When he buries himself, when he hides to cry
When he's scared, when it hurts so bad he could die
What's a man when he's himself and he doesn't lie?
When they hurt and crush us we don't complain
When they leave us, when everybody goes we stay here
With the scraps we rebuild, that's how we are
We pretend, we play the game they teach us
If you're a man, if you're a woman
When they stop her, when they'd rather she said nothing
When they leave her, when they lock her in a corner
What's a woman when she's scared of your hands
Who's not scared anymore when he has to protect his own
In front of his mother even the strongest says nothing
A man who doesn't cheat, who holds back, is beautiful
We pretend, we play the game they teach us
If you're a man, if you're a woman
They ask us to be the shoulder, be the arms, stay there
And to smile in front of people when nothing's right
We're asked for way too many things we don't know
If we forgive the difference and all the doubts
If we forget the ideals, the illusions
If we forgive the missteps, the disappointments
We pretend, we play the game they teach us
If you're a man, if you're a woman
When he buries himself, when he hides to cry
When he's scared, when it hurts so bad he could die
In front of his mother even the strongest says nothing