I'M A MAN
mac de marco Lyrics

The opening lines of Mac DeMarco's "I'm a Man" paint the picture of the singer creeping around downtown at night, with a pack of cigarettes in hand. The singer appears to be somewhat of an outsider, trying to fit in but struggling to do so: "Wearing all kind of shit that really don't fit." Despite this, the singer asserts their masculinity and independence with the refrain "Cause I'm a man."

The lyrics suggest a sense of self-assuredness and yet underlying insecurities that the singer is grappling with. For example, the line "Try to keep myself clean for no one I've seen" implies that the singer may be conscious of their appearance and seeking validation, while also trying to distance themselves from any perceived judgement from others.

The chorus repeats the phrase "Cause I'm a man" twice, hammering home the singer's desire to assert their masculinity in the face of their insecurities. The song could be interpreted as a commentary on societal expectations of what it means to be "a man" and the pressure to conform to those expectations.