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If you want a lover,
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love,
I'll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner, take my hand
Or if you want to strike me down in anger,
Here I stand
I'm your man
If you want a boxer,
I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor,
I'll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver, climb inside
Or if you want to take me for a ride,
You know you can
I'm your man
Ah, the moon's too bright
The chain's too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep
But a man never got a woman back,
Not by begging on his knees
Or I'd crawl to you baby
And I'd fall at your feet
And I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
And I'd claw at your heart
And I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, please
I'm your man
And if you've got to sleep
A moment on the road,
I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone,
I'll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child,
Or only want to walk with me a while
Across the sand
I'm your man
(If you want a lover)
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love,
I'll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner, take my hand
Or if you want to strike me down in anger,
Here I stand
I'm your man
If you want a boxer,
I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor,
I'll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver, climb inside
Or if you want to take me for a ride,
You know you can
I'm your man
Ah, the moon's too bright
The chain's too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep
But a man never got a woman back,
Not by begging on his knees
Or I'd crawl to you baby
And I'd fall at your feet
And I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
And I'd claw at your heart
And I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, please
I'm your man
And if you've got to sleep
A moment on the road,
I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone,
I'll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child,
Or only want to walk with me a while
Across the sand
I'm your man
(If you want a lover)
Lyrics submitted by division2ronin
Track duration: 04:28
"I'm Your Man" as written by Leonard Cohen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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People kind of miss the point of Cohen's songs sometimes, and this one is no exception.
He's not really a happy love song kind of guy and this song is no exception.
The man will debase himself, do anything, obliterate his own identity, for the woman.
This is not a positive thing.
From listening to songs such as Famous Blue Raincoat and reading interviews with him, Cohen believes that this idea of property over and ownershiph over other people that we have in relationships isn't good.
I think this song fits into that... maybe it's an acknowledgement of the obsessive feelings of ownership we can have towards those we "love" and how it's not really love. I'm not sure.
I don't think it's a simple love song though.
I got a book called "the five books of Moses" which stated that Hebrew poetry made heavy use of repetition for effect and that this was taken out in translations. I think Cohen is following this tradition. I am also beginning to cnoclude that there is nothing simple about this one.
If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you
He uses the word love twice - the first is complete devotion, the second is false? kinky? threatening?
If you want a partner
Take my hand
Or if you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand
I'm your man
This is the one that breaks my heart. The "hand" theme repeats: he wants her hand whether friendly or violent.
If you want a boxer
I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor
I'll examine every inch of you
I see this as touch, and what he offer her either violent or healing.
If you want a driver
Climb inside
Or if you want to take me for a ride
You know you can
I'm your man
Certainly humor: Ride is repeating - Do you want to be by me or on me? Also note that he is introducing a proximity repetition here.
Ah, the moon's too bright
The chain's too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep
Ah but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
Or I'd crawl to you baby
And I'd fall at your feet
And I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
And I'd claw at your heart
And I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, please
I'm your man
Heartbreaking! He admits that he is making commitments that he can't live up to, but he offers her everything.
And if you've got to sleep
A moment on the road
I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone
I'll disappear for you
His mood changes, almost sad. Proximity shifts to beside her or away from her. He accepts that the relationship may be distant
If you want a father for your child
Or only want to walk with me a while
Across the sand
I'm your man
Time repeats: If you want the greatest possible commitment - marriage (for ever), or just platonic friendship at this moment. He offers that.
Maybe this will cure me of obsessing about this song.
And about wisdom in love.
He lets her free choice, it's the true love:
"If you want to work the street alone I'll disappear for you,
If you want a father for your child or only want to walk with me a while"
And he can account for it: No matter what you want, even in dispair: Here is a man.
He doesn't say he is nothing (it's not about submission), he is a whole man.
And I know that whatever I do for love, it will not betray the man I am, because it's for love.
I can be what the winds of love want me to be, because love is in me.
See this also tremendous love song from Chico Buarque from Brazil:
"Behind the door" (Atrais da porta)
When you looked right in my eyes
And your look was of farewell
I swear I did not believe
I missed you
I leaned on your body and doubted
And I crawled and scratched you
And I clung to your hair
Your chest
Your pajamas
At your feet
At the foot of the bed
Without affection, without blanket
On the carpet behind the door
I complained quietly
To curse our home
To dirty your name, to humiliate you
And deliver myself at any price
Worshiping you inside
To show that I am still yours
Just to prove that I am yours.
The line "And if you want another kind of love, I'd wear a mask for you" is interesting. Personally i don't think anyone should change who they are for anyone (depending on particular circumstances of course) but love is a funny thing: to get the one i love i would perhaps willingly do away with my principles and wear a mask for them.. which can't be good.
"I'd claw at your heart and I'd tear at your sheet, I'd say Please!"
Took the words out of my mouth Len.
The line about being a doctor who will examine every inch of you is a belter.
I'm not missing out his lyrical, mystical qualities and his power to see things most of us miss , but don't miss the fun along the way !!
With every bit of my heart and soul.
Favourite lines:
"Ah but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
Or I'd crawl to you baby
And I'd fall at your feet
And I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
And I'd claw at your heart
And I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, please
I'm your man"
DAMN that's intense!
I LOVE it!
i love you so much i dont care what you do/want/think i wont change my mind