[verse 1] i don't care what people think of me which is something i'd prefer they knew not that i need their validation i just think they'd benefit from the truth i left the party without saying goodbye didn't want to make a scene though i did wait by the coat check in case somebody noticed me leave [pre-chorus] i'm not fishing for compliments i'm just describing the lake and if you happen to throw me one well, it'd be rude not to take [chorus: restrained, almost whispered] i'm above all this please don't notice how little i need you to notice me i've transcended the whole performance and i hope that much is plain to see i don't need applause i don't need a witness i just need you to understand how completely i don't need this [verse 2] i know saying i'm above it is itself a status play so i'm pointing that out first to take the ammunition away and i know that pointing THAT out is another little trick but if i keep confessing layers eventually one of them should stick i'm not claiming moral superiority that would be a little crass i'm just unusually conscious of the games we're playing en masse [pre-chorus: strings begin creeping in] and yes, i'm aware that "unusually conscious" sounds like i'm claiming to be unique but surely recognizing the problem earns me something, so to speak [chorus: bigger drums, layered harmonies] i'm above all this please don't notice how little i need you to notice me i've transcended the whole performance and i hope that much is plain to see i don't need applause i don't need a witness i just need you to understand how completely i don't need this [bridge: accelerating spoken-sung delivery, instruments accumulating] and i know you know i know i'm performing and i know that knowing doesn't make it less true and i know admitting that i'm performing is a more sophisticated performance for you and i know that this is getting exhausting and i know that knowing THAT is a move and i know that saying "i know" is a signal that i'm playing a game i claim to disapprove [brief silence] but i think there's a difference between wanting to be seen and wanting to be seen not wanting to be seen [spoken] ...you see what i mean? [final chorus: absurd stadium-rock explosion, full choir, brass, strings, huge drums] I'M ABOVE ALL THIS PLEASE DON'T NOTICE HOW LITTLE I NEED YOU TO NOTICE ME I'VE TRANSCENDED THE WHOLE PERFORMANCE AND I HOPE THAT MUCH IS PLAIN TO SEE I DON'T NEED APPLAUSE I DON'T NEED A WITNESS I JUST NEED THE ENTIRE WORLD TO KNOW HOW MUCH I DON'T NEED THIS [extended guitar solo: unnecessarily virtuosic, triumphant] [outro: sudden cut to one acoustic guitar, barely audible] i'm above all this i really am
