Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American compos… Read Full Bio ↴Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter from Indiana. His works include the musical comedies Kiss Me, Kate (1948) (based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew), Fifty Million Frenchmen and Anything Goes, as well as songs like "Night and Day", "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "I've Got You Under My Skin". He was noted for his sophisticated (sometimes ribald) lyrics, clever rhymes, and complex forms. He was one of the greatest half-dozen contributors to the Great American Songbook.

Find Me a Primitive Man
Cole Porter Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now, before this modern idea had burst
About the women and children first,
The men had much more charm than they have today.
And if only one of that type survived,
The very moment that he arrived,
I know I'd fall in love in a great big way.
I can't imagine being bad
With any Arrow collar ad,

Nor could I take the slightest joy
In waking up a college boy.
I've no desire to be alone
With Rudy Vallee's megaphone,
So when I'm saying my prayers, I say:

Find me a primitive man,
Built on a primitive plan.
Someone with vigor and vim.
I don't mean a kind that belongs to a club,
But the kind that has a club that belongs to him.
I could be the personal slave
Of someone just out of a cave.
The only man who'll ever win me
Has gotta wake up the gypsy in me,
Find me a primitive man,
Find me a primitive man.

Trouve moi un homme primitif
Trouve moi un garcon naif.
Quelqu'un tout plein de vigeur,
Ces p'tits maquereaux qu'on appelle gigolos ne
Pourraient jamais donner le vrai bonheur.
J'ai besoin d'un bel animal
Pour chauffeur mon chaffage centrale.
Et l'homme qui me veut pour capitane
Devrait reveiler mon sang tzigane,
Trouve moi un homme primitif, vif,
Trouve moi un homme primitif.

(Find me a primitive man,
Find me a forthright young lad,
Someone with vigor to spare,
Those fatuous beaux they call gigolos could never give me happiness.
I must have a gorgeous beast
To heat up my own central heat.
And he who aspires to be my stud

Must reawake my gypsy blood.
Find me a primitive man.)

Overall Meaning

The song "Find Me a Primitive Man" by Cole Porter is an ode to the charms of old-fashioned men. The lyrics express a longing for the days when men were more rugged and unrefined, rather than the polished, sophisticated men of the modern era. The song references the idea of "women and children first," a now-antiquated notion of chivalry that some believe has been lost in today's society. The singer declares that she would fall in love with a man of this sort in a heartbeat, but laments that they are difficult to come by in the present day.

The lyrics of the song convey a clear preference for a certain type of man, one who is "built on a primitive plan" and possesses "vigor and vim." The singer is not interested in a refined gentleman who wears Arrow collars, nor is she attracted to the "college boy" type. Instead, she seeks a man who is truly his own person, with a strong sense of individuality and an independent spirit. She longs to be swept off her feet by a man who wakes up her "gypsy blood" and ignites a passion within her.

Line by Line Meaning

Now, before this modern idea had burst
Back when chivalry was real

About the women and children first,
When men knew how to treat a lady

The men had much more charm than they have today.
Older men used to be way smoother than they are now

And if only one of that type survived,
And if I found just one of those gentlemen today

The very moment that he arrived,
I'd immediately fall in love with him

I know I'd fall in love in a great big way.
I'd be head over heels for him

I can't imagine being bad
I'm not the type of girl who likes to misbehave

With any Arrow collar ad,
I don't find those ads attractive

Nor could I take the slightest joy
I wouldn't enjoy

In waking up a college boy.
The idea of a college boy doesn't excite me

I've no desire to be alone
I don't want to be lonely