Starts With Me

Intro

There's a moment it goes quiet

When the boy stops waiting

And the man steps forward

Verse 1

Counted every hand that never reached my way

Made a list of names kept it sharp and kept it saved

Told myself a boy's story 'til the boy couldn't breathe

Every door I didn't open was a man I wouldn't be

Bad map wrong road learned that growing hurts

Waiting on a father waiting on the world

Then I saw who was watching how they needed me to stand

No more boy in the wreck time to become a man

Pre-Chorus

So I can hold the grudge

Or I can hold the line

But I can't hold both

If I'm gonna hold what's mine

Chorus

Nobody's coming

(Rising up)

Nobody's coming for me

So I'm coming for my people

I'm the hand in the dark that they need

It should break me

(Should break me clean)

Should break me clean in half

But nobody's coming

So a man is built from that

Verse 2

Wasn't my fault how I started but it's mine how I finish

A man is what he protects what he honors what he lifts when it's heavy

Not how loud that he talks but how soft that he listens

How he loves when it's hard how he stays when it's messy

My health my habits my word when it matters

My shoulders for the weight my hands that are steady

Not clean not perfect not done not finished

But I'm finally the man my younger self needed

Pre-Chorus

So I can hold the past

Or I can hold the wheel

But I can't hold both

And my family needs me here

Chorus

Nobody's coming

(Rising up)

Nobody's coming for me

So I became the one who comes

The cover the calm the key

It didn't break me

(No it made me whole)

No it made me whole at last

'Cause nobody's coming

So the man is built to last

Bridge

IT'S MINE

The life the love the ones I lift

IT'S MINE

To protect to provide to give and to give

I'm not asking for it back

I'm not asking for more time

I'm just standing on my feet

AND LOVING MINE

Final Chorus

Nobody's coming

(And I'm free)

And I'm free

I am the hand in the dark

So the dark belongs to me

It doesn't break me

(It builds me deep)

It builds me clean and deep

'Cause nobody's coming

So the building starts with me

Outro

Starts with me

Stays with me

That's a man

That's a man