The song reflects Chris Cornells reflections on individuality and self-acceptance, influenced by his personal experiences and observations of the world around him.
Someone falls to pieces sleeping all alone, someone kills the pain Spinning in the silence, she finally drifts away Someone gets excited in a chapel yard, catches a bouquet Another lays a dozen white roses on a grave
And To be yourself is all that you can do Heyyy-eeeey To be yourself is all that you can doooooooooooooooooooooo
Someone finds salvation in everyone, another only pain Someone tries to hide himself down inside himself he prays Someone swears his true love until the end of time, another runs away Separate or united, healthy or insaaaaaaaane
And To be yourself is all that you can do Heyyy-eeeey To be yourself is all that you can doooooooooooooooooooooo And To be yourself is all that you can do Heyyy-eeeey To be yourself is all that you can doooooooooooooooooooooo
Even when you've paid enough Been put upon or been held up with every single memory of The good or bad, faces of luck don't lose any sleep tonight I'm sure everything will end up alright You may win or looooooooooooooooooooooooooose
But to be yourself is all that you can do Yeah, to be yourself is all that you can do And To be yourself is all that you can do Heyyy-eeeey To be yourself is all that you can doooooooooooooooooooooo To be yourself is all that you can, be yourself is all that you can Be yourself is all that you can doooooooooooooooooooo