I CAME HOME
FROM COLLEGE
TO SEE MY OLD MAN
HE WAS SITTIN' ON
THE PORCH SWING
WITH A BOOK
IN HIS HAND
HE STARED AT
MY EARRING
AND AT MY TATTOO
HE SMILED AND
SHOOK HIS HEAD
AND SAID
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU
HE CHOSE HIS WORDS
CAREFULLY
'CAUSE IT WAS HARD
FOR ME TO COME
AND HE KNEW
I HAD A TEMPER
AND WHERE
I GOT IT FROM
I WAITED FOR
THE SERMON
THE ONE I KNEW SO WELL
BUT THIS TIME
HE WASN'T PREACHIN'
ABOUT HEAVEN OR HELL
HE SAID A REAL MAN
KNOWS THE VALUE
OF A WOMAN
A REAL MAN
HAS GOT NOTHIN'
TO PROVE
HE'S STRENGTHENED
BY LOVE
AND THE LORD UP ABOVE
SO DO THE BEST
THAT YOU CAN
TO BE A REAL MAN
COULD IT BE THAT I SAW
JUST A GLIMPSE
OF HIS SOUL
OR MAYBE LOSIN' MAMA
HAD JUST TAKEN ITS TOLL
HE GAVE ME HIS BIBLE
STAINED WITH TEARS
HE HAD CRIED
AND I OPENED UP
THE COVER
WHERE HE WROTE INSIDE
AND IT SAID
A REAL MAN
KNOWS THE VALUE
OF A WOMAN
A REAL MAN
HAS GOT NOTHIN'
TO PROVE
HE'S STRENGTHENED
BY LOVE
AND THE LORD UP ABOVE
SO DO THE BEST
THAT YOU CAN
TO BE A REAL MAN
DO THE BEST
THAT YOU CAN
TO BE A REAL MAN