I'm A Man
Bo Diddley Lyrics

The lyrics to Bo Diddley's "I'm A Man" speak to the transition from boyhood to manhood and the power and confidence that come with it. The song begins with the singer reflecting on his childhood, noting that even at the age of five, he possessed something that kept others alive. This could be interpreted as a reference to his own strength, resilience, or sense of purpose. The singer then asserts that he is now a man, having turned 21, and that he and his female companions can have a lot of fun together. He repeats the line "I'm a man, I spell m-a-n, man" several times throughout the song, emphasizing his masculinity and perhaps also suggesting a need to assert it.

The song also contains references to sexual prowess and conquest. The singer claims that he can make love to a woman in an hour's time, and invites pretty women to stand in line for him. He then suggests that he is traveling to Kansas to bring back a relative named Little John the Conqueroo, who may be a symbol of his own power and virility. Finally, the song ends with a boast about the singer's accuracy and effectiveness with a rifle ("The line I shoot will never miss") and his ability to satisfy women ("The way I make love to 'em, they can't resist").

Overall, "I'm A Man" can be seen as a celebration of male power and confidence, but also as a product of its time and context in which male dominance and sexual conquest were often glamorized.