The Man I Want To Be
Gov't Mule Lyrics

I’m here today
Today I am present and I have some things I want to express.

There's some things I want to get off my chest
There are some things that have weighed heavily on my mind that I need to share.

Some things are starting real nice
Some things are going well in my life recently.

They say as we get older
Many people believe that as we age, we become wiser.

We get wiser and I
I am unsure if I have become wiser with age.

I don't know if that's true
I am unsure about the accuracy of the belief that we become wiser with age.

But I know a fog's been lifted from my eyes
However, I do know that I have gained some clarity on certain issues in my life.

You see it seems that sometimes
Sometimes it appears that in any given situation,

When someone wins
When someone is victorious,

Someone has to lose
There must be someone else who loses in order for someone to be victorious.

I'm afraid I've been the winner too much
Personally, I'm concerned that I may have been victorious excessively in certain situations.

But when it comes to me and you, baby
However, when it comes to the relationship between me and you, my partner,

Oh you've always been there
You have always been present for me, even when I was absent.

There was times that I was gone
There were occasions when I was not present in the relationship.

You needed my touch
During those times, you still required my physical and emotional presence.

But you know I love you
I know that you are aware of my love for you.

So tell me you never gave up on me
Please reassure me that you never lost faith in me, even during the times when I wasn't present.

I can be everything those people see
I can live up to the positive expectations that other people have of me.

I can't be the man I want to be
However, I feel like I'm incapable of being the best version of myself that I aspire to be.

I refuse to listen, baby
Previously, I have neglected to heed your advice, my partner,

You try to tell me so many times
You have attempted to communicate with me on many occasions.

I was headed down the wrong, weird street
I was on a negative and potentially dangerous path.

I got this one way ticket, baby
I have made a commitment to a course of action without considering other options.

I think I might have to cash it in
Now, I am considering abandoning this commitment and returning home.

Maybe coming home would be the best thing for me
Perhaps returning home would be the most beneficial decision for me at this moment.

You see I don't want to lose you
I do not wish to lose you as my partner.

If I do, nobody wins
If our relationship ends, then both you and I will be negatively affected.

Well I know it's up to me to make it right this time
I am cognizant that it is my responsibility to correct any errors I may have made in our relationship.

So give me one more chance, baby
Please provide me with another opportunity to demonstrate my commitment to our relationship.

I swear I won't let you down
I promise not to disappoint you.

Take my hand
Please accept my physical and emotional assistance in repairing our relationship.

Let me say what's on my mind
Please allow me to express my thoughts and feelings clearly and openly.

For so many things I want to say
There are numerous thoughts and feelings that I wish to communicate with you.

Some things I finally realize
These thoughts and feelings have only recently come to light in my mind.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder
There is a common belief that distance and time apart can strengthen romantic feelings.

I don't know if that's really true
I am unsure whether that is actually accurate or not.

But I know I dried a thousand tears from my eyes
Regardless, I do know that I have cried numerous tears in your absence.

Oh, I hear you, baby
I acknowledge and understand your feelings, my partner.