He is also responsible for the little-known sequel, Shock Treatment.
I Can Make You A Man
Richard O'Brien Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A weakling, weighing ninety-eight pounds
Will get sand in his face when kicked...to the ground
And soon in the gym, with a determined chin
The sweat from his pores, as he works for his cause
Will make him glisten...and gleam
And with massage...and just a little bit of steam
He'll be pink and quite clean
But the wrong man
He'll eat nutritious high protein and swallow raw eggs
Try to build up his shoulders, his chest, arm, and legs
Such an effort...if he only knew of my plan
In just seven days, I can make you a man
He'll do press-ups and chin-ups
Do the snatch, clean and jerk
He thinks dynamic tension
Must be hard work...
Such strenuous living
I just don't understand...
When in just seven days, oh baby, I can make you a man!
The song I Can Make You a Man by Richard O'Brien is a satirical commentary on society's obsession with attaining physical strength and fitness. The song tells the story of a weak and puny man who wants to become a strong and muscular individual. The lyrics depict the transformation process of the man as he hits the gym and works hard to build his muscles.
The first line "He carries the Charles Atlas seal of approval" is a reference to a 1940s advertising campaign by Charles Atlas, a fitness guru who promised to help men build their bodies and become "the world's most perfectly developed man." This line sets up the theme of the song which is the idea that physical strength and fitness is something that can be achieved through hard work and dedication.
The next few lines describe the weakling who weighs only 98 pounds and gets sand kicked in his face when pushed around. The song then goes on to describe the man's transformation process in the gym where he works hard to build his muscles and achieve his goal of becoming a strong man.
The lyrics describe the man working out with a determined chin and sweating hard as he strives to achieve his goal. The song also makes reference to the use of massage and steam which were popular techniques used in bodybuilding at the time. The song also references the high protein and raw egg diet that was popular among bodybuilders in the 1970s.
The chorus repeats the refrain "In just seven days, oh baby, I can make you a man!" which is a clear commentary on the unrealistic expectations society places on physical transformation.
Line by Line Meaning
He carries the Charles Atlas seal of approval
He is certified to have successfully completed the Charles Atlas fitness program
A weakling, weighing ninety-eight pounds
A physically feeble, underweight person
Will get sand in his face when kicked...to the ground
Will easily fall down or be defeated in a physical conflict
And soon in the gym, with a determined chin
He'll workout at the gym with a resolute attitude
The sweat from his pores, as he works for his cause
Sweating during his exercise routine as he works for his fitness goal
Will make him glisten...and gleam
Will make him shine with sweat and effort
And with massage...and just a little bit of steam
And with a massage therapy and slight exposure to heat
He'll be pink and quite clean
He will have a clean pinkish skin
He'll be a strong man, oh honey...
He'll become a physically powerful man
But the wrong man
However, he won't be the right man for me
He'll eat nutritious high protein and swallow raw eggs
He will consume healthy, protein-rich foods and drink raw eggs
Try to build up his shoulders, his chest, arm and legs
Attempt to strengthen his upper and lower body muscles
Such an effort...if he only knew of my plan
All this hard work is unnecessary if he knew my approach
In just seven days, I can make you a man
I can make him become a man within a week
He'll do press-ups and chin-ups
He'll perform exercises such as push-ups and chin-ups
Do the snatch, clean and jerk
Do weightlifting exercises such as snatch, clean, and jerk
He thinks dynamic tension
He believes in the concept of using dynamic tension for fitness
Must be hard work...
He believes dynamic tension must be very tiring
Such strenuous living
Such rigorous lifestyle
I just don't understand...
I don't see the point of it...
When in just seven days, oh baby, I can make you a man!
When within a week, I can help him transform into a masculine figure
Contributed by William S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Adam Bowman
Watch Tim Curry's face when Janet pokes in with "I'm a muscle fan." Priceless.
Foodfangirl
@THAT1KID WHOSWHOLESOME No, I think it's more that he doesn't like being upstaged.
๐งLauren Gaming ๐ซ
Oh thatโs my PART! I fall OUT!!๐๐
THAT1KID WHOSWHOLESOME
I think it's because Janet said earlier she didn't like muscles that much, so it surprised Frankenfurter
Harlem Calleja
Not to mention Magentas face when she turns after Janet sings that line! I never noticed it before #ultimateeyeroll
Paul Parslow
Yup Adam, one of my favourite moments too! (Curry steals the show constantly)
dgivy
"I didn't make him for you!!" I love this movie!!!
damselnat
I love this movie, it's just the greatest in high camp ever, but I was actually a little bit shocked the first time I saw this last year, must surely have been very risque for the 70s?
Morgana lโAbeille
The 70s was a big decade for transgressive counterculture musicals. Same decade that gave us Cabaret.
Mon Mothma
This was the age of the sexual revolution. Both the decade before and after were more conservative than the 70s