a broken child, a homo's style, a stag'nant state of glum
his fantasy, ta live like sportsmen, his arms weren't strong or buffed
he'd sit at home, the records owned would calm his every day
and he'd praise hairy armpits and oh-so many men of strength

no righteous man, he knew this, no pride to lift some weights
his life would be a poser's cuz what he'd do, he'd do onstage
he yearned so much for discipline from what he'd call a dad
he'd get the means to change his soul through the fear of love-gone-bad

the leader of this lad's admired as the guy who hurt him so
and his words, once viewed as insolence, made a mark unto my soul
my life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man
i'm just a living legacy to the hero of my past

the brother i was missing sure made hurt become my fall
some men moving onward saw a blunder through my scar
as i've been one big oddball, and i'm lost in what was then
living out the life that rose up from my time in hell

i thank you for the blueprint and the stories of your growth
i thank you for my being, yes, you've changed my life/my soul
i thank you for your time, yes, it's a time of your "tough love"
and, josh, um, i can't seem to say "i love you" near enough

the leader of this lad's admired as the guy who hurt him so
and his words, once viewed as insolence, made a mark unto my soul
my life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man
i'm just a living legacy to the hero of my past

i am a living legacy to the hero of my past