Man I Am
James Tucker Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴When I was a young boy, used to play army
I'd invite my friends over to fight
Yeah we'd line up our ranks and
We'd say our grace as we fought on into the night
Well here now I do stand somewhere between a grown man
And boy just playing with his friends
Yeah I'd take on the oath to protect and to hold
Like my brother and my grandpas did
So mama I'm writing to say, that I find that I'm doing okay
Yeah I'm learning to learn that the hardest fight is within

So tell my pa, after all he's the best man I ever saw
And I'm sorry for the fights in my younger years
And tell my big sister that I miss her
She was right about a couple of things
I'm a reckless romanic with a head as hard as nails
I'm just learning to be, the man that I am

Well you were my sweet heart, I asked you out in my car
At the school house on four-twenty-one
And I love how these faults are mostly in my cost
I was learning, to love to have fun
Well time is a strange thing, and my brain rearranged
The plans that I had for my life
Yeah I'm hurting that
I'm splitting past with the girl I though would be my wife

So tell your mother, that I'm sorry for making her little girl cry
There's another man she's gonna make him a pretty bride
And tell your father, that I'm thankful
For the moments we shared in the past
He's a good man with a heart as pure as gold
I'm just learning to be, the man that I am

Well this life is a strange thing
And god knows I've done things that I am not proud of
But his grace it amazes me the life and the truth it brings
Im thankful its more than enough

So tell my pa, after all he's the best man I ever saw
And I'm sorry for the fights in my younger years
And tell my big sister that I miss her
She was right about a couple of things

I'm a reckless romanic with a head as hard as nails
I'm just learning to be, the man that I am

Overall Meaning

The song "Man I Am" by James Tucker reflects on the journey of a young boy growing into a man. The first stanza describes his childhood memories of playing army with his friends, and how he now stands somewhere between a grown man and a boy who still enjoys playing with his friends. He talks about taking an oath to protect and hold, just like his brother and grandfathers did. He then addresses his mother and talks about how he has learned that the hardest fight is within oneself, and that he is doing okay. The chorus talks about how he is just learning to be the man that he is.

In the second stanza, the singer talks about his past romantic relationship, and how time has changed the plans he had for his life. He expresses regret for the fights he had in his younger years with his father and apologizes to his ex-girlfriend's parents for making her cry. He acknowledges that she will make another man a pretty bride and expresses gratitude for the moments he shared with her father. The final stanza talks about how life is a strange thing and how he has made mistakes but is grateful for God's grace, which amazes him and brings him the truth in life.

Line by Line Meaning

When I was a young boy, used to play army
As a child, I enjoyed playing army with my friends

I'd invite my friends over to fight
I would often invite my friends to play and pretend that we were in the army or at war

Yeah we'd line up our ranks and
We would organize ourselves into opposing formations or teams

We'd say our grace as we fought on into the night
As we played and fought, we would recite grace or prayers to give us courage and strength

Well here now I do stand somewhere between a grown man
Now, I find myself somewhere between being a grown man and still being a child at heart

And boy just playing with his friends
Trying to retain the sense of innocence and fun that comes with being a child and playing with my friends

Yeah I'd take on the oath to protect and to hold
I am willing to take on the responsibilities of protecting and caring for others

Like my brother and my grandpas did
My family has a history of serving and protecting others, and I am following in their example

So mama I'm writing to say, that I find that I'm doing okay
I am writing to my mother to let her know that I am doing well and finding my way in life

Yeah I'm learning to learn that the hardest fight is within
I am realizing that the biggest challenge in life is often struggling with oneself and inner demons

So tell my pa, after all he's the best man I ever saw
I want you to tell my father that I think he is the best man I have ever known

And I'm sorry for the fights in my younger years
I regret any arguments or disagreements that I had with my father when I was younger

And tell my big sister that I miss her
Please let my sister know that I think of her often and miss her

She was right about a couple of things
I admit that my sister was correct about certain things that I did not want to hear at the time

I'm a reckless romanic with a head as hard as nails
I tend to be impulsive and act on my emotions, but I am also tough and resilient

I'm just learning to be, the man that I am
Overall, I am still discovering and developing my own identity as a person and learning what kind of man I want to become

Well you were my sweet heart, I asked you out in my car
You were once my girlfriend, and I asked you out on a date in my car

At the school house on four-twenty-one
The place where I asked you out was near a school on a street called four-twenty-one

And I love how these faults are mostly in my cost
I appreciate my flaws and mistakes because they have helped me to grow and learn

I was learning, to love to have fun
At that time in my life, I was learning to enjoy life and have fun

Well time is a strange thing, and my brain rearranged
The passage of time can change one's perspective and priorities

The plans that I had for my life
The goals and aspirations that I once had have shifted or changed over time

Yeah I'm hurting that
I am saddened by the fact that

I'm splitting past with the girl I thought would be my wife
I am breaking up and moving on from the girl I thought I would marry and spend my life with

So tell your mother, that I'm sorry for making her little girl cry
I want you to apologize to your mother on my behalf for any sadness or pain that I caused your sister

There's another man she's gonna make him a pretty bride
Your sister has found someone else who will be a good partner and husband for her

And tell your father, that I'm thankful
Please express my gratitude to your father

For the moments we shared in the past
I am thankful for the memories and experiences that I shared with your father

He's a good man with a heart as pure as gold
Your father is a kind and honorable person, with a heart that shines with goodness and honesty

Well this life is a strange thing
Life can be unpredictable and full of surprises

And god knows I've done things that I am not proud of
I have made mistakes and done things that I regret

But his grace it amazes me the life and the truth it brings
Despite my imperfections, I find comfort and inspiration in the grace and truth that God offers

Im thankful its more than enough
I am grateful for the abundance of blessings and goodness in my life

Writer(s): James Wilson Tucker

Contributed by Isaac Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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