listen daddy i'm just a kid

and i don't really understand why

you and mama always scream and yell

and make each other sad

but you fight about the dumbest things

and you've learned to live with the pain it brings

so i guess it don't offend you when i say

hey daddy i'm afraid to grow up

i think i'm going to grow up

cause i don't wanna be like you

you talk about the guy next door

you say you'd like to shoot him down

or maybe you can explain to me

why it matters if his skin is brown

cause the neighbor's kid he's a friend of mine

and we play together all the time

and it never made no difference to me

hey daddy i'm afraid to grow up

i think i'm going to throw up

cause i don't wanna be like you

i think i've said about just enough

the things you do are plain to see

and if you don't like it well that's tough

just don't expect respect from me

cause i'm not gonna take commands

and i'm not gonna meet demands

and who are you to tell me what to do

hey daddy i'm afraid to grow up

i think i'm going to throw up

cause i don't wanna be like you

cause i don't wanna be like you

cause i don't wanna be like you

i don't wanna be like you

i don't wanna be like you

i don't wanna be like you