Coulda been a writer, shoulda been a novelist
coulda been something, anything other than this
Turn the light on now, turn the light on
Room so dark without, room so dark without love
Shoulda been a healer, and gone to Africa
magic medicine, that'll clear it all up
Put away the hunger now, put away the hunger
World so dark without, world so dark without love
But night comes, quiet as a cat
I lie awake considering
I consider till my mind grows fat
Don't know nothing bout the weight of the world
but the weight on my brain's sure intact
and maybe I'm good at that
Coulda been a pundit, coulda been Uncle Sam
shoulda been holy, a political holy man
Shift the gears now, turn the wheels of change
Land so dark without, land so dark without love
(but that's another kind of healer)
Chorus
And I'll never be an Olympic star
I'm not that strong, I can't run that far
I'll never die on the silver screen
I'm not that brave, not much hero in me
Coulda been a thinker, coulda been a philosopher
More like a tinkerer, a philosophical amateur
Turn the light on now, turn the light on
World so dark without, world so dark