White Trash Folk: Role Models
Lyrics and Music © Rick Shelton

Little girl thinks she
Has to be as perfect as the
Pages in her magazines and
Pictures on her TV screen
They’re a lie,
Made-up and all make-believe
Put there by the boogeymen
To make her want to be like them
You can’t deny it, but you ignore it every time

Pretty dolls, pretty
Posters, pretty role models
Tell her “Self-esteem can make you choke”
With their fingers down her pretty throat
She feels ashamed
Behind her mask of facial paint
Scarlet tears run down her leg
Wet kisses from her razor blade
She can’t deny them, but she’ll try to hide them every time

I want to see the make-up kits
And diet pills around her room
Glowing in the backyard
Belching blackened smoke and toxic fumes
Every day, they reiterate
“She’ll never love, she’s too ugly”
I wish she’d tell them to fuck off
Because she’s beautiful to me

Little boy, looking
In the mirror, feeling weak
He isn’t good at sports
He’s got bad posture and crooked teeth
They beat him down
And beat him out of Illinois
Just because he dresses weird and
Gets turned on by other boys
You can’t deny it, but you despise it every time

GI Joes, football posters
Handsome role models
Tell him “Confidence can make you sweat”
With an extension chord around his neck
He feels alone
Pale complexion, skin and bones
Putting on his favorite song
He eats the pills that make him strong
He can’t deny it, but he could spite it if he tried

I want to see the protein shakes
And steroids lying his room
Glowing in the backyard
Belching blackened smoke and toxic fumes
Every day, they reiterate
“He’s a stupid, faggot, pussy, freak”
I wish he’d tell them to eat shit
Because he’s fucking cool to me

Little girl, their words can cut you deep but it’s up to you
If they leave behind a scar
Little boy, they can knock you down, but if you get back up
You can go so so far

You can’t deny it, take one good look and you’ll see
It’s really THEM that are so goddamn ugly
You could hide it, but if you fight it you’ll be free
Because you’re fucking cool to me
You can’t deny it, but you can spite it you’ll see
It’s them that are so damn ugly
And you’re beautiful to me