A Man List
Verse 1
Grandpa sat me down one summer,
On the tailgate of his old truck,
Said, “Son, there’s things a boy should learn
Before he grows up.”
He said, “There ain’t no paper for it,
No place you have to sign,
But there’s a list every man should know,
And I’ll teach you mine.”
He said, “First you love the Lord above,
And keep Him in your heart.
He’ll be the one you lean on
When you don’t know where to start.”
Chorus
Check it off the man list, one by one,
Learn to work hard, learn to have some fun.
Stand up tall, be strong and kind,
Keep your word and hold your line.
Love the Lord, loyour family,
Give more than you take.
When the road gets rough and you’re scared to death,
Have the courage to face it anyway.
You don’t become a man just growing up—
You become a man by the choices that you make.
Yeah, check it off the man list.
Verse 2
Dad taught me how to ride a bike,
Then let go and watched me fall.
He said, “Get back up and try again,
You won’t always get it right the first time.”
Grandpa taught me how to bait a hook,
And how to start a fire.
Dad showed me how to use my hands,
And Grandpa took me hunting.
They both said, “Don’t be afraid
To try something you’ve never done.
You might get a few bumps and bruises,
But that’s how growing up is won.”
Chorus
Check it off the man list, one by one,
Learn to work hard, learn to have some fun.
Stand up tall, be strong and kind,
Keep your word and hold your line.
Love the Lord, love your family,
Give more than you take.
When the road gets rough and you’re scared to death,
Have the courage to face it anyway.
You don’t become a man just growing up—
You become a man by the choices that you make.
Yeah, check it off the man list.
Verse 3
I learned to drive that old pickup,
Got it stuck out in the mud.
Learned to fix the things I broke,
And learned the value of hard work.
I learned to hunt, I learned to weld,
Learned to finish what I start.
But Dad said, “Son, the hardest thing
Is keeping a good heart.”
Grandpa said, “When you find a girl,
You better treat her right.
Love her like the Lord commands you,
And stand beside her all your life.”
Bridge
Now I’ve got a couple boys of my own,
And sometimes I hear Grandpa’s voice.
I see their eyes, I see their questions,
I see they’re making their own choice.
So I tell ’em, “Love the Lord first,
Honor your family, do what’s right.
Work for what you have, help the ones who need you,
And never run from a fight with life.”
Final Chorus
Check it off the man list, one by one,
Learn to work hard, learn to have some fun.
Stand up tall, be strong and kind,
Keep your word and hold your line.
Love the Lord, love your family,
Give more than you take.
When the road gets rough and you’re scared to death,
Have the courage to face it anyway.
You don’t become a man just growing up—
You become a man by the choices that you make.
Tag
Grandpa never wrote it down,
Dad never needed a pen.
It’s a list that lives inside your heart,
And gets passed down again.
Love the Lord.
