[Verse 1]
Once upon a time not long ago
My grandmother told me one day I'd change
I felt like she was comin' down on me
So I told her no, I'd be the same
Not knowin' she was only tryin' to help
Motivate me to excel and climb
I was thinking she was the one trapped
While I was stuck in a cage of my mind
Man if I would've known what I know now
I would've brought my head down under the cloud
Told her thank you, and that I loved her
But I was too cool and too damn proud
What a fool I was, in fact
I've changed so much now lookin' back
I wish somebody I thought was cool
Was as cool as she was, when she told me that

[Hook]
I see you, the real you
Tryna' cover up whats inside of you
But everything you do is make-believe
Yeah you're hot, but you're too cool
I see you, oh
I see you, oh
I see you
[Verse 2]
Baby girl don't know much about
What it would take to become a star
Hollywood is so far-fetched
Too long of a drive in an old car
Work everyday, but you barely eat
Goin' over lines from a script you read
Your boyfriend said it's a silly dream
But how can you dream, when you never sleep
You lookin' in the mirror and you're picturin' a light-show
A glimpse in the lens of a camera
Behind the scenes of life is a tightrope
Yeah you walk a thin line, but a thin line is all you need
A thin line in an indy movie
Just a break for somebody to see
The talent inside, the ballad of a diary you write
The by and by is just another day for a normal girl
But for you it's another day that you tried
Aside from the fact, that you ride in the back
Of a bus sometimes cause your car won't work
Well maybe you should take that bus to L.A
And put your dreams first, because...

[Hook]
I see you, the real you
Tryna' cover up whats inside of you
But everything you do is make-believe
Yeah you're hot, but you're too cool
I see you, oh
I see you, oh
I see you
[Verse 3]
Black and white
Everything is black and white, broke-down simple and plain
Most of us lost with a curious brain
Curiosity is looked at as strange
Stuck in a lane, but you can't complain
While you look at another passin' train
Wonderin' how, where's it going?
Wishin' you were inside, packed and rollin'
To another place but your time is chosen
To live low-key cause your dream is stolen
They don't understand, they believe in loathin'
Loungin', loafin', waitin', hopin'
Homie if the grass is greener, look, the gate is open
You waitin' for God to release the ocean
Sittin' on the beach, 2 feet from floatin'
(But I see you)

[Hook]
I see you, the real you
Tryna' cover up whats inside of you
But everything you do is make-believe
Yeah you're hot, but you're too cool
I see you, oh
I see you, oh
I see you