Family Man
Daryl Hall And John Oates Lyrics


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She had sulky smile
She took her standard pose as she presented herself
She had sultry eyes, she made it perfectly plain that she was his
For a price

But he said "leave me alone, I'm a family man
And my bark is much worse than my bite"
He said "leave me alone, I'm a family man
But if you push me too far I just might"

She wore hurt surprise as she rechecked her make-up to protect herself
Dropped her price and pride she made it totally clear that she was his
For a night

She gave him her look, it would have worked on any other man around
He looked her up and down, she knew he couldn't decide if he should
Hold his ground

She turned, tossed her head unlike her opening move, her final exit line
He waited much too long but by the time he got his courage up she was gone
Then he screamed "leave me alone, I'm a family man
And my bark is much worse than my bite"




He said "leave me alone, I'm a family man
But if you push me too far, I just might"

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Daryl Hall and John Oates's song "Family Man" tell the story of a man who is tempted by a woman who offers herself to him for a price. However, he resists her advances because he is a "family man" and values his commitments above all else. The woman, in turn, is hurt by his rejection but ultimately comes to accept that their relationship can only be fleeting and transactional.


Throughout the song, there is a tension between the man's sense of duty to his family and his desire for something more exciting and spontaneous. The woman represents this more carefree lifestyle, but ultimately, the man decides that the cost of betraying his family is too high. The lyrics serve as a reminder that even when we are faced with temptation, our sense of loyalty and commitment should guide our actions.


Overall, the song is a catchy and satisfying piece of pop music that delivers a message about the importance of family and staying true to our values.


Line by Line Meaning

She had sulky smile
The woman had a grouchy expression on her face


She took her standard pose as she presented herself
She stood in a normal pose as she presented herself


She had sultry eyes, she made it perfectly plain that she was his
She had seductive eyes and made it clear that she was his for a price


But he said "leave me alone, I'm a family man
The man rejected her advances because he is a family man


And my bark is much worse than my bite"
He warned her that he can be aggressive if pushed too far


He said "leave me alone, I'm a family man
He repeated that he is a family man and doesn't want to cheat on his wife


But if you push me too far I just might"
He acknowledged the possibility of giving in to temptation if pushed too hard


She wore hurt surprise as she rechecked her make-up to protect herself
The woman looked hurt and surprised as she checked her makeup


Dropped her price and pride she made it totally clear that she was his
She lowered her price and dignity to make it clear she was available for him


She gave him her look, it would have worked on any other man around
She gave him a seductive look that would work on most men


He looked her up and down, she knew he couldn't decide if he should
The man sized her up but couldn't decide whether to give in or refuse her


Hold his ground
The man tried to stay strong and resist her advances


She turned, tossed her head unlike her opening move, her final exit line
She left and gave a different impression than when she first approached


He waited much too long but by the time he got his courage up she was gone
He hesitated too long and missed his chance with her


Then he screamed "leave me alone, I'm a family man
He yelled in frustration that he couldn't cheat on his family


And my bark is much worse than my bite"
Again, he warned her that he can be aggressive if pushed too far


He said "leave me alone, I'm a family man
He repeated that he is a family man and won't be unfaithful


But if you push me too far, I just might"
He acknowledged the possibility of giving in to temptation if pushed too hard




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID BROUGH PERT-MORRIS, EDDIE FENN, MAGGIE REILLY, MICHAEL GORDON OLDFIELD, MIKE FRY, TIMOTHY KJELL CROSS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@edkeaton1085

Any song from "Hall and Oates" from the 80's will always be a classic to me. They have a lot of heart and soul. Awesome group!

@markgoodwin7442

Love these guys so does my pop who is 74

@edkeaton1085

Mark Goodwin Right on! I have been a big fan of Hall & Oates since the eighties, bro!

@tracyconner1497

Ed Keaton same 😋

@ozzyhoang3499

@@edkeaton1085 I have 30 favorite bands of the '80s, but since the '90s up till now 2022..... I have none, big 0 band to like....Music is dead!

@alexandermakrianis

Yes sir, you are right on the money! 1980s Hall and Oats is the best!

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@rodneycox5798

One of the most underated Hall and Oates songs EVER

@nexxxus7498

GE Smith kills it on the lead guitar. He is so underrated!!! He is one of the greatest guitarist out there. He doesn’t get his due because he was mostly a studio player. The guy is absolutely🔥🔥🔥!!!

@micway71

He was getting it!! You know he could probably hang with just about anyone plucking! Nice sound too!

@lauramayfield5410

He was with the house band for SNL back in the day xo

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