What Makes A Man

The speaker is trying to accept that someone he loves is leaving, but his feelings remain intense. He says he will not cry, even while tears fill his eyes, and asks why he loves this person so deeply. The song moves between apparent determination to move on and the admission that he still wants only her.

The repeated question, “What makes a man,” suggests that the speaker cannot explain or control his devotion. Smiling when she is near and crying when she is away show how strongly her presence affects him. The image of getting on his knees is probably not literal in every sense; it conveys humility and a willingness to do almost anything to bring her back. “Get over you” means recover emotionally and stop longing for her.

There is a tension between the speaker’s request for an explanation and his hope that she will return. He asks her to tell him what causes this love so he can move on, but the song gives no answer—and his repeated pleas suggest he may not truly be ready to let go. His words can be heard as both a sincere attempt to understand his feelings and a way of keeping a connection with the person who is leaving.