Nothing more, nothing less
An icon on the wall, decoration and duress
That which many strive to be
It's the marble statue staring over me

And nobody has the will to tear it down
It determines wrong and right
But to me it's just a stereotype
And it makes us lose our sight

The portrait of authority (portrait of authority)
You tell me that's what I'm supposed to be
(Portrait of authority)
You tell me that's what I'm supposed to be

Another time, another man
An oppressive intrusion and a plague across his land
And it haunts him every day
It tells him he has no chance, his hopes just fade away

And he lives his life prepared to tear it down
But he can't muster the support
And to him it's just a stereotype
Of his life-long fight

The portrait of authority (portrait of authority)
It embodies what he cannot be
(Portrait of authority)
It's what he cannot be!

The portrait of authority (portrait of authority)
Portrait of authority!