Only a boy, yet so much is at stake
My only son, so a man I must make
A man should hunt, play sports, treat people well
And most important, lock his emotions in a cell

I tell him,
Real men don’t cry; words to live by.
A man must be strong or he’s doing things wrong.
You’re the king of this place, you gotta show your face.
So put on your crown, shove your emotions down.

He’s a teenager now, but already sorta queer
Never kissed a girl, he won’t shoot a deer
His favorite sport isn’t football, how could this be?
He’s always talking to his mother, instead of to me

I tell him,
Real men don’t cry; words to live by.
A man must be strong or he’s doing things wrong.
You’re the king of this place, you gotta show your face.
So put on your crown, shove your emotions down.

Almost a man, but yet he is not
Came home with bruises, a lesson he was taught
Wouldn’t hit back, he has a tear in his eye
I yell at him, and the wimp starts to cry

I shout,
Real men don’t cry; words to live by.
A man must be strong or he’s doing things wrong.
You’re the king of this place, you gotta show your face.
So put on your crown, shove your emotions down.

Still not a man, but now he yells
But he yells at me, what the hell?
He claims I’ve been unfair, put him in a “man box”
I scowl and tell him to join his sisters folding socks

Because,
Real men don’t cry; words to live by.
A man must be strong or he’s doing things wrong.
You’re the king of this place, you gotta show your face.
So put on your crown, shove your emotions down.

My son is gone forever now; I guess it’s my fault.
I wander in a daze listening to meaningless condolences.
I girl stops me to talk, more empty words I’m sure.
But instead she tells me about my son.
She says he was strong for her, and held her when she cried.
He cried with her; he got her through each day.
She tells me that my son saved her life.

All I wanted was a son who was a man,
And with tears in my eyes I realize that
My son took care of her the way I could not for him.
My son was more of a man than I’ll ever be.

I should have told him,
Real men can cry; words to live by.
A man should be strong, if it helps others get along.
But if you feel tears on your face, know you aren’t a disgrace.
Remember you’re a human being, and crying can be freeing.