He always said that he wanted to fly.
One day he packed his chute and climbed onto the roof.
The air was warm and they were cheerin’ him on.
Listened to the breeze, it was singin’ his song.

Spreading his wings, he looked to the sky.
He stepped toward the edge; he was going to fly.

That’s when he fell down to the ground and then he wondered, “What the hell am I doin’ here?”
And for a minute there he thought that he was dyin’, and then a little bird appeared.
She said, “If you wanna be a bird, man, you gotta long way to go, but I suppose I could help you out.”
Icarus couldn’t manage it so what makes you think that you’ve got it figured out?

Chorus
Hey, Birdman, doncha know you can’t fly
Off of the roof and into the sky.
Stay right here and don’t even try.
Only way to go is straight down.

And then he looked up at the bird and he said, “I don’t like the way you put me down.
“You’re just like everybody else—you think I’m nothing—that’s why I’m leavin’ this town.
“So I appreciate that you want to help, but I think I’m better off alone.
“When I return that’s when you’ll see that the boy you didn’t believe in has flown.”

Chorus

At that point the bird’s feathers were ruffled and she flew down to the ground.
“I do believe in you; I wish you could see I’m a good friend to keep around.
“You’re a smart boy and ya got big plans, but the world is big and cruel.
“Let me help you to cut through the crap and keep from becomin’ a fool.”

Chorus

It was a good twelve years later before he came back. The bird had long since died.
But he went back to that old roof he jumped off anyway. He sat down, and then he cried.
He came home to find that fickle friends fly away, and the world is awful scary.
So sad to find that his only true friend is in an avian cemetery.

Chorus