[Verse 1]
He remembers in the days of his youth
He had an aptitude for acting cool
And never unmasking his mind
Never putting his heart on the line
Penny ante in the peer-group game
Taking chances for a fling with fame
And never confessing the crime
Never putting his heart on the line
[Chorus]
Putting his heart on the line
Putting his heart on the line
[Verse 2]
He remembers when his senses came
And he recognized his foolishness
And started to speak his true mind
Started putting his heart on the line
He saw the world through unused eyes
Started ignoring what was cool
And all the lies in society's shrines
Started putting his heart on the line
[Chorus]
Putting his heart on the line
Putting his heart on the line
[Verse 3]
Oh, he rocked the boat and the culture-at-large said
"We don't want to talk truth or God
Or no other themes of that kind
Or of putting your heart on the line"
So now he blends in with the bourgeoisie
He learned the lesson that society
Rewards only those who decline
To go putting their hearts on the line
[Chorus]
Putting their hearts on the line
Putting their hearts on the line
[Outro]
Putting their hearts on the line
Putting their hearts on the line
Oh-ah heart on the line