Lyrics

The Man Who Never Lived

(UK Hip-Hop – Inspired by Dave’s Style: Deep, Reflective, Honest Storytelling)

[Intro]
Yeah, you ever look in the mirror and feel like somethin’ missin’?
Like a piece of you got left in the past, yeah…
This one’s for the boys who had to teach themselves…
Listen.


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[Verse 1]
Man, I grew up in a house full of echoes,
No deep voice tellin’ me how life goes,
Mum did her best, but it's hard when you’re stressin’,
Tryna play both sides, like she split in two sections.

I used to stare at the door like he might step through,
But it stayed locked, man, the dreams stayed loose,
A boy needs a man just to show him the ropes,
But when the rope’s missin’, all you learn is to choke.

I watched my friends get checked by their pops,
Man-to-man talks, couple lessons, couple knocks,
Me? I had to piece it all together from the block,
Role models in the street, dodgin’ keys and the cops.

I learnt how to fight, but I never learnt love,
Learnt how to hustle, but I never learnt trust,
So when they talk ‘bout fathers like it’s normal to have,
I just sit there in silence, I can’t speak on a dad.


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[Pre-Chorus]
I been tryna find myself in a world that don’t guide,
Tryna be a man, but I never learnt pride,
Never had a father, had to make my own ride,
Now I see the cycle, and I gotta cut ties.


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[Chorus]
He’s the man who never lived,
Ghost in the past, yeah, he vanished like mist,
Left me with a name but he ain’t give me fists,
So I had to grow strong with the pain in my ribs.

Yeah, the man who never lived,
Thought that he could leave but his shadow still exists,
I built my own path, now I’m standin’ in the midst,
No thanks to you, but I still handle my biz.


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[Verse 2]
I was thirteen, heart full of rage,
Wonderin’ why he ain’t never show face,
Was it somethin’ that I did? Somethin’ that I said?
Or did he just dip ‘cause he weren’t built for this test?

See, fatherhood ain’t a title, it’s a duty,
Man, it’s deeper than the money or a two-piece,
It’s showin’ up, even when the road gets peak,
It’s teachin’ your son that his heart ain’t weak.

I learnt manhood from strangers and pain,
Lessons in struggle, yeah, that’s how I trained,
No blueprint, just mistakes in my brain,
And a list full of things that I won’t do the same.

See, I ain’t bitter, but I’m bruised from the past,
Still got questions that I never could ask,
Like, did you ever wonder ‘bout the boy left behind?
Or were you too busy runnin’ from the weight of your crime?

[Bridge]
I can’t hate him, ‘cause hate just drains,
But I can’t love him, ‘cause love don’t stay,
I just move on, build bricks, no shame,
Make sure my son never feels this pain.

If I ever have a boy, he won’t question his worth,
Won’t be searchin’ for a man that disappeared at his birth,
He gon’ know what it means to be held and be heard,
He gon’ learn that real love ain’t just shown through words.

‘Cause fatherhood ain’t just a title you wear,
It’s the roots to the tree when the winds in the air,