Don't Want To Be A Hero

(album: Poletown - 1997)

Ya know these days we'll call anyone a hero
Some of them do nothing
Absolutely zero
Still everybody in the world knows their names
It seems to me we all confuse honor with fame

We see them in primetime
Styling on our TVs
Then at Breakfast
Smiling on our Wheaties

Oh, just a bunch of rich folks
Getting paid to play
Hey if that's all it takes today

I don't wanna be a hero
I'll only break your heart
Don't wanna be a hero
I'll only break your heart

Personally, I think we oughta
Set our sights higher
Why imitate sparks
When you wanna be fire?
Why use a flashlight
When we've got the moon?
We're flesh and blood people
We're not damn cartoons

I wish I was
But I'm not a Jonas Salk
Nor Mother Theresa
Hell no, I just rock

Now listen to me
Just trying to make ya blink
I'm not a role model
I just sing

Don't wanna be a hero
I'll only break your heart
Don't wanna be a hero
I'll only break your heart

Artificial saviors
Oh they make me scream
Cause there ain't no easy way
To be redeemed
So many paths to take
Ya gotta find your voice
Just can't escape
The fact that it's you
That has to make that choice

Don't limit yourself
To cable television
Heroes have been around
Why ever since heroism

So pull out your Plato
And read your Shakespeare
Jefferson
Einstein

But I don't wanna be your hero
I'll only break your heart