[Intro – Mock-serious tone, sarcastic spoken word]
Don’t cry, bro
You’re a man, remember?
Real men don’t break
We bend till we shatter quietly
(Soft acoustic loop kicks in—slow, melancholic)
---
[Verse 1 – Emo Rap, sarcastic tone with underlying emotion]
Hold it in, wipe those tears
That’s what I’ve done for all these years
Be the rock, be the wall
Never slip, don’t ever fall
Dad said, “Don’t act like a girl”
Coach said, “Push through, be a man of the world”
So I smile, I fight, I drink
I laugh on the outside, while I sink
---
[Pre-Chorus – Half-sung, haunting tone]
I’m fine, I’m strong
I’ve been dead inside so long
But don’t you dare ask me why
‘Cause men don’t cry
---
[Chorus – Sung, emotional contrast]
Don’t cry (I’m a man), just break in silence
Smile big while you drown in violence
Don’t show pain, don’t ask for help
Swallow tears till there’s nothing else
Don’t cry (I’m a man), that's what they said
But I’ve been dyin’ just to feel again
---
[Verse 2 – Rap, more serious and raw tone]
I watched my brother bury his fear
Behind six shots and a midnight beer
My uncle’s ghost still walks my halls
Hung himself tryin’ to stand tall
Friends say “man up,” like it’s praise
But I see the cracks in all their ways
We’re taught to be tough, never weak
But silence don’t mean peace
---
[Bridge – Sung with layered vocals]
How many boys die with dry eyes?
How many fathers never ask why?
How many screams stay locked inside
Just to fit the suit and tie?
---
[Chorus – Repeat, but heavier vocals, harmonic]
Don’t cry (I’m a man), just break in silence
Smile big while you drown in violence
Don’t show pain, don’t ask for help
Swallow tears till there’s nothing else
Don’t cry (I’m a man), that's what they said
But I’ve been dyin’ just to feel again
---
[Outro – Quiet acoustic fade out]
[Whispered or gently sung]
Don’t cry...
Don’t cry…
I wish I could.
N0VA