I can’t hide anymore,
But I don’t expect you to understand.
I’m juggling books, bills, and bedtime stories,
Trying to be more than just a man.
They see the brand, the grind, the glow,
But not the nights I sleep alone.
Not the tears I hold behind the smile,
Not the weight I carry mile by mile.
[Pre-Chorus]
It’s a lonely road —
They don’t care what I know.
It’s not about how I feel,
It’s what I bring home.
[Chorus]
This is what it’s like to be me —
Student by day, father by night,
Building a dream while losing sleep.
Trying to be strong, trying to be right.
They don’t see the cracks, they just see the crown,
But I’m holding it all while breaking down.
This is what it’s like to be me.
[Verse 2]
I study hard, pitch harder,
Pray my kids don’t see me falter.
I show up in meetings, show up at school,
Show up at home — trying to follow every rule.
I’m respected, but rarely asked,
“How are you really?” — they just walk past.
I’m the provider, the leader, the man,
But sometimes I just need a hand.
[Bridge – Spoken Word over soft piano]
They say men don’t cry,
But I’ve cried in silence.
They say success is strength,
But I’ve felt weak in the quiet.
They say fathers should never fall,
But I’ve stumbled trying to carry it all.
[Final Chorus]
This is what it’s like to be me —
Student by day, father by night,
Building a dream while losing sleep.
Trying to be strong, trying to be right.
They don’t see the cracks, they just see the crown,
But I’m holding it all while breaking down.
This is what it’s like to be me.
[Outro – Spoken Word]
So if I distance myself,
It’s not rejection — it’s reflection.
I’m just trying to stay whole,
While giving pieces of me to everyone else.
