Change the Shell

我一早醒来

wǒ yī zǎo xǐng lái

I wake up first thing in the morning

就先学会低头

jiù xiān xué huì dī tóu

And immediately learn to lower my head

每个眼神都在算

měi gè yǎn shén dōu zài suàn

Every glance is calculating

我够不够

wǒ gòu bù gòu

Whether I am enough

错在开口前

cuò zài kāi kǒu qián

I am wrong before I speak

错在沉默后

cuò zài chén mò hòu

And wrong after I stay silent

连呼吸都像在

lián hū xī dōu xiàng zài

Even breathing feels like

交罚单的时候

jiāo fá dān de shí hòu

The moment a penalty notice is handed over

领带勒住脖子

lǐng dài lēi zhù bó zi

A tie tightens around my neck

表情练得太久

biǎo qíng liàn de tài jiǔ

I have rehearsed this expression for too long

笑得像样一点

xiào de xiàng yàng yì diǎn

Smile a little more convincingly

才配坐这班车走

cái pèi zuò zhè bān chē zǒu

Only then do I deserve a seat on this ride

他们说再快一点

tā men shuō zài kuài yì diǎn

They tell me to move a little faster

再乖一点

zài guāi yì diǎn

Behave a little better

再像他们一点

zài xiàng tā men yì diǎn

Become a little more like them

才算活着

cái suàn huó zhe

Only then does it count as living

我把名字擦掉

wǒ bǎ míng zì cā diào

I erase my name

把棱角磨平

bǎ léng jiǎo mó píng

And sand down every sharp edge

把昨天丢进

bǎ zuó tiān diū jìn

I throw yesterday into

没人认领的井

méi rén rèn lǐng de jǐng

A well that no one claims

我说换个地方吧

wǒ shuō huàn gè dì fāng ba

I say, let us change places

换个皮吧

huàn gè pí ba

Let us change our skin

换到谁也

huàn dào shuí yě

Until no one

叫不出我

jiào bù chū wǒ

Can call me by name

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

还是一样疼

hái shì yī yàng téng

It still hurts the same

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

世界照样冷

shì jiè zhào yàng lěng

The world stays just as cold

哦，原来啊

ó， yuán lái a

Oh, so that is how it is

谁都没赢

shuí dōu méi yíng

No one really won

只是换了个笼

zhǐ shì huàn le gè lóng

We only changed cages

我走进陌生街口

wǒ zǒu jìn mò shēng jiē kǒu

I walk into an unfamiliar street

像重新投胎

xiàng chóng xīn tóu tāi

As if I have been born again

把旧的口音

bǎ jiù de kǒu yīn

I take apart my old accent

旧的脾气全拆

jiù de pí qì quán chāi

And dismantle my old temper

把“我”字封存

bǎ “wǒ” zì fēng cún

I seal away the word “me”

贴上新的标签

tiē shàng xīn de biāo qiān

And attach a new label

以为跑得够远

yǐ wéi pǎo de gòu yuǎn

Thinking that if I run far enough

就能把痛改编

jiù néng bǎ tòng gǎi biān

I can rewrite the pain

可同一双眼睛

kě tóng yī shuāng yǎn jīng

But these are the same eyes

同一张疲惫脸

tóng yī zhāng pí bèi liǎn

And the same tired face

同样在地铁里

tóng yàng zài dì tiě lǐ

Still riding the subway

咬着昨天

yǎo zhe zuó tiān

Biting down on yesterday

同样怕落后

tóng yàng pà luò hòu

Still afraid of falling behind

同样怕被选

tóng yàng pà bèi xuǎn

Still afraid of being singled out

同样把自己

tóng yàng bǎ zì jǐ

Still giving ourselves away

赔给明天

péi gěi míng tiān

To pay for tomorrow

我把理想折叠

wǒ bǎ lǐ xiǎng zhé dié

I fold up my ideals

塞进袖口

sāi jìn xiù kǒu

And stuff them into my sleeve

把真话咽下去

bǎ zhēn huà yàn xià qù

I swallow the truth

换来点温柔

huàn lái diǎn wēn róu

In exchange for a little kindness

我说换个地方吧

wǒ shuō huàn gè dì fāng ba

I say, let us change places

换个皮吧

huàn gè pí ba

Let us change our skin

结果每个人

jié guǒ měi gè rén

But in the end, everyone

都在重复我

dōu zài chóng fù wǒ

Is repeating me

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

还是一样疼

hái shì yī yàng téng

It still hurts the same

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

世界照样冷

shì jiè zhào yàng lěng

The world stays just as cold

哦，原来啊

ó， yuán lái a

Oh, so that is how it is

谁都没赢

shuí dōu méi yíng

No one really won

只是换了个笼

zhǐ shì huàn le gè lóng

We only changed cages

我见过你

wǒ jiàn guò nǐ

I have seen you

也见过他

yě jiàn guò tā

And I have seen him

每张脸都像

měi zhāng liǎn dōu xiàng

Every face looks like

同一场挣扎

tóng yī cháng zhēng zhá

The same struggle

别问怎么救

bié wèn zěn me jiù

Do not ask how to save us

别问谁来扛

bié wèn shuí lái káng

Do not ask who will carry it

人只会把自己

rén zhǐ huì bǎ zì jǐ

People only turn themselves

活成一堵墙

huó chéng yī dǔ qiáng

Into a wall

所以算了吧

suǒ yǐ suàn le ba

So let it go

我不再装懂

wǒ bù zài zhuāng dǒng

I will not pretend to understand anymore

能变的只有

néng biàn de zhǐ yǒu

The only thing that can change is

看世界的眼睛

kàn shì jiè de yǎn jīng

The way we look at the world

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

还是一样疼

hái shì yī yàng téng

It still hurts the same

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

换个壳吧

huàn gè ké ba

Change the shell

世界照样冷

shì jiè zhào yàng lěng

The world stays just as cold

哦，原来啊

ó， yuán lái a

Oh, so that is how it is

谁都没赢

shuí dōu méi yíng

No one really won

只是换了个笼

zhǐ shì huàn le gè lóng

We only changed cages

换个眼神吧

huàn gè yǎn shén ba

Change the way you look at it

换个手法吧

huàn gè shǒu fǎ ba

Try another way

别再求天空

bié zài qiú tiān kōng

Stop begging the sky