Im A Man
Bo Diddley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the age of five
I had somethin' in my pocket
Keep a lot of folks alive
Now I'm a man
Made twenty-one
You know babyWe can have a lot of fun
I'm a man
I spell m-a-n, man
All you pretty women
Stand in line
I can make love to you baby
In an hour's time
I'm a man
I spell m-a-n, man
I goin' back down
To kansas to
Bring back the second cousin
Little john the conqueroo
I'm a man
I spell m-a-n, man
The line I shoot
Will never miss
The way I make love to 'em
They can't resist
I'm a man
I spell m-a-n, man
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.
Line by Line Meaning
Now when I was a little boy
When I was a young child
At the age of five
When I was just five years old
I had somethin' in my pocket
I kept something in my pocket
Keep a lot of folks alive
To bring comfort to a lot of people
Now I'm a man
Now that I am older
Made twenty-one
Reached the age of twenty-one
You know baby
Hey darlin'
We can have a lot of fun
We can enjoy ourselves
I'm a man
I am confident and virile
I spell m-a-n, man
I spell it out so there's no mistaking what I am
All you pretty women
All you attractive ladies
Stand in line
Queue up to see me
I can make love to you baby
I can satisfy your desires
In an hour's time
Very efficiently and quickly
I'm a man
I possess strength and masculinity
I spell m-a-n, man
I want to make sure you know what I am
I goin' back down
I am going back
To kansas to
To the state of Kansas to
Bring back the second cousin
Retrieve my distant relative
Little john the conqueroo
Person named Little John who is a skilled fighter
I'm a man
I am capable and strong
I spell m-a-n, man
I am reasserting my identity
The line I shoot
The words I say
Will never miss
Will always hit their target
The way I make love to 'em
My methods of seduction
They can't resist
They cannot help being attracted to me
I'm a man
I am proud of my masculinity and my abilities
I spell m-a-n, man
I am a man, there is no doubt about it
Lyrics Β© O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Ellas McDaniel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@peterfuhrmann5033
As a student in the 70's in Perth Australia, I would study until about 11.00pm, then walk into Perth from Subiaco & go to a night club called Beethoven's where Bo was playing. My mates were on the door & as a poor student I somehow got in for nothing !!! I attended 4 nights in a row. What a memory. Bo said "Man - You Been Here Every Night" & I replied: You're The Man. What a memory. My studies weren't so good then. He could get a venue moving.
@jeffreywesthoff9245
I will go to my grave happy to know that I saw Bo Diddley perform live.
@trinidadapodaca7027
might go to heaven when u check next take
@wildestcowboy2668
As long as he doesn't go down there with all the Joe Biden loving gun banning clowns.. Rip brotha Bo
@charlaville7658
Lucky you...He came to Australia before he died and I didn't even know he was performing over here.
@kpschulle
Ich auch!! GruΓ schulle
@maggienorris7833
I saw Bo Diddley when I was 17. Ronnie Hawkins took
up residence in Toronto in the mid-1960s. Among other things, he opened a night club for teenagers called the Hawkβs Nest. No liquor, no creepy dudes hitting in underage girls. Just R&R snd R&B. Loved Ronnie. Loved Levon and the Hawks (later The Band ). Loved Bo Diddly,
@72daystar
Master of electric blues! Godfather of rock.
@phchoucri1
100% right.
@bob.thebirb.3885
Truth.
He was such a fascinating human being. And the world is better for having had him in it.