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What Makes a Man Lyrics by Jay Kuo

Allegiance (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

2016

[SAMMY]
"Don't fight the storm," he said
And now look where we are
Bending and cowering
Can only get you so far
He tells me to make myself useful
And do our family proud
Well, how the hell am I supposed to be useful
When being myself's not allowed?
He clings to tradition
Afraid to try something new
We don't call attention
We think, but we never do
He wants me to follow blindly
He wants me to keep my mouth shut
But I swear from this day forward
I am going with my gut!
What makes a man is his clarity
When he listens to his heart
What makes a man is his bravery
When he plays a bigger part
What makes a man is what he makes of himself
When he's doing the best he can
I must be my own man
It’s time we took action
And found a way out of this place
I’ll set an example
Help others to see beyond race
And though my face resembles
Our enemies in war
I am still American
Nothing less and nothing more!
I’ll never be a scholar
Much as Pop wants me to be
And I’m not some nameless body in a crowd
If Pop would only see
The soldier I could be
I’ll finally find a way to make him proud
I’ll finally find a way to make me proud!
What makes a man is his dignity
When he stands for what is right
What makes a man is his loyalty
When he fights his nation’s fight
What makes a man is what he makes of himself
When he’s giving it all he can
For all our sakes
I’ll do what it takes
I must be my own man!
Credits
Jay Kuo

Jay Kuo

About “What Makes a Man” by Jay Kuo

Read the complete lyrics to "What Makes a Man" by Jay Kuo from the album "Allegiance (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 2016. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop, Musicals.

"What Makes a Man" is performed by Jay Kuo. from the album "Allegiance (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 2016 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "What Makes a Man", explore more songs by Jay Kuo using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"What Makes a Man" is credited to Jay Kuo. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"What Makes a Man" appears on "Allegiance (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" in 2016.

Visit the Jay Kuo artist page at /artist/jay-kuo for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.