There are multiple bands known as The Charms, including:

1. Otis Wi… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple bands known as The Charms, including:

1. Otis Williams & the Charms - an American doo-wop vocal group in the 1950s, who were originally billed as The Charms.

2. An early Ska band.

3. A garage-punk band from Somerville, Massachusetts. The band consists of members Ellie Vee, Joe Wizda, Mark Nigro, and Jason Meeker.

4. An indie garage-rock / post-punk band from Marikina City, Philippines.

5. A 1960s garage/beat music band from Greece.

I'M A MAN
The Charms Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Pops took a hike when I was only five
Sometimes I wonder if he's still alive
So growing up young I was kind of confused
(Oh, what can I do?)
I look back now, I'd say I was abused
(Oh, I blame it on you)

I'm a man - I'm a man I'm a man

I'm a woman

Turn myself into something I'm not
Cut myself and not give it a thought
And I do what I want, got to get what I need
(Oh got to get what I need)
Cut myself and let it bleed
(Oh got to let it bleed)

I'm a man - I'm a man I'm a man
I'm a woman
Somebody hear my please...
Get me up off my knees

Time has never been on my side
Should be dead but I feel alive...
Who could know what I feel inside?
Turn it around, around, around

In the soho clubs where the boys all go
I'm a superstar, I got my own show
A cabaret dance, and maybe a trick.
And if the price is right you can suck... my...

I'm a man - I'm a man I'm a man
I'm a woman

Overall Meaning

The Charms’s “I’m A Man” is a strikingly honest and vulnerable song that deals with themes of identity, trauma, and self-harm. The opening stanza reveals the singer’s father abandoned the family when he was just five years old, leaving him with emotional scars that he carried into adulthood. He reflects on the confusion and abuse he experienced growing up without a father, but he remains resilient and strong in spite of this. The chorus of the song is a powerful declaration of his ability to transcend these experiences, to be both a man and a woman, to be whoever he wants to be.

The second stanza delves deeper into the theme of self-harm, as the singer describes cutting himself without any regard for the pain or consequences. He also speaks about his intense drive to get what he needs, almost as if he is running from something, and the need to let himself bleed in order to release those feelings of pain and sadness. In the final stanza, the singer reflects on the passing of time and how it has affected him, revealing that he should be dead by now but instead feels alive. He seems to be grappling with the pain of his past and trying to find a way to move forward.

Overall, “I’m A Man” is a powerful and emotive track that delves into themes of trauma and identity, leaving the listener with a sense of raw honesty and vulnerability.

Line by Line Meaning

Pops took a hike when I was only five
My father left us when I was very young

Sometimes I wonder if he's still alive
I don't know if my father is still alive or not

So growing up young I was kind of confused
I was confused about life when I was young

(Oh, what can I do?)
I didn't know what to do about it

I look back now, I'd say I was abused
Looking back, I realize that I was abused

(Oh, I blame it on you)
I blame my past on others

Turn myself into something I'm not
I try to change myself to fit in

Cut myself and not give it a thought
I harm myself without considering the consequence

And I do what I want, got to get what I need
I do whatever I want to fulfill my needs

(Oh got to get what I need)
I have to get what I need

Cut myself and let it bleed
I intentionally cut myself and let the blood flow