Who Am I Supposed to Be lyrics by D Alan Morgan the song is a retirement song that talks about life purpose

I clocked out for the last time, put down all the grime and tools, shook a couple hands, and walked out the door, leaving behind the man and all his rules. 

For a little while, it felt like freedom, sleeping in late and walking the dogs, leaving behind that working weight. 

Sitting on the couch, watching stupid daytime TV, like I’d finally managed to shed the man they wanted me to be. So why do I keep asking, 

Who am I supposed to be? Without the work, without the grind, without somebody needing me, who am I? 

Now the clock ain’t running, and the boss ain’t calling. My time is finally mine, so what other weight am I haulin? 

I thought facing retirement would be easy; I thought this freedom would set me free. Now these quiet rooms reply with one unanswered question: Who am I supposed to be? 

Who am I supposed to be? Without the work, without the grind, without somebody needing me, who am I? 

Mmmhmm... 

These days the mornings feel different, with no one to see, sipping coffee on the back porch and nowhere I gotta be. 

The phone got quieter, fewer people checking in. Turns out a job can hold together more than just a paycheck and a grin. 

Who am I supposed to be? Without the work, without the grind, without somebody needing me, who am I? 

I used to solve problems; people counted on my hands. Now I’m standing in the silence, just trying to understand 

how a man can work a lifetime, building up who he’s supposed to be, then wake up one Monday morning, look in the mirror, and not know what he sees. 

Who am I supposed to be? Without the work, without the grind, without somebody needing me, who am I? 

So I started showing up down at the community hall, helping out where I could, just trying to feel useful at all. 

Met some folks with stories, a little beat up just like me. Turns out everybody’s got something missing you can’t see. 

Then I found an old guitar with a song bottled up inside. I started writing down the things a working man tries hard to hide, crafting my retirement song. 

Now I sing about the hard years, the love and loss and time I'll never see. Within the music, I began to embrace my life purpose, stopped asking and just let it be. 

Now you can see this is a version of me, feeling free, trying hard to be the man I oughta be. 

Who am I supposed to be? Without the work, without the grind, without somebody needing me, who am I?