Soldier

I'm a soldier (I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier), mmm, I'm a soldier
(I'm the one who they call when the times get hard) yeah
I'm a soldier (I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier) when times get hard, I'm who they call
I'm a soldier, when my back's against the wall, I won't break, and I won't fall, I'm a soldier

I know how it feels to be caught in the rain, goin' to war in your brain
When depression is starin' you right in the face and anxiety's grabbin' you, makin' you shake
But there's people dependin' on you to be great, so you hide all the feelings and push 'em away
It's too hard tryna mix it all with the pain, I'm drinkin' to cool off, and it's all in my veins
I'm makin' these new songs to move on and restrain from grabbin' a sawed-off and goin' to cock it and aim
At these nuanced, influenced people who shame the role that a man has to play
As a husband, a father, a brother, a son who is serve, and protectin' his family's name

They laugh in your face when you try to explain or express
Then tell you they love you without any loyalty, patience or basic respect
Then expect you to smile every day while it eats at your mind and your soul
And your flesh, and you work, and you wither away 'til the day that you can't
And you're broken and nothin' is left, and you're old and you can't even

I'm a soldier (I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier), when times get hard, I'm who they call
I'm a soldier (I'm the one who they call when the times get hard)
When my back's against the wall, I won't break and I won't fall
I'm a soldier (I go to war for my dawgs), I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier
(I'ma give you my all, just don't break my heart) I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier

My pronouns are he/him/his, my job is to feed these kids
Be strong, keep feelings within, my papa taught me to protect the weak
A man ain't what he got, a man is what he gives and when he gives it all
And it still ain't enough, then he's the one to blame and no one gives a shit

Never leave a man behind, we all crack and break within the hands of time
I got an axe to grind with anybody tryna identify as a guy, if they chromosomes ain't XY
You'll never understand what it's like for a man, gotta fight with your hands, wanna cry, but you can't
If it's right for the fam, you'll tighten your pants, provide and romance, you would die where you stand

Gotta be the bigger man when there's problems, get judged by the money in your wallet
It's our fault, let's be honest, we built the world that labeled us, "Toxic"
Gotta lead and teach and keep the peace and fight the fires and be police
When a man gets tired he don't lay down to sleep, he take all the heat, don't complain or retreat

It's a cold world, and it's hard times and our children inherit the land
If you think that bein' a boy is just pickin' a pronoun, you should try bein' a dad
You could build all the houses and fix all the cars and work 'til you're breakin' your back
But the hardest job world? Bein' a man

I'm a soldier (I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier), when times get hard, I'm who they call
I'm a soldier (I'm the one who they call when the times get hard)
When my back's against the wall, I won't break and I won't fall
I'm a soldier (I go to war for my dawgs), I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier
(I'ma give you my all, just don't break my heart) I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier

Battlin' feelings I can't even show
Weight of the world on my shoulders is crushin' me, people around me, they don't even know
I put on this cape, then go save everybody while I'm bein' shattered
And all of my bones take on the pressure of bein' the hero who saves, but has no one help with his own

Demons inside that try to eat him alive, I'm goin' insane and when I'm outta my mind
I look at stars, and talk to God in the sky, I wait on his words, but I don't get a reply
I try to refrain from divin' deep, so, I hold back tears that try to come out my eyes
In this world as a man, where we know we can't cry 'cause the people we love look in us to confide

So, I'm silently screamin' for help
Life is a battle inside of these trenches, especially when fightin' it all by yourself
PTSD from the memories, people who left you for dead and then drag you through Hell
Leavin' you shocked deep inside of a shell with stories you hate but nobody to tell
While you question God if your soul you should sell

I'm a soldier (I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier), when times get hard, I'm who they call
I'm a soldier (I'm the one who they call when the times get hard)
When my back's against the wall, I won't break and I won't fall
I'm a soldier (I go to war for my dawgs), I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier
(I'ma give you my all, just don't break my heart) I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier, I'm a soldier