Lyrics of
The Pretender

The song discusses themes of misinformation and secrecy, particularly drawing from lead vocalist Dave Grohls feelings about the media and how it affects the relationship with the audience.

Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend
Keep you in the dark
And so it all began
Send in your skeletons
Sing as their bones go marching in again
The need you buried deep
The secrets that you keep are ever ready
Are you ready?
I'm finished making sense

That whole , defense
Spinning infinity, boy

It's never-ending, never-ending
Same old story

What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?

What if I say that I'll never surrender?
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?

What if I say that I'll never surrender?

In time or so i'm told
I'm just another soul for sale oh, well
The page is out of print

We're tem-po-rary, tem-po-rary
Same old story

What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?

What if I say that I'll never surrender?
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?

What if I say that I'll never surrender?

I'm the voice inside your head
You refuse to hear
I'm the face that you have to face
Mirrored in your stare
I'm what's left, I'm what's right
I'm the enemy
I'm the hand that will take you down
Bring you to your knees
So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?

Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend

What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?

What if I say that I'll never surrender?
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?

What if I say that I'll never surrender?
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?

What if I say that I'll never surrender?
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?

What if I say that I'll never surrender?

So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?