Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 19… Read Full Bio ↴Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery) and mythology (particularly Norse mythology and Greco-Roman mythology), as well as numerous songs celebrating the genre and its core audience. The band is also known for a loud and emphatic sound. In an interview for MTV in February 2007, bassist Joey DeMaio lamented that "these days, there's a real lack of big, epic metal that is drenched with crushing guitars and choirs and orchestras... so it's nice to be one of the few bands that's actually doing that". In 1984, the band was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for delivering the loudest performance, a record which they have since broken on two occasions. They also hold the world record for the longest heavy metal concert after playing for five hours and 1 minute in Bulgaria (at Kavarna Rock Fest) in 2008. They also have been known for their slogan "Death to false metal". The band maintains a strong cult following.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manowar

Studio albums
Battle Hymns (1982)
Into Glory Ride (1983)
Hail to England (1984)
Sign of the Hammer (1984)
Fighting the World (1987)
Kings of Metal (1988)
The Triumph of Steel (1992)
Louder Than Hell (1996)
Warriors of the World (2002)
Gods of War (2007)
Battle Hymns MMXI (2010)
The Lord of Steel (2012)
Kings of Metal MMXIV (2014)

10
Manowar Lyrics

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I made a rock' n 'roll sin
When I tried givin' in to
make money had to turn down low.
They said, "why be proud, don't play so loud,
be like us and get a sound that's real thin.
Wear a polyester suit, act happy look cute,
get a haircut and buy small gear"
That's when I turned to them and said,

"hold it, right there!"

Well it's more to me than just a job,
and while I'm playin' you won't get robbed.
Nobody tells a man how to play,
It just ain't that way hey, hey, hey,
Can you hear me say

All men play on ten,
never gonna turn down again.
All men play on ten,
never gonna turn down.

I'm jet fuel honey, plug me into 220
Step back and let my fingers fly
While I'm burning up my gear
There's a fire in your ear
That won't stop until the day you die.

I really put it to the floor when I hear the crowd roar
Oh it's music to my ears when they scream
Then I run back to the power rack
and deck all of my gear.

Well it's more to me than just a job,
and while I'm playin' you won't get robbed.
Nobody tells a man how to play,

It just ain't that way hey, hey, hey,
can you hear me say

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Manowar's "All Men Play on 10" tell the story of a musician who is pressured by others to compromise his artistic integrity for financial benefits. The musician is urged to turn down the volume, dress in a particular way, and buy smaller gear in order to fit in with mainstream expectations. However, the musician refuses to do so and proudly proclaims that he will always play on 10, refusing to turn down the volume or compromise his art for anyone.

The song's protagonist believes that music is more than just a job and that it is an expression of one's identity and individuality. He rejects the notion that anyone can tell a musician how to play, as it goes against the very spirit of rock 'n' roll. He also takes pride in the fact that he is a powerful force on stage, with his fingers flying over the strings of his guitar and a fire in his listeners' ears that won't stop until the day they die.

Line by Line Meaning

I made a rock' n 'roll sin
I committed a sin in the eyes of the rock and roll industry

When I tried givin' in to make money had to turn down low.
When I tried to compromise my sound to make money, I had to turn the volume down and play less aggressively.

They said, 'why be proud, don't play so loud, be like us and get a sound that's real thin.
They advised me to be humble, and not to play so loudly, to get a sound that is of a lesser quality.

Wear a polyester suit, act happy look cute, get a haircut and buy small gear'
They asked me to wear a polyester suit, pretend to be happy, look attractive, and buy smaller and cheaper equipment.

That's when I turned to them and said, 'hold it, right there!'
That's when I disagreed with them and asked them to stop.

Well it's more to me than just a job, and while I'm playin' you won't get robbed.
Music is not just a job for me, and when I'm performing, I'm not cheating anyone out of their money.

Nobody tells a man how to play, It just ain't that way hey, hey, hey, can you hear me say
No one can dictate how a man plays music, it's simply not possible.

All men play on ten, never gonna turn down again.
All musicians play at maximum volume, and they will never compromise on this again.

I'm jet fuel honey, plug me into 220
I'm like jet fuel, and when plugged into 220 volts, my performance is at its best.

Step back and let my fingers fly
Allow me to express myself freely with my fingers on the guitar.

While I'm burning up my gear there's a fire in your ear that won't stop until the day you die.
As I play with passion and intensity, the sound will resonate in your ears and continue to do so for a long time.

I really put it to the floor when I hear the crowd roar
I go all out when the crowd cheers, and I push myself to play harder.

Oh it's music to my ears when they scream
The sound of the crowd's excitement is music to my ears.

Then I run back to the power rack and deck all of my gear.
After the performance, I go back to the power rack and celebrate the power of my equipment.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOEY DEMAIO, JOSEPH DE MAIO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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