I Can Make You A Man
Rocky Horror Lyrics
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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 just a little bit of steam
He'll be pink and quite clean
He'll be a strong man
Oh, honey!
But the wrong man
He'll eat nutritious, high protein
And swallow raw eggs
Try to build up his shoulders
His chest, arms, 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” is from the musical “The Rocky Horror Show.” The lyrics are sung by the character Dr. Frank-N-Furter as he describes his plan to transform the weak and helpless Brad into a strong and powerful man. The song is a commentary on society's obsession with physical strength and beauty, and Dr. Frank-N-Furter's twisted ideas of what it means to be a "real" man.
The first verse of the song paints a picture of the weak and vulnerable Brad. He is described as weighing only ninety-eight pounds and being easily defeated by others. However, Dr. Frank-N-Furter assures us that with hard work and determination, anyone can become a strong and healthy person. The use of words like “determined chin” and “works for his cause” illustrate the effort required to become a “strong man.” The idea of sweating and glistening hints at the sexual overtones that are present throughout the entire musical.
The chorus of the song is all about Dr. Frank-N-Furter's plan to transform Brad into the man he desires. He promises to give Brad a nutritious diet, full of high protein foods and raw eggs. In just seven days, Dr. Frank-N-Furter claims he can turn Brad into a strong and powerful man by having him do various exercises, such as press-ups and chin-ups, as well as the “snatch, clean, and jerk” weightlifting techniques. He scoffs at the idea of “dynamic tension,” a fitness trend of the time. Throughout the song, Frank-N-Furter's character represents a critique of toxic masculinity and the societal expectations placed on men.
Line by Line Meaning
A weakling weighing ninety-eight pounds
A person who lacks physical strength and weighs only ninety-eight pounds
Will get sand in his face
Will be easily defeated and humiliated
When kicked to the ground
When knocked down by someone stronger
And soon in the gym
And soon they will be in the gym
With a determined chin
With a firm and resolute expression on their face
The sweat from his pores
The perspiration coming from their skin
As he works for his cause
As he puts in effort for his goal
Will make him glisten
Will make him shine with sweat
And gleam, and with massage
And shine, with the help of a massage
And just a little bit of steam
And with a little heat applied
He'll be pink and quite clean
His skin will be reddened and clean
He'll be a strong man
He will become physically strong
Oh, honey!
An affectionate address
But the wrong man
If he continues to try to improve with his current methods
He'll eat nutritious, high protein
He will consume food rich in nutrients and protein
And swallow raw eggs
And consume uncooked eggs
Try to build up his shoulders
Attempt to increase muscle mass in their shoulders
His chest, arms, and legs
And other parts of the body as well
Such an effort
The amount of work is significant
If he only knew of my plan
If he knew of the artist's method
In just seven days
Within a week
I can make you a man
I can turn you into a physically strong person
He'll do press-ups and chin-ups
He will do push-ups and pull-ups
Do the snatch, clean, and jerk
Do weightlifting exercises
He thinks dynamic tension
He believes that muscle tension is key
Must be hard work
Must require a lot of effort
Such strenuous living
Such physically demanding lifestyle
I just don't understand
The artist doesn't comprehend this approach to improving physical strength
When in just seven days
When in the span of only a week
Oh, baby
Affectionate address
I can make you a man
I can turn you into a physically strong person
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.