Been A Son
Manic Street Preachers Lyrics


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She should have stayed away from friends
She should have had more time to spend
She should have died when she was born
She should have worn the crown of thorns

She should have been a son

She should have stood out in the crowd
She should have made her mother proud




She should have fallen on her stance
She should have had another chance

Overall Meaning

The Manic Street Preachers' song "Been A Son" captures the emotions of regret, despair and nostalgia. The song talks about a woman who didn't live her life the way she should have. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song. The lines, "She should have stayed away from friends, she should have had more time to spend" are about missed opportunities and poor choices. The singer of the song did not make the right decisions in life and as a result, feels isolated and alone.


The following lines evoke the idea of being born with a sense of despair, as the singer wishes that she would have died at birth before making any choices at all. This notion of being trapped in the present is heightened by the line "She should have worn the crown of thorns", which is a reference to the crown of thorns that Jesus Christ wore during his crucifixion, suggesting that the singer's life is full of suffering.


The chorus declares, "She should have been a son" which is a reflection on gender. This line can be interpreted in many different ways, including the idea that a son would have had more opportunities and respect in society. On another level, the line could be seen as an admonition of societal norms, which considers sons more valuable than daughters. The song ends with the idea that the singer never got a second chance, and her life remains a tragic tale of regret.


Line by Line Meaning

She should have stayed away from friends
Perhaps if she had avoided those she mistakenly called 'friends', she would still be here today.


She should have had more time to spend
It's unfortunate that she was taken from this world before she had the opportunity to truly live and experience all that life has to offer.


She should have died when she was born
It's as if she knew that life would be filled with too much pain and heartache, and perhaps death would have been a better alternative for her.


She should have worn the crown of thorns
She was a martyr, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders and suffering for the sake of others, whether she wanted to or not.


She should have been a son
Society still fails to realize that women are just as capable as men in every way, yet she was not given the chance to prove that she could have been just as successful and accomplished as any son.


She should have stood out in the crowd
She was more than just a face in the crowd, but unfortunately, she was not given the chance to show the world what she was truly capable of.


She should have made her mother proud
It's every child's dream to make their parents proud, but she never had the opportunity to do so, leaving her mother with a sense of loss and regret.


She should have fallen on her stance
She stood up for what she believed in, never wavering in her convictions or beliefs, but sadly, it was not enough to save her from the cruel world around her.


She should have had another chance
Perhaps if life had given her another chance, she could have lived in a world where she was respected and valued for who she was, rather than being judged and ridiculed for what she wasn't.




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: KURT COBAIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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