[Intro] [soft electric guitar picking] [distant kick drum heartbeat] [low ambient hum] [Verse 1] He talks loud in a quiet room Laughs just a little too soon Shakes your hand like he owns the air But never really looks you there Got a smile built out of defense Every joke just makes more sense If you listen past the sound You can hear him breaking down [Pre-Chorus] He builds his walls brick by brick Calls it strength, calls it grit But the higher that they stand The smaller feels the man [Chorus] He’s a small man in a tall shadow Running fast where he won’t go Fighting wars nobody sees Down on wounded knees Got a big voice, fragile heart Always falling worlds apart Trying hard to understand How to be a bigger man [Verse 2] Keeps old regrets in his coat pocket Every promise tries to stop it Late-night drives with nowhere planned Just escaping who he is again Mirrors tell him different lies Depending how he meets his eyes Some days strong, some days scared Most days just unprepared [Pre-Chorus] Every blame he throws away Finds its way back anyway Truth don’t care about the plan It waits inside the man [Chorus] He’s a small man in a tall shadow Running fast where he won’t go Fighting wars nobody sees Down on wounded knees Got a big voice, fragile heart Always falling worlds apart Trying hard to understand How to be a bigger man [Bridge] [drums drop out — piano enters] Maybe strength ain’t standing tall Maybe it’s admitting when you fall Maybe courage isn’t loud Maybe it’s crying in a crowd And the moment he lets go Of the mask he’s always known He might finally see He was never his enemy [Final Chorus — Bigger] He’s a small man learning slow though Every scar begins to show hope Every step a different stand Closer to a stronger man Not a hero, not a saint Just a soul learning restraint Finally starting to understand How to be a bigger man [Outro] [soft guitar fades] Small man… Trying again…
