The Guv'nor
May Brian Lyrics
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But you gotta see my point of view
I was not born yesterday
Don't you know I must've learned a thing or two
But there's a man on the loose baby
An' he's all bad
He'll tan your hide and give you what you never had
He's trained to kill (God bless the Guv'nor)
Make way for the Guv'nor (make way for the Guv'nor)
Give yourself a thrill
Look at the Dude!
He's got the World - he got it made
He got Attitude
And he got a fist, like a switchblade
And everyone in the City
Gotta play his game
I don't want to be a wannabe I want to be it
Want to be the Guv'nor (God bless the Guv'nor)
He's Politically Incorrect (God bless the Guv'nor)
Give way, give way to the Guv'nor (make way for the Guv'nor)
You gotta show some respect
Don't bother lookin' for a way to catch his ass
This man is cookin' with a red-hot kind of gas
He'll play them hits electrifyin'
Tear you to bits and leave you
Cryin', cryin', cryin' yeah
So get ready for the showdown (don't lose your head)
If licks could kill we'd all be long, long dead
On account of the Guv'nor
God bless the Guv'nor
Make way, make way
For the Guv'nor
You gotta see that man
Let's see some respect now
The Guv'nor, a song by the British guitarist Brian May, invokes the image of a dangerous and powerful man who rules the city through sheer force and will. The lyrics suggest that the Guv'nor is feared by all, and that everyone in the city must play his game. May, however, seems to revel in this danger, expressing admiration for the Guv'nor's power and charisma. At the same time, the lyrics imply that May is not intimidated by him, as he makes it clear that he understands the game and has learned a thing or two.
The song is not just about one man, however. It is also a commentary on the power dynamic of society, and the way that some people can exert control over others through force of personality or status. The Guv'nor is not just one man, but a symbol of the way that power is wielded in society. Through this song, May seems to be exploring the ways in which people navigate this power structure, and the way that we are all ultimately subject to the whims of those who are more powerful than us.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I ain't greedy
I'm not asking for too much
But you gotta see my point of view
But you need to understand where I'm coming from
I was not born yesterday
I'm not naive
Don't you know I must've learned a thing or two
I have some knowledge and experience
But there's a man on the loose baby
But there's a dangerous man out there
An' he's all bad
And he's very bad
He'll tan your hide and give you what you never had
He'll hurt you and take everything from you
They call him the Guv'nor (God bless the Guv'nor)
He's known as the leader and deserves a lot of respect
He's trained to kill (God bless the Guv'nor)
He's skilled in violence and deserves a lot of respect
Make way for the Guv'nor (make way for the Guv'nor)
Clear the path for the Guv'nor
Give yourself a thrill
Get excited
Look at the Dude!
Look at that man!
He's got the World - he got it made
He's successful and has everything
He got Attitude
He has confidence
And he got a fist, like a switchblade
He's dangerous and violent
And everyone in the City
And everyone is following him
Gotta play his game
Needs to do what he says
I don't want to be a wannabe I want to be it
I don't want to be just like him, I want to be him
Want to be the Guv'nor (God bless the Guv'nor)
I want to be known as the leader and deserve a lot of respect
He's Politically Incorrect (God bless the Guv'nor)
He doesn't follow the rules and deserves a lot of respect
Give way, give way to the Guv'nor (make way for the Guv'nor)
Clear the path for the Guv'nor
You gotta show some respect
You need to acknowledge his authority and show him respect
Don't bother lookin' for a way to catch his ass
Don't even try to catch him
This man is cookin' with a red-hot kind of gas
He's very powerful and dangerous
He'll play them hits electrifyin'
He'll do great things and succeed
Tear you to bits and leave you Cryin', cryin', cryin' yeah
He'll destroy you and leave you in a bad state
So get ready for the showdown (don't lose your head)
Prepare yourself for the conflict
If licks could kill we'd all be long, long dead
If his actions could cause harm, we'd all be dead
On account of the Guv'nor God bless the Guv'nor
Because of the Guv'nor, he deserves a lot of respect
Make way, make way For the Guv'nor
Clear the path for the Guv'nor
You gotta see that man
You need to acknowledge and recognize his power
Let's see some respect now
Show him some respect
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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