Formed in 1963 in Birmingham after the Welsh guitarist Spencer Davis encountered vocalist and organist Steve Winwood (then aged 14 and still at school), and his bass playing brother Muff Winwood performing at a pub, the Golden Eagle, as the Muff Woody Jazz Band. He recruited them and Pete York on drums to form the Rhythm and Blues Quartette, which performed regularly in the city. In 1964, they signed their first recording contract after Chris Blackwell of Island Records saw them at an appearance in a local club; Blackwell also became their producer.
The group's first professional recording was a cover version of Dimples, but they came to success at the end of 1965 with Keep on Running, the group's first number one single. In 1966 they followed this with Somebody Help Me and When I Come Home. For the German market the group released "Det war in SchΓΆneberg, im Monat Mai" and "MΓ€del ruck ruck ruck an meine grΓΌne Seite" (the first is from a 1913 Berlin operetta, the second is a Swabian traditional) as a tribute single for that audience, Spencer Davis having studied in West Berlin in the early 1960s.
By the end of 1966 and the beginning of 1967, the group released two more hits, Gimme Some Lovin' (which was re-released in a live, nine-minute version by Steve Winwood's Traffic in 1971) and I'm A Man. These tracks proved to be their two best-known successes, especially in the U.S.
In 1967, Winwood left to form Traffic; his brother Muff moved into the music industry as A&R man at Island Records. In a so-called joint venture, the soundtrack to the film Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush featured both the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic.
Despite the Winwoods' departure, the Spencer Davis Group continued performing and released more singles, though not repeating earlier successes. These included Time Seller in July 1967; the b-side, Don't Want You No More, also received radio airplay.
This was followed by "Mr. Second-Class" in late 1967, which was heavily played on Radio Caroline (at that time one of the two remaining pirate radio ships off the British coast) and the group's last minor hit, "After Tea", in 1968. The latter song was released at the same time by the German band The Rattles, providing competition that led finally to a temporary stop to all activities of the band. Davis continued working, however, producing some jazz-oriented albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Although short-lived, The Spencer Davis Group - particularly its incarnation with Steve Winwood - was influential, with many of the band's songs covered by other artists over the years. Notable among these are Chicago's 1969 version of "I'm a Man," The Allman Brothers Band's 1969 take of "Don't Want You No More," Three Dog Night's 1970 recording of "Can't Get Enough of It," and The Blues Brothers' 1980 recording of "Gimme Some Lovin'."
I'M A MAN
The Spencer Davis Group Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And there's whiskers on my chin
And I'm all hung up on music
And I always play to win
I ain't got no time for lovin'
'Cause my time is all used up
Just to sit around creatin'
But I'm a man, yes I am
And I can't help
But love you so
But I'm a man, yes I am
And I can't help
But love you so
Well, if I had my choice of matter
I would rather be with cats
All engrossed in mental chatter
Movin' where our minds are at
And relatin' to each other
Just how strong our wills can be
I'm resisting all involvement
With each groovy chick we see
Well, I'm a man, yes I am
And I can't help
But love you so
But I'm a man, yes I am
And I can't help
But love you so
I got to keep my image
While suspended from a throne
That looks out upon a kingdom
Full of people all unknown
Who imagine I'm not human
And my heart is made of stone
I never had no problems
And my toilet's trimmed with chrome
I'm a man, yes I am
And I can't help
But love you so, no no
I'm a man, yes I am
And I can't help
But love you so
Yes I am (no, no, no)
I need you so bad(yeah)
Yes I do
Yes I do
Yes I do
Yes I do
Yes I do
Yes I do
Yes I do
Yes I do
Yes I do
The Spencer Davis Group's "I'm a Man" is a classic rock song with catchy hooks, upbeat guitar riffs, and powerful vocals. The song is about a man who is obsessed with music, has a messy living space, and has little time for relationships. He would rather be involved with his mental thoughts than engage in any emotional attachments with the women he encounters. The chorus emphasizes the man's emotional desperation and his love for a particular woman despite his commitment to his music.
The first verse of the song is an allusion to the hard-working nature of a musician. The songwriter highlights that the man's life is overshadowed by his music and he has no time for other things, including love. The second verse delves into the man's personality, where he reveals his preference for cats over people. He does not want to get involved with any groovy chick and, instead, prefers mental or intellectual conversations. He values relationships that entail mental stimulation and the ability to challenge one another.
The chorus reaffirms the man's love for someone despite his unwavering loyalty to his passion for music. The third verse, however, highlights the challenges that come with being a famous musician, such as losing oneself and becoming just an image. He is aware that people view him as inhuman, and he is only interested in maintaining his appearance rather than being himself.
Overall, "I'm a Man" showcases the struggle that comes with finding a balance between one's passion and love relationships. It highlights that a person can be emotionally attached to someone and still maintain their passion for their craft.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, my pad is very messy
My living space is untidy and disorganized
And there's whiskers on my chin
I haven't shaved in a while
And I'm all hung up on music
I'm extremely passionate about music
And I always play to win
I always strive to come out on top
I ain't got no time for lovin'
I don't have time for romantic relationships
'Cause my time is all used up
I'm too busy with other things to devote time to love
Just to sit around creatin'
I spend my time creating music
All that groovy kind of stuff
I make music that I think is cool
But I'm a man, yes I am
I'm a grown man
And I can't help
I can't control
But love you so
But I love you deeply
Well, if I had my choice of matter
If I could choose my situation
I would rather be with cats
I would rather be with cool, like-minded people
All engrossed in mental chatter
Deeply immersed in intellectual conversation
Movin' where our minds are at
Going where our thoughts take us
And relatin' to each other
And connecting with each other on a deep level
Just how strong our wills can be
Demonstrating the power of our determination
I'm resisting all involvement
I'm avoiding getting romantically involved
With each groovy chick we see
With every attractive woman we come across
I got to keep my image
I must maintain my public persona
While suspended from a throne
While in a position of power
That looks out upon a kingdom
That overlooks a vast realm
Full of people all unknown
Populated by strangers
Who imagine I'm not human
Who view me as something other than a person
And my heart is made of stone
And believe that I am unfeeling
I never had no problems
I've never had any major difficulties in my life
And my toilet's trimmed with chrome
And I have expensive and luxurious possessions, even in my bathroom
I'm a man, yes I am
I'm a grown man
And I can't help
I can't control
But love you so, no no
But I love you deeply, despite my other priorities
Yes I am (no, no, no)
I am who I am
I need you so bad(yeah)
I need you so much
Yes I do
I truly do
Yes I do
I truly do
Yes I do
I truly do
Yes I do
I truly do
Yes I do
I truly do
Yes I do
I truly do
Yes I do
I truly do
Yes I do
I truly do
Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jimmy Miller, Steve Winwood
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lordmordor4582
Umbrella Academy leads me to really fabulous songs.
@Pyrotf2_a
Ohhh good I'm not the only one then
@matthewkraemer3265
Me too! Canβt believe I missed this growing up...
@chharleywan3698
I just commented that βπ»
@juulie806
Yes, season oneβs soundtrack is breathtaking
@dondestalabiblioteca
I am also here for the same reason! TUA has a great sound track.
@pashadwantara
One of the rarest sounds of the 60s. I often hear the Chicago's version on the radio, but this one... it's goated AF. I love the original version more.
@jamesaron1967
Not to say that it is always the case, but originals tend to be better because the originating artists' intent manifested with purest form in the creation. Everything else that follows may be viewed as adulterations of the source for better or for worse..
@ghostmanscores1666
@James Aron= BOT CHANNEL
@chinto50
That opening still really hits me, that beat was truly unique . I felt that the day it came out and still feel it today.