Courage
Todd Rundgren Lyrics

It’s good to be the king, I’ve heard it said
People often speak highly of those in power and I allowed this perception to influence me.

That’s why I let you put a crown on my head
I allowed myself to be convinced that I should take on the role of being in charge.

Hoping that I’ll never be forced to fake
I wanted to believe that I could be authentic and not have to put on a show or pretend to be something I wasn't.

Actions that I’ll never have to take
I hoped that I would never have to make difficult decisions or take actions that went against my beliefs.

I let you think I was a better man
I allowed others to believe that I was a more virtuous or admirable person than I actually am.

With pretty words about how true I am
I used language that sounded good and rang true but didn't always reflect my inner thoughts and feelings.

Humbly pretending to be brave and strong
I adopted a posture of modesty while trying to convey a sense of courage and power.

Inside I’m wondering, what if I’m wrong?
Despite projecting confidence outwardly, I had internal doubts about whether I was doing the right thing.

Every once in a while you’ll see
Occasionally, people will catch glimpses of my true self and realize that I'm not always as I seem.

Things are not what they seem to be
Appearances can be deceptive and not accurately reflect reality.

Like the moment you saw through me
At some point, someone saw through my facade and realized that I wasn't who I pretended to be.

Ah, but when push comes to shove
In moments of crisis or high-pressure situations, the truth of the matter comes to light.

I had lost the thing I love
Because I wasn't true to myself or my convictions, I lost something important to me.

When I lost the courage of my convictions
By failing to maintain my principles and stick to my beliefs, I lost my sense of self and purpose.

I never let you see my doubting side
I worked hard to conceal my weaknesses and vulnerabilities from others.

I’ve always felt there’s things you can’t confide
I have an underlying belief that some things are better left unsaid and kept hidden.

I need to be what I need to be
I have a personal drive to meet my own expectations for myself and fulfill my own desires.

However artificially
Sometimes, in order to meet my own standards, I have to force myself to behave in ways that don't come naturally to me.

And now I haven’t got a thing to show
Despite all my efforts to maintain a certain image, I don't have much to show for it.

For all the posing and the bravado
My posturing and attempts to come across as tough or impressive haven't amounted to much.

You tested me and I had to fail
Someone challenged me and I wasn't able to measure up or stay true to myself in the moment.

No longer am I a super male
I can no longer see myself as the powerful, dominant person I once thought I was.

I was proud and I had to fall
My pride and lack of humility ultimately led to my downfall.

Now my image has grown so small
The image I tried to cultivate for myself has been diminished and lost its impact.

And to think that I had it all
I let myself believe that I had everything I wanted when in reality, I was hiding behind a false persona.

And I live in constant fear
I'm haunted by the knowledge that I'm not living up to my own beliefs and values.

That I’ll never have you here
I'm worried that my shortcomings will make it impossible for me to connect with others in a genuine way.

Til I find the courage of my convictions
Until I can find a way to stay true to myself and be authentic, I'll always feel like I'm missing something.

I will have the thing I love
If I can find the courage to be true to myself and stick to my convictions, I'll regain what I've lost.

If I have the courage of my convictions
It all hinges on my ability to find the courage within myself to be authentic and true to my beliefs.

And your heart I would enslave
If I can find my courage and be true to myself, I know that I have the potential to win the heart of the person I desire.

And this whole world I would save
Once I find my true self, I know that I will be able to make a meaningful impact on the world around me.