[Intro: Johnny Gill + (New Edition)]
These are the things that change boys to men

Yeah, yeah
Ooh
(Ah, ah)

[Verse 1: Johnny Gill]
Growing up can be a pain
You're not a man until you come of age
We've given up our teenage years
In the effort to pursue our career
Who assumes responsibility
Of having to support our family?
Who's protecting us from harm?
Is there anyone around, that we can trust?

[Pre-Chorus: Johnny Gill + New Edition]
So we search for answers to our questions
Looking for the answers
No answers but we are taught a lesson every time
Every time
Through mistakes we've learned to gather wisdom
Oh-oh-oh
Life's responsibilities falls in our hands, ayy, ayy
[Chorus: Johnny Gill + New Edition]
Keep on learning, keep on growing
Wisdom helps us understand
We're maturing, without knowing
These are the things that change boys to men

[Verse 2: Johnny Gill]
Oh, the goals we set may exceed reality
'Cause failure always is a possibility
Who can tell us that we're wrong
It's up to us to figure out, what life is all about

[Pre-Chorus: Johnny Gill + New Edition]
So we search for answers to our questions
Looking for the answers
No answers but we are taught a lesson every time
Every time
Through mistakes we've learned to gather wisdom
Whoa, whoa, whoa
And wisdom helps us see our responsibility

[Chorus: Johnny Gill + New Edition]
Keep on learning, keep on growing
Oh, yeah, wisdom helps us understand
We're maturing, without knowing
Yeah, these are the things that change boys to men
[Interlude: Johnny Gill, New Edition]
Ooh, yeah, yeah-yeah, ooh, yeah (Aah, aah)

[Chorus: Johnny Gill + New Edition]
Keep on learning, keep on growing
Every day, every day I'm learning, I'm learning a little more
Yeah, yeah
We're maturing, without knowing
These are the things, these are the things that turn a boy into a man

[Outro: Johnny Gill + New Edition]
So we search for answers to our questions
No answers but we are taught a lesson every time
Through mistakes we've learned to gather wisdom
Oh, in our efforts, in our efforts to pursue our career
Oh, oh, no, no, oh

Keep on learning, keep on growing
I know it gets hard sometimes, yeah
Growing up can be a pain
We're maturing, without knowing
You're not a man, not a man
All you have to do, all you have to do is hold on
Hold on, hold, hold on, hold on

So we search for answers to our questions
No answers but we are taught a lesson every time
Keep on growing, yeah
Through mistakes we've learned to gather wisdom
Who's gonna protect us from our heart? Yeah
You see life's responsibility falls in our hand, falls in our hand
Keep on learning, keep on growing
Yeah yeah yeah, no-no, no, no, no, no, no, no
We're maturing, without knowing
See, growing up can be a pain, can be a pain