Mama never had much patience For a mouth that crossed the line And Lord knows mine could find one When somebody lit that fire I’d get angry, start to say it Let my temper take command Then I’d feel that little reminder From the back side of her hand She’d say, “Son, you can’t take words back Once you’ve let ‘em leave your tongue” Took me years to understand it But she knew what I’d become She wasn’t trying to make me silent She was teaching me control That being strong ain’t saying everything That comes burning through your soul She made me a better man Long before I understood Taught me when to stand my ground And when shutting up did more good She showed me strength ain’t in your fists And love ain’t something you demand I ain’t saying that I’m perfect But because of her I’m a better man Then one day she handed me a pen With Marine papers on the table She knew exactly where it might lead And still believed that I was able She knew it’d take me far from home Put some miles between our hands But she looked at me and let me sign it Knowing I’d come back a man And the Corps gave me some hard lessons Put some iron in my bones But most of what they built upon She’d already taught at home She made me a better man Long before I wore the green Before the miles, before the uniform Before I’d seen the things I’ve seen She taught me how to carry weight How to fall and how to stand The Marines may have sharpened me But my mom made the man I watched some men come through her life Who never knew what love should mean They’d tear her down instead of hold her And I saw more than she thought I’d seen Funny how she taught me love By showing me what love was not Every wound somebody gave her Became a lesson that I got So if a woman gives me her heart I’ll know it ain’t mine to break I’ll open doors, I’ll keep my word And watch the promises I make I’ll never make her feel like nothing Just to make myself feel tall ’Cause I learned what kind of man to be Watching mom survive them all She made me a better man Even when I fought her hand Every lesson, every hard truth Was something I would understand And maybe someday I’ll find a woman Who’ll see what mom built in me Someone I’ll love the way she taught me Love was always meant to be No, I ain’t saying that I’m perfect God knows I’m still a work in hand But every good thing that’s inside me Started with that woman She raised a stubborn boy And somehow… Made a better man So mom, There’s one thing I hope you understand Anything good they see in me You had a hand in that You made me A better man
