I Can Make You A Man
Rocky Horror Picture Show 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
Dr. Frank-N-Furter 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
Dr. Frank-N-Furter 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 lyrics to the Rocky Horror Picture Show song, "I Can Make You a Man" are in reference to the character of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a mad scientist who is obsessed with creating the perfect man. He sings about his plan to take a weak and frail man, and through a combination of exercise, nutrition, and his own magical methods, turn him into a strong and muscular man in just seven days. The song is meant to be humorous and satirical, poking fun at societal norms of what it means to be a "real man" and the extreme measures some people take to achieve those ideals.
The lyrics start by describing the weakling who "will get sand in his face when kicked to the ground" and how Dr. Frank-N-Furter plans to make him stronger through exercise and hard work. However, the song takes a turn when Dr. Frank-N-Furter reveals that he has a secret plan to make the man even stronger, which involves his own magical methods that are not fully explained. He suggests that in just seven days, he can turn the man into a "real man" and fulfill his own twisted desires.
Overall, the lyrics to "I Can Make You a Man" are a commentary on societal norms and ideals surrounding masculinity, and the extreme lengths some people go to achieve those standards. The song is meant to be humorous and satirical, while also highlighting the absurdity and dangers of trying to conform to these narrow ideals.
Line by Line Meaning
A weakling weighing ninety-eight pounds
Dr. Frank-N-Furter describes a person who is physically weak and weighs 98 pounds.
Will get sand in his face
This person is so weak that they will not be able to protect themselves and will be humiliated in front of others.
When kicked to the ground
If such a person is physically attacked, they will fall to the ground easily due to their weakness.
And soon in the gym
In order to build up his strength, the person will eventually go to the gym.
With a determined chin
Despite being weak, the person has a determined look on their face.
The sweat from his pores
The person will work out intensely, causing them to sweat a lot.
As he works for his cause
The person has a reason for wanting to get strong, a goal they are working toward.
Will make him glisten and gleam, and with massage
Sweating will cause his skin to glisten, and he may even get massages post-workout to aid his recovery.
And just a little bit of steam
He may even use steam to further aid his recovery.
He'll be pink and quite clean
After working out, his skin will be flushed and clean, perhaps from showering.
He'll be a strong man
All of his hard work will pay off and he will become physically strong.
Oh, honey!
Dr. Frank-N-Furter is pleased with how well his plan to make someone strong is working.
But the wrong man
Dr. Frank-N-Furter is not interested in creating a strong man for everyone, only the person he has in mind.
He'll eat nutritious, high protein
The person will eat a lot of nutritious, high-protein foods to help build muscle.
And swallow raw eggs
The person will drink raw eggs as a protein supplement, even though Dr. Frank-N-Furter knows there is a better way to become strong.
Try to build up his shoulders
The person will focus on exercises that build shoulder strength.
His chest, arms, and legs
The person will also work on building up their chest, arms, and legs for overall strength.
Such an effort
Dr. Frank-N-Furter acknowledges that building up strength is a lot of hard work.
If he only knew of my plan
Dr. Frank-N-Furter has a secret plan to create a strong man in just seven days that does not involve such intense workouts.
In just seven days
Dr. Frank-N-Furter is promising to create a strong man in a mere week, which is quite impressive.
I can make you a man
Dr. Frank-N-Furter is confident that he can create a physically strong man quickly and easily, without all the rigorous workouts and diets.
He'll do press-ups and chin-ups
Instead of long hours at the gym, Dr. Frank-N-Furter has a plan to get someone strong in a week using these exercises.
Do the snatch, clean, and jerk
These are other exercises Dr. Frank-N-Furter will have the person do to build strength in a short amount of time.
He thinks dynamic tension must be hard work
The person believes in the theory of dynamic tension to build strength, which involves pushing and pulling against something, but Dr. Frank-N-Furter believes it is not the best way to build strength quickly.
Such strenuous living
Dr. Frank-N-Furter is acknowledging that most people believe that building one's strength requires eating a strict diet and a rigorous exercise routine.
I just don't understand
Dr. Frank-N-Furter thinks that people are wasting their time in the gym when he has an easier, quicker solution.
Oh, baby
Dr. Frank-N-Furter is excited to share his plan and for his subject to become strong in just seven days.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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