External forces may try to influence the way I perceive myself and my surroundings.

Paint on the insides of your eyelids
My perception is internal and based on my own experiences and observations.

Can you possibly see anything you want to see?
My perception is limited to what I have experienced and cannot be altered to fit a desired outcome.

No, hell no, there's nothing wrong with the way I see
I am content with my own perception of reality and will not compromise it for anyone else.

And he wanted to be a soldier in the next great war
This individual had a desire to seek out conflict and violence.

He wanted to kill and fight and maim but not be told what he was fighting for
This individual had violent tendencies but did not have a clear understanding of what they were fighting for or why.

And that's the way it's going to have to be, my friend
This violent tendency may be unavoidable for some individuals, and it may be a part of their inherent nature.

I passed a man on the corner in the city yesterday
I observed a stranger on the street corner during my daily routine.

Singing 'Yada yada yada and tomorrow it'll end'
This stranger was singing about the cyclical nature of life and the impermanence of all things.

And I never thought I'd live to see another sunny day
I thought that my life would end in darkness and despair, but I am still alive.

But I'm here and I fear I'll be here until the end
I am still alive, but I worry that my life will be filled with hardship and suffering until its end.

So watch your mouth or you're going to make a grave mistake
I must be careful with my words and actions, as they may have severe consequences.

Hold your tongue or you're going to catch a bullet in the head
If I do not exercise caution, I may become a victim of unwarranted violence or aggression.

Don't die for anything less than the best of life
I must strive to live a fulfilling and meaningful life, and not settle for anything less than what I deserve.

The things they said went to your head
External influences may impact my internal perception and mindset.

But you never tried to understand
I did not take the time to fully comprehend the messages being conveyed by others.

What they take, you will never take back
Once an external force has impacted my perception, it cannot be undone and will forever alter my worldview.

Cuz they take what they take what they can because they can from you
External forces will utilize any means necessary to influence my perception in line with their own agenda.

You follow me and you follow me but you never ask why
I blindly follow the opinions and beliefs of others without questioning their motivations or reasons for holding such views.

And I wonder what you're under could this be another piece of the
I question whether or not these external forces are manipulating me for their own gain.

I don't know, I just do what they say
I do not know why these external forces have such a hold on me, but I continue to follow them anyway.

Because they say what to do in a matter of fact way
These external forces present their opinions and beliefs as objective facts, leading me to blindly follow them without question.

But don't stop because you might get burned
I continue to follow the opinions and beliefs of others, but doing so may have negative consequences for me.

And you might just learn to stand on your own two feet
If I question the motives and beliefs of others, I may come to develop my own sense of self and identity.

And I think that it's neat how you learn to repeat
It is impressive how well individuals can internalize the beliefs and opinions presented to them by external forces.

Everything that you hear in the street so well
External forces are often able to effectively convey their beliefs and opinions to the masses on the streets.

And everyone was resting because they thought it was the end
People tend to become complacent in the face of perceived doom or hardship, believing that they have no agency to effect change.

And even if it wasn't, they decided to pretend
People may actively deceive themselves into believing a false reality in order to cope with uncertainty and despair.

And somewhere in the distance I could hear him whispering
I can still hear the words of that anonymous figure from earlier haunting me, urging me to be cautious.

'You can fight all you want, they will win in the end, so'
Despite my struggles and efforts, external forces may still prevail in the end and shape my perception and reality.

Sometimes in the evening when I'm lying in my bed
During moments of introspection, I remember the cautionary words of that anonymous figure and the importance of internal perception and agency.

I am taken to the forest to that isolated shed
In my mind's eye, I revisit the remote location where that anonymous figure resided and relayed their warning to me.

And I wake with is words resonating in my head
The message from that anonymous individual remains ingrained in my thoughts and mindset, influencing my actions and decisions.

And I can't stop thinking about the gist of what he said
I am unable to shake the importance of the message conveyed to me by that anonymous figure, and continue to ponder its significance.

Don't die for anything less than the best of,
I must persist in my quest for fulfillment and prosperity, avoiding any pitfalls or missteps that may derail me along the way.

everyone settles for the rest, not the best of
Many others will choose to compromise their ambitions and settle for less than they deserve in life, but I refuse to do the same.

I will die for no less than the best of life
My fervent devotion to achieving my goals and living a fulfilling life is so great that I would rather die than settle for anything less.