[Verse 1]
Please don't mistake me or try to make me
A shadow of anybody else
I ain't the him or her you think I am
I'm just trying hard to be myself
Oh, society's goal is to be part of the whole
That may sound good to you, not to me

[Chorus]
Let me be, let me be
To think like I want to
Let me be, let me be
That's all I ask of you
I am what I am, and that's all I ever can be

[Verse 2]
Don't try to plan me or understand me
I can't stand to be understood
I could never give in to or ever live up to
Bein' like you think I should
I've got some inner need which I'm tryin' to heed
I can't take hand-me-down destiny

[Chorus]
Let me be, let me be
To think like I want to
Let me be, let me be
That's all I ask of you
I am what I am, and that's all I ever can be
[Verse 3]
Don't try to change me or rearrange me
To satisfy the selfishness in you
I'm not a piece of clay to mold to your moods each day
And I'm not a pawn to be told how to move
I'm sorry I'm not the fool you thought would play by your rules
But to each his own philosophy

[Chorus]
Let me be, let me be
To think like I want to
Let me be, let me be
That's all I ask of you
I am what I am, and that's all I ever can be

[Outro]
I said that's all I ever can be
I said that's all I ever can be
I said that's all I ever can be