Peter

I'VE BEEN BEAT UP
I'VE BEEN SLUGGED,
I'VE BEEN BASHED
AND I'VE BEEN MUGGED,
CALLED "FAGGOT" SINCE THE DAY
THAT I WAS EIGHT.
I'VE BEEN LAUGHED AT
I'VE BEEN CLOCKED,
OUT IN PUBLIC
I'VE BEEN MOCKED,
I'M OPEN SEASON HOMOPHOBIC BAIT.
AND SOMETIMES EVEN MY GAY FRIENDS
TURN THEIR BACKS CAUSE I'M "TOO GAY",
AND TELL ME THAT'S NOT HOMOPHOBIC TOO,
BUT I LEARNED SOMETHING BACK AT EIGHT,
THERE'S JUST NO EXCUSE FOR HATE,
SO I'M JUST GONNA DO JUST WHAT I DO.

AND THE OLDER I GET THE STRONGER I GET,
AND THE STRONGER I GET THE LOUDER I GET,
AND THE LOUDER I GET THE GAYER I MAY SOUND.
BUT IF YOU'D BEEN THROUGH WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH,
YOU'D PROBABLY BE LOUDER TOO,
STILL GETTIN' LOUDER
AND I'M STILL HANGIN' AROUND

I'M NOT HERE TO TOOT MY HORN,
I'VE BEEN GAY SINCE YOU'VE BEEN BORN,
GROWING UP MY ROLE MODELS WERE FEW.
SO I LEARNED EARLY HOW TO FIGHT,
AND I'M SINGING ON THIS STAGE TONIGHT,
LOOKIN' AT ALL THE ROLE MODELS IN YOU.
NOW WE ALL COULD TELL OUR PAINFUL TALES
OF GROWIN' UP IN PRIVATE JAILS,
MOST OF US WILL SAY WE HAD NO CHOICE.
WE DON'T NEED TO RECRUIT OUR OWN
JUST LET THEM KNOW THEY'RE NOT ALONE,
AND IF THEY CHOSE TO THEY WILL HAVE A VOICE.

Company

AND THE OLDER THEY GET THE STRONGER THEY GET,
AND THE STRONGER THEY GET THE LOUDER THEY GET,
AND THE LOUDER THEY GET THE HAPPIER WE WILL BE.
IF THEY SEE US FIGHT FOR WHAT IS JUST,
OUR CHILDREN WILL BE PROUD OF US,
AND THEIR CHILDREN MAY SOMEDAY GROW UP FREE.

TELL THE TALE OF TWENTY YEARS
INDIFFERENCE, GREED, AND LOTS OF TEARS,
WILL I BE HERE WHEN ALL THIS MADNESS ENDS?
IN THE SHADOW OF A GLOBAL PLAGUE,
WHERE COURAGE PREVAILS WHEN HOPE IS VAGUE,
THE PEOPLE DOING BATTLE ARE MY FRIENDS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE NOWADAYS,
TRYING TO BE THE STRAIGHTEST GAYS,
A BRAND NEW BREED OF HOMOPHOBIC QUEER.
TO YOU I SAY YOUR LIFE WILL BE A MYSTERY,
TIL YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR HISTORY,
DENIAL WILL MAKE NOTHING DISAPPEAR.

AND THE OLDER WE GET THE STRONGER WE GET,
AND THE STRONGER WE GET THE LOUDER WE GET,
AND THE LOUDER WE GET
The MORE POWERFUL THE SOUND.
ALL OUR VOICES RINGING CLEAR,
PROUD TO LET THE WHOLE WORLD HEAR,
WHEN THE WAR IS OVER WE'LL STILL BE AROUND.

AND THE OLDER WE GET THE STRONGER WE GET,
AND THE STRONGER WE GET THE LOUDER WE GET,
AND THE LOUDER WE GET
THE MORE POWERFUL THE SOUND.
ALL OUR VOICES RINGING CLEAR,
PROUD TO LET THE WHOLE WORLD HEAR,
WHEN THE WAR IS OVER WE'LL STILL BE AROUND.
WHEN THE WAR IS OVER WE'LL STILL BE AROUND.