In 1966, the band toured the Pacific Northwest without Wheatbread, who was recruited as the house drummer on the television series, Where the Action Is; he later rejoined the line-up. Under manager Dick Badger, the band were renamed The Union Gap in early 1967, and fitted themselves out with Union Army-style Civil War uniforms as a visual gimmick. They then recorded a demo, which was heard by CBS record producer and songwriter Jerry Fuller. Impressed by Puckett's baritone voice and the band's soft rock leanings, Fuller signed them to a recording contract with Columbia Records.
The band recorded their first single, "Woman Woman", a song written by Jim Glaser and Jimmy Payne, in August 1967. It became their first hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and being certified as a gold disc. This was followed during the next two years by "Young Girl" (#2), "Lady Willpower" (#2), "Over You" (#7), and "Don't Give In To Him" (#15). All were produced by Fuller, who also wrote "Young Girl," "Lady Willpower," and "Over You". Although the band never had a #1 record in the United States, "Young Girl" reached #1 on the UK singles chart, and #6 when it was reissued in the UK six years later. Controversial at the time and later for its risqué lyrical references to underage romance, Allmusic labeled the groups lyrics "bizarrely pedophilic". "Young Girl" was the second million selling disc for the band, which it reached less than two months after issue; "Lady Willpower" and "Over You" also won gold discs. The band headlined at a White House reception for Prince Charles and at Disneyland in 1968, and were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1969, losing out to José Feliciano.
The band, however, wanted to write and produce its own material, and Puckett resented singing the power ballads written by Fuller. In 1969 Fuller prepared a 40-piece studio orchestra to record a new song he had written, but Puckett and the group refused to record it, the session was canceled, and Fuller never again worked with the group. The band returned to the charts with "This Girl Is a Woman Now," produced by Dick Glasser, but later releases failed to make the Billboard Top 40. Chater and Withem left the band; Bement took over on bass guitar and keyboardist, Barry McCoy, and horn player, Richard Gabriel, were added. In 1970 Puckett began recording as a solo act, but with limited success; the Union Gap remained his live backing band until they were dismissed following an appearance at the 1971 Orange County Fair. Puckett's recording contract was terminated one year later.
In 2009, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
I'm Just a Man
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one will hear what I say
Most of them sick with life so they turn away
What can I do here?
One man alone in a crowd
Feeling the sweat of righteousness on my brow
The truth defines when a man like me
Can be free
Man must be free
Truth faltered in a dream
Happy with us here
Off to win his dream
Dream
I'm just a man here
Fool on a hill with a plea
How many years to men finds I hold the key?
To be free
The lyrics to Gary Puckett & The Union Gap's song I'm Just a Man express the frustration and helplessness of a single individual in a world that often ignores or dismisses important issues. The singer is speaking out, but feels he is not being heard by those around him. He sees the society being sick, likely with corruption or other ills, which causes individuals to turn away from the issues that really matter. The singer is alone in his understanding of the problem, thereby feeling like one man alone in a crowd. Despite feeling alone, he still feels a sense of moral responsibility, which is represented by the sweat of righteousness on his brow.
The last verse of the song takes a slightly different turn of direction. The singer talks about the dream of Truth, which has faltered. The dream was with us here, but now Truth is off trying to win the dream. It's unclear what this means, but it suggests that the pursuit of Truth and freedom is an ongoing battle. The song ends with the singer posing the question of how long it will take for men to find the key to be free. It's a poignant question because it seems to suggest that the solution may not be found in the singer's lifetime or even in his society, but the pursuit of Truth and freedom is still worth fighting for, nonetheless.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just a man here
I am simply a human being, nothing more or less
No one will hear what I say
The people around me are too preoccupied with their own lives to listen to me
Most of them sick with life so they turn away
The majority of the people are disillusioned with their lives and choose to ignore me
What can I do here?
I am feeling helpless and unsure of what actions I can take
One man alone in a crowd
I feel lonely and insignificant amongst a group of people
Feeling the sweat of righteousness on my brow
I feel a strong sense of justice and morality, and it makes me work hard
The strength of man is in realities
The true strength of a human being lies in their grasp of reality
The truth defines when a man like me
The truth is what shapes and defines a person like me
Can be free
It is the truth that allows a person to feel liberated and unconstrained
Man must be free
It is essential for human beings to have the freedom to think and act independently
Truth faltered in a dream
The idea of truth has been distorted or forgotten, perhaps in a dreamlike state
Happy with us here
Despite the loss of truth, people seem to be content with their lives
Off to win his dream
People are focused on pursuing their own ambitions and desires
Dream
The concept of dreams or aspirations seems to be a prevalent theme
I'm just a man here
Again, I am simply a human being with no greater power or influence
Fool on a hill with a plea
I am perceived as foolish, perhaps even desperate, in my attempts to make a plea or statement
How many years to men finds I hold the key?
I wonder how long it will take for people to realize that I hold the solution to their problems
To be free
This phrase acts as a refrain or reminder that freedom is the ultimate goal
Contributed by Declan W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Louise Reiter
Get out and stretch your legs...