Logically appraise the situation  Sizing-up the ones who'll do you good  Realize it's not merely position  That gets you to the top that's understood    (chorus)  You can't live with yourself  So live off someone else  You say your one of us  But you're really one of them  So don't pretend - social contender    This rule by ladders hazardous ascent  Your path is strewn with others who have bent  Ambition hides from view those who are falling  Convince yourself you'll not be like those crawling    Laughing in the face of their distress  Believing they're impressed with your success  You'll find out the street you travel narrows  Poisoned by the edge of social arrows    Social contender, social pretender, social defender