I'd Rather Be Man Lyrics
The firebird hides in shadow when you wake up
Your golden hair is black
Your jeans are tight but your hide is slack
Try it on the company but you don't fool me
I'd rather be a man than sin my soul like you do
I'd rahter be a man than slave the way that you do
I'd rather be a man cause a man don't crawl like you do
You won't see me in ten buck furs and sables
You sparkle like a snake
The wine is real but the glass if fake
Blame it on the apple tree but you don't fool me
I'd rather be a man than sin my soul like you do
I'd rahter be a man than slave the way that you do
I'd rather be a man cause a man don't crawl like you do
Your jeans are tight but your hide is slack
Try it on the company but you don't fool me
I'd rather be a man than sin my soul like you do
I'd rahter be a man than slave the way that you do
I'd rather be a man cause a man don't crawl like you do
Yep, you read this right - it's a total slam on the fairer sex. Make no mistake, APP weren't pulling any punches here.
But the funny thing is - I think in order to truly understand most APP songs, you have to take them in order, in their entirety. This song (from EVE), is followed by a song written from the perspective of a man in love. A contradiction? Certainly!
I think APP was trying to show the way men and women perceive each other. Although most of the songs on EVE are sung by men, it was an APP first that two of the other songs were sung by women!
This song accuses women of outright lying in their appearance to attract men. It's not wrong, and the truth hurts, but this is what most women do. Men do it too, but the general lack of jewelry, hair care products, or make-up somehow gives men more of a higher-ground moral position, as the writer of this song asserts.
The unfairness of this song is totally evident - if you're a woman. As a man, a few of us will go... 'Yeah! They're trying to trick us!'. But the truth is, women don't dress up for men - that's what men foolishly think - women dress up FOR OTHER WOMEN.
Any 'crawling' that's done by women in this manner is done to maintain their place in the female pecking order. Men do their own bit of 'crawling' - usually to the woman in charge!
I've actually met women that HATE this album because of this song alone - and that's a shame because I think it at least TRIES to represent different viewpoints between the sexes. That's a hard thing to do in less than 45 minutes or so, and maybe APP bit off more than they could of EVE's apple.
I've always been an admirer of this song and I don't really agree with that analysis
I think Alan should have had a woman sing this song. The song would have had a much greater meaning, if it was from the point of view of a woman who, disillusioned with womankind, declares that she would rather be a man. The singer's attitude in fact reflects that of women I have met who prefer to associate with men and pursue male interests.
The line "Blame it on the apple, but you don't fool me" is the most telling verse for me. It suggests that people (both men and women) have used the story of Eve and the apple to determine woman's role in society as temptresses and deceivers. Men have used the story to belittle women and women have used the story to excuse themselves when they tempt and deceive. Also using words like "slave" and "crawl" to describe the women in the song, suggest that the role they willingly play, is demeaning and that they disrespect themselves and "sin their souls".
The firebird hides in shadow when you wake up=-In the historical record, the phoenix "could symbolize renewal in general as well as the sun, time, the empire, metempsychosis, consecration, resurrection, life in the heavenly Paradise, Christ, Mary, virginity, the exceptional man, and certain aspects of Christian life Your golden hair is black You don't fool me with your easy lies and fables=Bible You won't see me in ten buck furs and sables=God The wine is real but the glass is fake=The wine is in a religious prop Blame it on the apple tree but you don't fool me=There you go with the big reveal. Blaming Eve for all the hardships in our lives. She ate the apple, and now we must suffer Alan is calling bullshit on that fable. He's blaming God himself. The album is titled "EVE" and the models are each wearing a chalice. This is a verbal attack at God. How anyone can deduce that this song is about a boy/girl or man/woman relationship is beyond me.
I think you all have it wrong. This song is about a guy that has fallen in love with a prostitute. Take a look at the album cover. The woman in the veil has syphilis sores on her face! He has fallen in love with her, wants her in her entirety, but can't have her all to himself, so he "goes off" and starts criticizing everything negative about her he can possibly think of. Every one of those statements in this song are attempts to degrade her because he feels frustrated that he has to share her...
This is a guy that really needs to take a step back and re-evaluate his relationship and decide whether or not he wants to deal with only ever having part of her.