To Be A Man
DAX Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴I can't hide myself
I don't expect you to understand
I just hope I can explain
What it's like to be a man
It's a lonely road
And they don't care 'bout what you know
It's not 'bout how you feel
But what you provide inside that home
Yeah, I know this life can really beat you down, uh
You wanna scream but you won't make a sound, uh
Got so much weight that you've been holdin'
But won't show any emotion, as a man, that goes unspoken
That we can't cry when life gets hard
Unconditional love for women, children and dogs
We know that we just have to play our parts
And don't nobody give a damn about our broken hearts, yeah
As a man, we gotta pave our way
Our only function is to work and slave
There's no respect for you if you ain't paid
You're disregarded as a human and you can't complain
And if you ever make it up and actually reach that place
And find a woman that you love and give her your last name
You'll feel the things that you provide is only why she stays
And when you try to explain, you'll say
I can't hide myself
I don't expect you to understand
I just hope I can explain
What it's like to be a man (what it's like to be a man)
It's a lonely road (it's a lonely road)
And they don't care 'bout what you know (care 'bout what you know)
It's not 'bout how you feel
But what you provide inside that home
Don't give up, keep fightin'
As a man, our son is our horizon
And our fathers' actions play a role and we end up like him
So they can't let us see them hurt
'Cause we'll embody what we do and start a generational curse
No wonder most men are so depressed
All the things that they can't express
They go to war, get thrown on the shelf
Then go back to war with they mental health
Then grab that bottle and ask for help
Try to pull themselves out of hell
Then fall back down and then realize
That they gon' have to do it themselves
It's the circle of life, as a man, you provide
They don't know what you're worth 'til the day that you die
And that's when they start cryin'
Then move on to a man to confide in
That's why we feel
We can't hide ourselves
We don't expect you to understand
We just hope we can explain
What it's like to be a man (what it's like to be a man)
It's a lonely road (it's a lonely road)
And you don't care 'bout what we know (care 'bout what we know)
It's not 'bout how we feel
But what we provide inside that home (inside that home)
That home
It's not 'bout how we feel
But what we provide inside that home (inside that home)
Overall Meaning
The lyrics of DAX's song "To Be A Man" delve into the challenges and expectations faced by men in society. The song explores themes of loneliness, emotional suppression, and the pressure to provide for others. It highlights the societal norms that dictate how men should behave and the expectations placed upon them.
The opening lines of the song convey the struggle to hide oneself and the lack of understanding from others. The singer expresses the desire to explain what it's like to be a man, suggesting that being a man is not easily comprehensible or relatable. The lyrics emphasize the loneliness of the journey, with an emphasis on the lack of concern for men's emotions and personal struggles. Society cares more about what a man can provide in terms of material support rather than his emotional well-being.
The song also touches upon the notion of unspoken suffering. It states that men are expected to endure hardships silently, without showing any vulnerability or expressing their emotions openly. The lyrics mention the societal pressure for men to appear strong and suppress their pain, resulting in deep-rooted emotional distress. It suggests that men are conditioned to believe that they must bear the weight on their shoulders without seeking help or support.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't hide myself
I am unable to conceal my true self
I don't expect you to understand
I do not anticipate you comprehending my experiences
I just hope I can explain
I simply wish to articulate
What it's like to be a man
The experience of existing as a male
It's a lonely road
The path I walk is isolating
And they don't care 'bout what you know
Others disregard your knowledge
It's not 'bout how you feel
Emotions are not the primary focus
But what you provide inside that home
Instead, it's about the contributions you make within the household
Yeah, I know this life can really beat you down, uh
Indeed, I am aware that this existence can be overwhelmingly challenging
You wanna scream but you won't make a sound, uh
You desire to express your inner turmoil but remain silent
Got so much weight that you've been holdin'
You bear a heavy burden
But won't show any emotion, as a man, that goes unspoken
Yet, as a man, it is expected that you keep your emotions hidden
That we can't cry when life gets hard
Crying is not permissible when faced with adversity
Unconditional love for women, children and dogs
We are expected to display limitless affection for women, children, and even animals
We know that we just have to play our parts
We understand the roles we must assume
And don't nobody give a damn about our broken hearts, yeah
Yet, nobody truly cares about the pain we silently endure
As a man, we gotta pave our way
As males, we must forge our own paths
Our only function is to work and slave
Our sole purpose is to toil and labor
There's no respect for you if you ain't paid
If you lack financial success, respect is withheld
You're disregarded as a human and you can't complain
You are dismissed as a person and forbidden from voicing grievances
And if you ever make it up and actually reach that place
If you manage to attain success
And find a woman that you love and give her your last name
And discover a woman to whom you give your commitment and surname
You'll feel the things that you provide is only why she stays
You will believe that your role as a provider is the sole reason for her presence
And when you try to explain, you'll say
And when you attempt to elucidate, you will express
Don't give up, keep fightin'
Remain resilient, persist in the struggle
As a man, our son is our horizon
As males, our sons represent our hopes and aspirations
And our fathers' actions play a role and we end up like him
The actions of our fathers influence and shape our own lives
So they can't let us see them hurt
Our fathers refrain from showing their pain to us
'Cause we'll embody what we do and start a generational curse
Because we emulate their actions, potentially perpetuating negative patterns for generations
No wonder most men are so depressed
It is no surprise that many men experience profound sadness
All the things that they can't express
The numerous sentiments they are unable to articulate
They go to war, get thrown on the shelf
They engage in battles, endure hardships, and are subsequently disregarded
Then go back to war with they mental health
Then return to the struggle of preserving their mental well-being
Then grab that bottle and ask for help
Subsequently resorting to alcohol as a plea for assistance
Try to pull themselves out of hell
Attempting to extricate themselves from their personal torment
Then fall back down and then realize
Only to later stumble and come to a realization
That they gon' have to do it themselves
That they must embark on the journey of healing and recovery alone
It's the circle of life, as a man, you provide
It is the cyclical nature of existence; as a man, your role is that of a provider
They don't know what you're worth 'til the day that you die
Others fail to recognize your value until your passing
And that's when they start cryin'
Only then do they begin to shed tears
Then move on to a man to confide in
Subsequently seeking solace from another man
That's why we feel
This is the reason why we experience
We can't hide ourselves
We are unable to conceal our true selves
We don't expect you to understand
We do not anticipate you comprehending our experiences
We just hope we can explain
We merely desire to articulate
What it's like to be a man (what it's like to be a man)
The experience of existing as males
It's a lonely road (it's a lonely road)
The path we walk is isolating
And you don't care 'bout what we know (care 'bout what we know)
You display indifference towards our knowledge
It's not 'bout how we feel
Emotions are not the primary focus
But what we provide inside that home (inside that home)
Instead, it's about the contributions we make within the household
That home
The domestic environment
It's not 'bout how we feel
Emotions are not the primary focus
But what we provide inside that home (inside that home)
Instead, it's about the contributions we make within the household
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alex Nour, Daniel Nwosu Jr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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