Manning also submitted keyboard work to artists such as Jet, Ringo Starr, Green Day, Angels & Airwaves, Diana Ross, Jamiroquai, Johnny Cash, Lisa Marie Presley, Morrissey, OPM and Sheryl Crow.
Roger lists his influences as keyboard-centric artists Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Jean-Luc Ponty, Chick Corea, Frank Zappa, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Brian Eno and Roxy Music, Steely Dan, Mahavishnu Orchestra as well as punk rock and New Wave bands like Gang of Four, Thomas Dolby, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, Buzzcocks, Dead Kennedys, Talk Talk, The Damned, XTC, Tears for Fears, Suicidal Tendencies, Madness and Wall of Voodoo.
Biography by Andrew Leahey
The Loser
Roger Joseph Manning Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His hair's all out of place
He dashes for the bus stop
To find the door slammed in his face
Always the loser
But he never seems to mind
And that Carry Grant mystique
She says, "dear you must be joking
I'm way out of your reach"
Always the loser
But he never seems to mind
Once he dared to set foot in the promised land
Where the kings and queens of cool reside
Every earthly pleasure was at his command
But every night his empty heart would fear his eyes had lied
Picked last by the captain
It's a reoccurring theme
Take one on the chin son
For the losing team
Always the loser
But he never seems to mind
Always the loser
Alone in his confused world
Always the loser
And he never feels ashamed
In the song "The Loser" by Roger Joseph Manning Jr., the lyrics describe a character who seems to always be on the losing end of life. From waking up late, to finding the bus doors slammed in his face, to being picked last for the team, this person always seems to be behind the curve. However, even though he is constantly losing, he remains unbothered by this fact. The character is described as dreaming of an office romance and fantasizing about being like Cary Grant, but is quickly shot down by the woman he's interested in. The lyrics go on to describe how he once had everything he could have wished for in the land of the "kings and queens of cool," but depression eventually caught up with him and he realized that he was still alone and unhappy.
It's easy to view this song as a melancholy reflection on life's difficulties and the feeling of being alone and unimportant. However, there is also an underlying message of perseverance - this loser never gives up, never seems to lose his positive attitude, and is committed to moving forward, despite his never-ending losing streak. Manning Jr. does an excellent job of combining dreamy, wistful melodies with poignant lyrics to create a song that is both heartfelt and relatable.
Line by Line Meaning
Well he wakes up late for breakfast
He has no real purpose in life and often gets up late, without seeming to have anything to look forward to.
His hair's all out of place
He takes less care of outward appearances as he is preoccupied with his lack of purpose.
He dashes for the bus stop
He tries to escape from his mundane life, but has a lot of difficulties.
To find the door slammed in his face
His escape or adventure is often thwarted and does not happen.
Always the loser
The artist has a defeatist attitude and accepts his inability to make a change.
But he never seems to mind
The character has resigned himself to a life of emptiness and does not allow himself to feel the lack of purpose or direction.
Now he dreams of office romance
The character seeks solace in a more mundane sense of hope, something that is attainable in his mediocre life.
And that Carry Grant mystique
He aspires to Carey Grant's effortless charm, a symbol of a life of ease and sophistication.
She says, "dear you must be joking
The artist's aspirations are instantly shut down by someone, making him feel even more inadequate.
I'm way out of your reach"
The artist is deemed unworthy of everything that he wants.
Once he dared to set foot in the promised land
He tries to get out of his ordinary life by doing something extraordinary, a difficult feat considering his limited capabilities.
Where the kings and queens of cool reside
He aspires to be among the cool, the ones who have made themselves stand out and look impressive, but is himself just a spectator.
Every earthly pleasure was at his command
He tries every possible pleasure and possibility at his disposal, but still has a void that cannot be fulfilled.
But every night his empty heart would fear his eyes had lied
He is not truly satisfied with a life of pleasure, and starts to feel like his desires and the path he is on are not honest.
Picked last by the captain
Even in the most mundane occurrences, such as in sports, he is the last one to be selected, solidifying his status as a loser.
It's a reoccurring theme
Occurrences like these are not isolated, and happen repeatedly to the character.
Take one on the chin son
He is beaten down so many times that he is supposed to develop a thick skin for it.
For the losing team
The character is not only a loser, but he also aligns himself with others who are as such, further perpetuating the narrative of being a perpetual loser.
Always the loser
The singer has been defeated by life, and sees no way to escape his current situation.
Alone in his confused world
The character has no direction or path, and is therefore isolated from everyone else around him.
And he never feels ashamed
Despite his defeat, he does not feel embarrassed by being a loser, perhaps because he knows no different.
Contributed by Max R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.