Iron skin

 They taught me young, “Don't let them see you break”

 Swallow every tear, for your father's sake

 Stand up straight, keep your shoulders wide

 Hide the war that's raging deep inside

I've worn this armor every day

 So long I forgot how to take it away

 A clenched fist where a heart should be

 A silent man is what they wanted me to be

 But there's a scream beneath my skin

 Begging for someone to let it in

 I'M NOT MADE OF STONE!

 I'M JUST AFRAID TO SHOW YOU

 THE WEIGHT THAT I CARRY ALONE

 I'M NOT MADE OF STONE!

 BUT EVERY TIME I OPEN MY MOUTH

 THESE WORDS TURN TO BLOOD IN MY THROAT

They said, “Be a man!”

 So I learned to suffer in silence

 They said, “Be strong!”

 So

I've carried every lesson like a weight around my neck,

Every word he never spoke became a chain around my chest.

I learned to hide the weakness, learned to bury every tear,

Mistook the absence of a voice for never having fear.

But I'm not him, and I don't have to be

The man who never learned to let somebody see.

I can break without becoming weak,

I can hurt and still have strength to speak.

**[Pre-Chorus]**

There's a war beneath my skin,

And I'm tired of keeping it in.

For all the years I chose to hide,

Tonight I let the walls divide.

**[Chorus]**

**I'M NOT MADE OF STONE!**

**I'M JUST AFRAID TO SHOW YOU**

**THE WEIGHT THAT I CARRY ALONE!**

**I'M NOT MADE OF STONE!**

**BUT EVERY TIME I OPEN MY MOUTH**

**THESE WORDS TURN TO BLOOD IN MY THROAT!**

They said, “Be a man!”

So I learned to suffer in silence.

They said, “Be strong!”

So I buried the violence.

Now I'm standing here

With a heart I don't know how to show.

**I'M NOT MADE OF STONE—**

**I JUST NEVER LEARNED HOW TO LET GO!**

**[Bridge — clean, emotional]**

Father, I carried your silence

Like a burden that was mine.

I wore your pain beneath my skin

And called it strength for all this time.

But I won't pass this down again.

I won't become the thing I feared.

The cycle ends with me tonight—

The words you couldn't say, I'll hear.

**[Build — whispered → screamed]**

I AM ALLOWED TO HURT!

I AM ALLOWED TO CRY!

I AM ALLOWED TO FALL!

**AND STILL SURVIVE!**

**[Breakdown]**

**I DON'T HAVE TO HIDE!**

**I DON'T HAVE TO BREAK!**

**I DON'T HAVE TO CARRY**

**EVERY FUCKING WEIGHT!**

You called it weakness—

I call it being alive!

You taught me silence—

**NOW I'M LEARNING TO SURVIVE!**

**[Final Chorus — full force]**

**I'M NOT MADE OF STONE!**

**HEAR ME WHEN I SAY IT!**

**I'VE CARRIED THIS WEIGHT FOR TOO LONG!**

**I'M NOT MADE OF STONE!**

**AND THESE TEARS ARE NOT MY SHAME!**

**I'M FINALLY BREAKING THESE CHAINS!**

They said, “Be a man!”

But I finally understand—

Being strong doesn't mean

You never need a hand.

I'm standing here

With a heart I finally know how to show.

**I'M NOT MADE OF STONE—**

**I'M JUST A MAN WHO'S LEARNING TO LET GO!**

**[Outro — quiet]**

I don't have to be silent...

I don't have to be cold...

The armor I carried

Was never who I was.

**I'm not made of stone.**

**I'm finally coming home.**