he s worth more than every star in the sky with that look of forgiveness that s always in his eyes he works so hard but gentle as a lamb he gave up so much to make me just what i am oh let me be the man my daddy was oh let me be the man my daddy was when i was young sometimes foolishly i played but he reached out and oh showed me the way now he s only human and bound to make mistakes but it was all right by the moment i would awake oh let me be the man my daddy was oh let me be the man my daddy was sometimes i hope i don t live to see the day when he reaches down and take them both away and look at my children sometimes foolishly they play let me live long enough let me show them the way my clothes were sometimes untidy and that bed was never made but mom and dad would scold me good never doubted i ve made the grade but now that i m a man i ask the lord up above please let me raise my children right and be the man my daddy was oh let me be the man my daddy was oh let me be the man my daddy was  he was a good man he was a poor man