Their style has been compared to a mixture of Tom Waits, Frank Zappa, and Captain Beefheart. Man Man is known for their distinctive live shows where the members of the band dress in white tennis outfits and don war paint. During their sets the band does not take breaks between songs in order to keep a constant energy level.
Man Man has released two LPs with Ace Fu Records: The Man in the Blue Turban With a Face (2004) and Six Demon Bag (2006). In November 2007 they signed with Anti- to release Rabbit Habits (2008). Their second Anti- release is titled Life Fantastic and was released in 2011.
Engwish Bwudd
Man Man Lyrics
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A seagull stole him from his slow mama's hands aboard the boat the sweet louisa
And dropped him in the meadowlands where wild hyenas taught him how to hunt old elephants
So he spent his formative years (say what?) eating out badonkadonk
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
He traveled across the sea in the belly of a Japanese (say wha?) businessman on a pleasure ship to France
Ooo la la
He don't know why she loves him
He don't know why the sun sets (but)
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
Pow Pow Pow
Her father hated him with the passion of a dying Chinaman so
He said get him out of here or I'm gonna bite off your face
No daddy daddy daddy don't daddy daddy daddy
Get the fuck out of my house!
No daddy daddy daddy no daddy daddy daddy
My house!
My house!
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
Fee Fi Fo Fum (growls)
The lyrics to Man Man's song "Engwish Bwudd" are enigmatic and leave much to interpretation. The opening line, "All i want to be is a shovely bubbly gobbly goo," suggests a desire to be carefree and happy, devoid of any responsibility or expectation of productivity. The next lines explain how the singer was separated from his mother as a child and was raised by wild hyenas, which taught him to hunt old elephants. The use of these specific animals in the lyrics could be symbolic of a harsh and unforgiving upbringing, where the young child had to learn to fend for himself in an aggressive and competitive environment.
The recurring chorus of "Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman" seems to be a nod to the classic fairy tale "Jack and the Beanstalk," where a giant utters this phrase while searching for the singer. The use of this phrase in the lyrics could be interpreted in several ways. It could be a commentary on the singer's perceived Englishness, or it could be a statement about the dangers and unknowns that lurk in the world.
The singer's journey from being raised by hyenas in the meadowlands to traveling to France on a pleasure ship is a metaphor for the unpredictability and inconsistency of life. The singer seems bewildered by this journey, as evidenced by the lines "He don't know why she loves him / He don't know why the sun sets." The final lines, which involve the singer's expulsion from his lover's home by her father, suggest a sense of alienation and displacement. The repeated "my house" could symbolize the singer's longing for a place where he truly belongs.
Line by Line Meaning
All i want to be is a shovely bubbly gobbly goo
The singer desires to be carefree and light-hearted.
A seagull stole him from his slow mama's hands aboard the boat the sweet louisa
The singer was taken away from his mother by a seagull while on a boat named Sweet Louisa.
And dropped him in the meadowlands where wild hyenas taught him how to hunt old elephants
The singer was brought to a place where he learned to survive by hunting elephants with wild hyenas.
So he spent his formative years (say what?) eating out badonkadonk
The singer spent his youth eating out a specific part of a person's body.
Fee Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman
The singer can sense the presence of an Englishman and is drawn to their blood.
He traveled across the sea in the belly of a Japanese (say wha?) businessman on a pleasure ship to France
The singer traveled to France inside a Japanese man who was on a luxury cruise ship.
Ooo la la
The singer is excited or amused about something.
He don't know why she loves him
The singer is unsure why someone loves him.
He don't know why the sun sets (but)
The singer is unsure about the mysteries of nature, such as why the sun sets.
Her father hated him with the passion of a dying Chinaman so
The singer's lover's father despises him greatly.
He said get him out of here or I'm gonna bite off your face
The father threatened violence if the singer did not leave.
No daddy daddy daddy don't daddy daddy daddy
The singer is pleading for the father to not harm him.
Get the fuck out of my house!
The father is angry and demands that the singer leave his home.
My house!
The singer asserts that he belongs in the house, despite the father's wishes.
Pow Pow Pow
There are three gunshots fired or three strong hits being described.
Fee Fi Fo Fum (growls)
The singer again senses the presence of an Englishman and expresses aggression towards them.
Contributed by Sydney O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.