Morrissey A-Z: "I'm Not a Man"

BookishBoy

Well-Known Member



Today's song is this Morrissey/Tobias composition from 2014's World Peace Is None of Your Business album.

What do we think of this one?
 
My favourite Morrissey song.
Practically perfect.
Lyrics basically the “Morrissey manifesto” - the essence of Morrissey.
One of his experimental peaks.
Love even the ambient noise at the beginning.
What else is there to say?
10/10 - the best of the best, IMHO.
 
very good,great clear vocal.this is why M is unique has their ever been another song with cancer of the prostate in its lyrics,im sure some clever clog will google it.
10beeferonis/10prostate cancers.
 
This is an ultra-progressive song, and he’s always been deeply invested in gender politics, but this is something that his obnoxious critics never seem to grasp or even care to know about.

Politics aside, it’s a fantastic song and an empowering anthem. I especially love the animal rights part. That part equals goosebumps.
 
One of the finest examples of "singing your life" I've ever heard. What an amazing song.

(On a side note, does anyone know if Morrissey has ever mentioned the American author Carol Adams and specifically her book The Sexual Politics of Meat, first published in 1990? So much overlap...)
 
Another jab at gender stereotyping, listing some of the heroic manly qualities and diseases, in none of which Morrissey can recognize himself. Engaging lyrics paired with a solid tune. This is where the album really takes off for me.
 
Very close to my Top 10 and of course the best track on main World Peace album
 
What does he sing between “I'd never kill or eat an animal...” and “And I never would destroy this planet I'm on...”? Sounds like another word or two, but I can fathom it.
 
One of the finest examples of "singing your life" I've ever heard. What an amazing song.

(On a side note, does anyone know if Morrissey has ever mentioned the American author Carol Adams and specifically her book The Sexual Politics of Meat, first published in 1990? So much overlap...)
Is it? You do know this is almost a word for word rip off of an American Beat poem?
 
Gotta agree it’s one of his best songs and also my favorite on world peace. The lyrics are amazing as they list all the heroic traits and negatives as stated above but that they also touch on so many other things like his mention of the military sports sexual attraction etc. the song builds in such a great way that never takes away from the vocals spotlight. Jesse really came into his own on this album. It’s a crime that it and it’s bonus tracks arent streaming anywhere
 
A shame about the two minutes of nonsense at the start, but thankfully there is a fan edit that omits that.

When the song finally gets going, it's impressive and marked a departure from what Jesse had written up to that point. I don't know if he was simply maturing as a collaborator, but his contributions have been much more varied and strong during the Joe Chiccarelli years than before.

I enjoy the mocking lyrics and Morrissey is in good voice.

In the poll on the Hoffman board it ranked 141st from 264 solo songs.
 
Harold Norse was a poet & gay rights activist who died in 2009 - his poem is:

I am not a man. I can’t earn a living, buy new things for my family.
I have acne and a small peter.

I am not a man. I don’t like football, boxing and cars.
I like to express my feelings.
I even like to put my arm around my friend’s shoulder.

I am not a man. I won’t play the role assigned to me –
the role created by Madison Avenue, Playboy, Hollywood and Oliver Cromwell.
Television does not dictate my behaviour.

I am not a man. Once when I shot a squirrel I swore that I would never kill again.
I gave up meat. The sight of blood makes me sick. I like flowers.

I am not a man. I went to prison for resisting the draft.
I do not fight when real men beat me up and call me queer. I dislike violence.

I am not a man. I have never raped a woman.
I don’t hate blacks. I don’t get emotional when the flag is waved.
I do not think I should love America or leave it. I think I should laugh at it.

I am not a man. I have never had the clap.

I am not a man. Playboy is not my favourite magazine.

I am not a man. I cry when I am unhappy.

I am not a man. I do not feel superior to women.

I am not a man. I don’t wear a jockstrap.

I am not a man. I write poetry.

I am not a man. I meditate on peace and love.

I am not a man. I don’t want to destroy you.


Morrissey's lyrics:

Don Juan
Picaresque
Wife beater vest
Cold hand
Ice man
Warring cave man
Well if this is what it takes to describe
I'm not a man
Wheeler, dealer
Mover, shaker
Casanova
Beefaroni
A-ho but lonely
Well if this is what it takes to describe
I'm not a man
I'm not a man
I'm something much bigger and better than
A man
Wise ass
Smart ass
Workaholic
Thick-skinned
Two-fisted hombre, olé
Well if these are terms you'd use to describe
Oh, I'm shaking
Look at me I'm quaking
True grit
True blue
Kill crazy
So very manly of you
You are the soldier
Who won't get much older
You are the slow Joe
Who signed up to go
Wolf down
Wolf down
T-bone steak
Wolf down
Cancer of the prostate
Ways to sit
And of course
Ways to stand
I'm not a man
I'm not a man
No big fat locker room
Hockey jock
Laughing
I'm not a man
I'd never kill or eat an animal, animal, an
And I never would destroy this planet I'm on
Well, what do you think I am?
A man?


Morrissey works from source material that matters to him - it's a technique that gets taught in theatre studies.
 
I like it. I'd maybe swap out the bigger & better than line.
 
The idea that bigger is better is pretty ingrained in the male psyche . Could be said to be the root of all the rest of mans ills listed in the song
 
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