I came home from collegeTo see my old manHe was sitting on the pork swingWith a book in his handHe stared at my earringAnd at my tattooHe smiled and shook his headAnd said, it's good to see youHe chose his words carefullyCause it was hard for me to comeAnd he knew I had a temperAnd where I got it fromI waited for the sermonThe one I knew so wellBut this time he wasn't preachingAbout heaven or hellBut this time he wasn't preachingHe said a real manKnows the value of a womanA real manHe's got nothing to proveHe's strengthened by loveAnd the Lord up aboveSo do the best that you canTo be a real manCould it be that I sawJust a glimpse of his soulOr maybe losing mamaHad just taken its tollHe gave me his BibleStained in my heartStained with tearsHe criedAnd I opened up the coverWhere he wrote insideAnd it said a real manKnows the value of a womanA real manHe's got nothing to proveHe's strengthened by loveAnd the Lord up aboveSo do the best that you canTo be a real manDo the best that you canTo be a real manTo be a real manTo be a real man