Pretend To Be

Background

"Pretend To Be" is one of the thirty "close to final form" songs from the Minutes To Midnight album sessions. It is unknown if it is the "seventeenth completed song" from the Minutes To Midnight sessions but it is unlikely since it has the 2008 date, although the date could be a mistake since Mike has often mislabeled years on demos. The band, through the Linkin Park station on A.P.E. Radio, has said "Pretend To Be" originated from a Minutes To Midnight demo but they went back and re-recorded it in 2008. The song has an interesting, small breakdown at the end that takes it down to just Rob and Phoenix, before building back up to end the track.

The song was first released when LPU X launched on August 18, 2010 as a part of the A Decade Underground compilation and was then also released on the LP Underground X CD.

Linkin Park recorded and finalized seventeen songs for Minutes To Midnight, with twelve making the album. Four of the others that ended up being released over time are "No Roads Left", "Across The Line", "Blackbirds", and "What We Don't Know". There is speculation that the last track could be "Chance Of Rain" since Mike mentioned in the track commentary that it was cut at the last second. "Pretend To Be" and "Not Alone" are other considerations for what this final song might be. In a May 18, 2020 stream, Mike was asked about the identity of this fifth song that didn't make the album. He said, "We always have lots of songs that get scrapped from an album, so I don't know. The fifth? Got me, I don't know. I wish I could tell you. Probably something that is unreleased."

Versions

Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.

Title	Album	Length	Recorded	Released	Notes
Pretend To Be (Unreleased Demo 2008)	A Decade Underground LP Underground X: Demos	3:55	2006	August 10, 2010

Lyrics

Album Version

You say that you're proud of me (Oh Oh, Oh Oh, Oh Oh)
Then you take something out of me
So predictable
Why do I have to see this through
Why do I have to take this
Isn't there something I can do
To make myself finally say this

No / You've taken this too far
Exposing who you are / For all to see
You're not the one that you pretend to be

You start with apologies (Oh Oh, Oh Oh, Oh Oh)
Then take another shot at me
So predictable
Why do I have to see this through
Why do I have to take this
Isn't there something I can do
To make myself finally say this

No / You've taken this too far
Exposing who you are / For all to see
You're not the one that you pretend / This

No / You've taken this too far
Exposing who you are / For all to see
You're not the one that you pretend to be
 
Oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh
 
No / You've taken this too far
Exposing who you are / For all to see
You're not the one that you pretend / This
 
No / You've taken this too far
Exposing who you are / For all to see
You're not the one that you pretend to be