Uploaded January 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
From album: "Hybrid Theory" (2000)
LYRICS
[Verse 1: Mike Shinoda]
What do I do to ignore them behind me?
Do I follow my instincts blindly?
Do I hide my pride from these bad dreams
And give in to sad thoughts that are maddening?
Do I sit here and try to stand it?
Or do I try to catch them red-handed?
Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness?
Or do I trust nobody and live in loneliness?
Because I can't hold on when I'm stretched so thin
I make the right moves, but I'm lost within
I put on my daily façade, but then
I just end up getting hurt again
[Pre-Chorus: Mike Shinoda & Chester Bennington]
By myself (Myself), I ask why
But in my mind, I find I can't rely on myself
(Myself), I ask why
But in my mind, I find I can't rely on myself
[Chorus: Chester Bennington & Mike Shinoda]
I can't hold on to what I want when I'm stretched so thin
It's all too much to take in
I can't hold on to anything, watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking in
[Verse 2: Mike Shinoda]
If I turn my back, I'm defenseless
And to go blindly seems senseless
If I hide my pride and let it all go on
Then they'll take from me 'til everything is gone
If I let them go, I'll be outdone
But if I try to catch them, I'll be outrun
If I'm killed by the questions like a cancer
Then I'll be buried in the silence of the answer
[Pre-Chorus: Mike Shinoda & Chester Bennington]
By myself (Myself), I ask why
But in my mind, I find I can't rely on myself
(Myself), I ask why
But in my mind, I find I can't rely on myself
[Chorus: Chester Bennington & Mike Shinoda]
I can't hold on to what I want when I'm stretched so thin
It's all too much to take in
I can't hold on to anything, watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking in
[Interlude: Mike Shinoda]
How do you think I've lost so much?
I'm so afraid that I'm out of touch
How do you expect I will know what to do
When all I know is what you tell me to?
[Bridge: Mike Shinoda & Chester Bennington]
Don't you know
I can't tell you how to make it go
No matter what I do, how hard I try
I can't seem to convince myself why
I'm stuck on the outside
Don't you know
I can't tell you how to make it go
No matter what I do, how hard I try
I can't seem to convince myself why
I'm stuck on the outside
[Chorus: Chester Bennington & Mike Shinoda]
I can't hold on to what I want when I'm stretched so thin
It's all too much to take in
I can't hold on to anything, watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking in
I can't hold on to what I want when I'm stretched so thin
It's all too much to take in
I can't hold on to anything, watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking
From album: "Hybrid Theory" (2000)
LYRICS
[Verse 1: Mike Shinoda]
What do I do to ignore them behind me?
Do I follow my instincts blindly?
Do I hide my pride from these bad dreams
And give in to sad thoughts that are maddening?
Do I sit here and try to stand it?
Or do I try to catch them red-handed?
Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness?
Or do I trust nobody and live in loneliness?
Because I can't hold on when I'm stretched so thin
I make the right moves, but I'm lost within
I put on my daily façade, but then
I just end up getting hurt again
[Pre-Chorus: Mike Shinoda & Chester Bennington]
By myself (Myself), I ask why
But in my mind, I find I can't rely on myself
(Myself), I ask why
But in my mind, I find I can't rely on myself
[Chorus: Chester Bennington & Mike Shinoda]
I can't hold on to what I want when I'm stretched so thin
It's all too much to take in
I can't hold on to anything, watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking in
[Verse 2: Mike Shinoda]
If I turn my back, I'm defenseless
And to go blindly seems senseless
If I hide my pride and let it all go on
Then they'll take from me 'til everything is gone
If I let them go, I'll be outdone
But if I try to catch them, I'll be outrun
If I'm killed by the questions like a cancer
Then I'll be buried in the silence of the answer
[Pre-Chorus: Mike Shinoda & Chester Bennington]
By myself (Myself), I ask why
But in my mind, I find I can't rely on myself
(Myself), I ask why
But in my mind, I find I can't rely on myself
[Chorus: Chester Bennington & Mike Shinoda]
I can't hold on to what I want when I'm stretched so thin
It's all too much to take in
I can't hold on to anything, watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking in
[Interlude: Mike Shinoda]
How do you think I've lost so much?
I'm so afraid that I'm out of touch
How do you expect I will know what to do
When all I know is what you tell me to?
[Bridge: Mike Shinoda & Chester Bennington]
Don't you know
I can't tell you how to make it go
No matter what I do, how hard I try
I can't seem to convince myself why
I'm stuck on the outside
Don't you know
I can't tell you how to make it go
No matter what I do, how hard I try
I can't seem to convince myself why
I'm stuck on the outside
[Chorus: Chester Bennington & Mike Shinoda]
I can't hold on to what I want when I'm stretched so thin
It's all too much to take in
I can't hold on to anything, watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking in
I can't hold on to what I want when I'm stretched so thin
It's all too much to take in
I can't hold on to anything, watching everything spin
With thoughts of failure sinking
