Manchester
Galt MacDermot feat. Tom Pierson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he is a genius, genius, he believes in God
And he believes that God believes in Claude
That's him, that's him
Claude Hooper Bukowski
Finds that it's groovy to hide in a movie
Pretends he's Fellini and Antonioni
All rolled into one, one Claud Hooper Bukowski
Manchester, England, England across the Atlantic Sea
And he is a genius, genius, he believes in God
And I believe that God believes in Claude
That's me, that's me
Claude Hooper Bukowski
Finds that it's groovy to hide in a movie
Pretends he's Fellini and Antonioni
And also his countryman Roman Polanski
All rolled into one, one Claud Hooper Bukowski
Now that I've dropped out, why is life dreary, dreary?
Answer my weary query, Timothy Leary, dearie
Oh, Manchester, England, England across the Atlantic Sea
And I'm a genius, genius, I believe in God
And I believe that God believes in Claude
That's me
(That's him)
That's me
(That's him)
That's me, (That's him), That's me
The song "Manchester" seems to be telling the story of a character named Claude Hooper Bukowski, who is described as a genius and as someone who believes in God. The song mentions his love for movies and the fact that he likes to hide in them, perhaps as a way to escape from reality. He is said to pretend to be famous filmmakers, Fellini and Antonioni, along with Roman Polanski, all rolled into one.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Manchester, England" multiple times, almost like a mantra. This can be seen as a representation of Claude's desire to escape from his dreary reality in search of something greater. The repetition of "genius" and "God" can be seen as a way to elevate Claude from ordinary life, and show that he is destined for greatness.
The song also makes a reference to Timothy Leary, a key figure in the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Leary was known for promoting the use of psychedelic drugs and for advocating for a more open and free society. The line "Answer my weary query, Timothy Leary, dearie" is a call for guidance from someone who was seen as a leader in the movement.
Overall, "Manchester" seems to be a song about the quest for something greater and the desire to escape from the mundane realities of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Manchester, England, England across the Atlantic Sea
The singer is referring to the city of Manchester, which is located in the UK, across the Atlantic Ocean.
And he is a genius, genius, he believes in God
The person being referred to is a genius and believes in God.
And he believes that God believes in Claude
The person being referred to believes that God believes in someone named Claude.
That's him, that's him
The person being referred to is being identified.
Claude Hooper Bukowski
This is the name of the person being referred to.
Finds that it's groovy to hide in a movie
Claude enjoys hiding in movies and finds it cool.
Pretends he's Fellini and Antonioni
Claude pretends he is the famous movie directors Fellini and Antonioni.
And also his countryman Roman Polanski
Claude also pretends to be the famous movie director Roman Polanski.
All rolled into one, one Claud Hooper Bukowski
Claude thinks of himself as a combination of all three famous movie directors.
And I believe that God believes in Claude
The artist believes that God believes in the person being referred to.
Now that I've dropped out, why is life dreary, dreary?
The singer is questioning why life is so boring now that they have dropped out of something (possibly school).
Answer my weary query, Timothy Leary, dearie
The artist is asking for Timothy Leary (a psychologist and writer) to answer their question.
Oh, Manchester, England, England across the Atlantic Sea
The singer is referencing Manchester again.
And I'm a genius, genius, I believe in God
The singer believes they are a genius and also believes in God.
That's me
The singer is identifying themselves.
(That's him)
The artist is also identifying the person they were previously discussing.
That's me, (That's him), That's me
The artist is identifying themselves and the person they were previously discussing.
Writer(s): Rado James, Mac Dermot Arthur Terence Galt, Ragni Gerome
Contributed by Jonathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.