The group has released five albums since their formation: "Kind of Light" (2003), "Over and Over" (2005), "Not Only...But Also" (2008), "This Must Be Love" (2009) and "The 88" (2010). Additionally, the group provided the soundtrack to the 2012 film "The Lorax". The group's song "At Least It Was Here" is the theme song from the American sitcom "Community".
I'M A MAN
The 88 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It’s a dope-sick play
It’s a blue-faced find
Gonna die today
It’s a plastic heaven
It’s the all white tan
I’m a man
It’s the acne scar
It’s a sharp tool blessed
It’s that VCR
It’s a counterfeit vision
It’s a half-ass scam
I’m a man
Break me down easy
Show me your sign
Take me back home
I know I’ll be fine
Trace me your outline
Tie me to bed
Shake me to heaven
Soon we’ll be dead
It’s a cold gray lie
It’s a brain dead itch
It’s the constant sigh
It’s supposed to stick
It’s the tantric tension
It’s a well-made plan
I’m a man
It’s a pawnshop dream
It’s those bathroom blues
It’s a frightened scream
It’s the Purcell shoes
It’s a phony decision
It’s a half-assed scam
I’m a man
The lyrics to The 88's song I'm A Man feature a collection of seemingly random phrases and images, yet all tied together by a theme of existential angst and a search for meaning. The opening lines, "It's life like mine, it's a dope-sick play, it's a blue-faced find, gonna die today," set a bleak and cynical tone right from the start, suggesting that life is nothing more than a drug-addled, meaningless existence that ends in death.
As the song progresses, we hear a litany of more specific examples of this despair, ranging from a "plastic heaven" and a "black tooth mess" to a "cold gray lie" and a "brain dead itch." The repetition of the phrase "I'm a man" throughout the song can be interpreted in different ways, such as an assertion of identity or a cry for help, but ultimately serves as a way to anchor the various images and feelings together into a singular perspective.
The chorus of the song, with its plea to "break me down easy" and "show me your sign," suggests a desire for understanding or guidance in the face of this overwhelming sense of futility. The final lines, "It's a phony decision, it's a half-assed scam, I'm a man," hint at a bitterness towards the world and one's own role in it, as if to say that everything is a lie or a deception, but there's nothing one can do about it.
Line by Line Meaning
It’s life like mine
Life can be tough and confusing, like mine
It’s a dope-sick play
Life can be like an addictive drug, making it hard to break away
It’s a blue-faced find
Life can bring unexpected and surprising discoveries that leave you feeling breathless
Gonna die today
Life is fleeting and unpredictable, and one never knows when it might end
It’s a plastic heaven
A superficial and fake version of paradise can be found in life
It’s the all white tan
Trying to appear perfect and flawless on the outside can be a fruitless and exhausting endeavor
I’m a man
I am human, flawed and trying to make sense of the world around me
It’s a black tooth mess
Life can be ugly and chaotic, with difficult or painful situations that leave a permanent mark
It’s the acne scar
Life can bring physical or emotional scars that stay with you long after the initial wound
It’s a sharp tool blessed
Sometimes even the most dangerous or harmful things can have a positive or beneficial effect
It’s that VCR
Life can move quickly and change rapidly, leaving old or outdated technology and practices behind
It’s a counterfeit vision
The things we see or believe in can often be false, misleading or manipulated
It’s a half-ass scam
Life can involve deceit, trickery or deception that is only partially successful or effective
Break me down easy
Help me understand difficult or complex things in a gentle and understandable way
Show me your sign
Let me know your intentions, feelings or beliefs in a clear and meaningful way
Take me back home
Give me a sense of belonging, familiarity or comfort that I crave
I know I’ll be fine
Despite the challenges and struggles, I trust that everything will work out in the end
Trace me your outline
Let me feel the contours and shapes of who you are, to understand you better
Tie me to bed
Give me security, stability or routine that helps me feel safe and grounded
Shake me to heaven
Take me beyond the ordinary and into the extraordinary, to experience the fullness of life
Soon we’ll be dead
Life is short and precious, and we should cherish each moment before it is gone
It’s a cold gray lie
Misinformation or falsehood can feel soulless and depressing, like a bleak and colorless landscape
It’s a brain dead itch
Habits or routines that are thoughtless or meaningless can be like a nagging and unfulfilling urge
It’s the constant sigh
A sense of disappointment or frustration can become a perpetual and exhausting state
It’s supposed to stick
Expectations or promises can be flimsy or unreliable, breaking easily or not living up to what was hoped
It’s the tantric tension
The struggle or build-up towards a desired outcome can be intense and consuming, requiring patience and endurance
It’s a well-made plan
A thoughtful and strategic approach can lead to success and accomplishment in life
It’s a pawnshop dream
Hopes or aspirations that are not realistic or genuine can be like a cheap and meaningless object up for sale
It’s those bathroom blues
Depression, anxiety or other mental health struggles can make even the most mundane or private moments feel overwhelming
It’s a frightened scream
Fear can be a powerful and debilitating force, causing us to react in ways we never thought possible
It’s the Purcell shoes
Objects or possessions can hold significant meaning or symbolism that give insight into who we are as individuals
It’s a phony decision
Making choices or decisions that are not true to who we are can leave us feeling hollow and unsatisfied
I’m a man
I am defined by my experiences and my own unique perspective on life, regardless of external labels or categories
It’s a half-assed scam
Life can involve deceit, trickery or deception that is only partially successful or effective
Contributed by Scarlett F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
eric merryman
One of the most slept on bands