This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Yeah, yeah (ooo)
Uh, hey hey
All right, yeah
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Gotta say it again now
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Yes he is
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
I want to take a minute or two, and give much respect due
To the man that's made a difference in my world
And although most men are ho's, he flows on the down low
'Cause I never heard about him with another girl
But I don't sweat it because it's just pathetic
To let it get me involved in that he said she said crowd
I know that ain't nobody perfect
I give props to those who deserve it
And believe me y'all, he's worth it
So here's to the future 'cause we got through the past
I finally found someone that can make me laugh
You so crazy, I think I want to have your baby
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Yes he is
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Gotta say it again now
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
My man is smooth like Barry, and his voice got bass
A body like Arnold with a Denzel face
He's smart like a doctor with a real good rep
And when he comes home he's relaxed with Pep
He always got a gift for me every time I see him
A lot of snot-nosed ex-flames couldn't be him
He never ran a corny line once to me yet
So I give him stuff that he'll never forget
He keeps me on Cloud Nine just like the Temps
He's not a fake wannabe tryin' to be a pimp
He dresses like a dapper don, but even in jeans
He's a God sent original, the man of my dreams
Yes, my man says he loves me, never says he loves me not
Tryin' to rush me good and touch me in the right spot
See other guys that I've had, they tried to play all that mac shit
But every time they tried I said, "That's not it"
But not this man, he's got the right potion
Baby, rub it down and make it smooth like lotion
Yeah, the ritual highway to heaven
From seven to seven he's got me open like Seven Eleven
And yes, it's me that he's always choosin'
With him I'm never losin', and he knows that my name is not Susan
He always has heavy conversation for the mind
Which means a lot to me 'cause good men are hard to find
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Say it again y'all
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
I said what a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
My man gives real loving that's why I call him Killer
He's not a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, he's a thriller
He takes his time and does everything right
Knocks me out with one shot for the rest of the night
He's a real smooth brother, never in a rush
And he gives me goose pimples with every single touch
Spends quality time with his kids when he can
Secure in his manhood 'cause he's a real man
A lover and a fighter and he'll knock a nucca out
Don't take him for a sucker 'cause that's what he's about
Every time I need him, he always got my back
Never disrespectful 'cause his mama taught him that
I got a good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
A mighty mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Yes he is
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
What a mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
What a mighty mighty good man
What a mighty good man
Uh, hey hey
All right, yeah
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Gotta say it again now
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Yes he is
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
I want to take a minute or two, and give much respect due
To the man that's made a difference in my world
And although most men are ho's, he flows on the down low
'Cause I never heard about him with another girl
But I don't sweat it because it's just pathetic
To let it get me involved in that he said she said crowd
I know that ain't nobody perfect
I give props to those who deserve it
And believe me y'all, he's worth it
So here's to the future 'cause we got through the past
I finally found someone that can make me laugh
You so crazy, I think I want to have your baby
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Yes he is
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Gotta say it again now
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
My man is smooth like Barry, and his voice got bass
A body like Arnold with a Denzel face
He's smart like a doctor with a real good rep
And when he comes home he's relaxed with Pep
He always got a gift for me every time I see him
A lot of snot-nosed ex-flames couldn't be him
He never ran a corny line once to me yet
So I give him stuff that he'll never forget
He keeps me on Cloud Nine just like the Temps
He's not a fake wannabe tryin' to be a pimp
He dresses like a dapper don, but even in jeans
He's a God sent original, the man of my dreams
Yes, my man says he loves me, never says he loves me not
Tryin' to rush me good and touch me in the right spot
See other guys that I've had, they tried to play all that mac shit
But every time they tried I said, "That's not it"
But not this man, he's got the right potion
Baby, rub it down and make it smooth like lotion
Yeah, the ritual highway to heaven
From seven to seven he's got me open like Seven Eleven
And yes, it's me that he's always choosin'
With him I'm never losin', and he knows that my name is not Susan
He always has heavy conversation for the mind
Which means a lot to me 'cause good men are hard to find
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Say it again y'all
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
I said what a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
My man gives real loving that's why I call him Killer
He's not a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, he's a thriller
He takes his time and does everything right
Knocks me out with one shot for the rest of the night
He's a real smooth brother, never in a rush
And he gives me goose pimples with every single touch
Spends quality time with his kids when he can
Secure in his manhood 'cause he's a real man
A lover and a fighter and he'll knock a nucca out
Don't take him for a sucker 'cause that's what he's about
Every time I need him, he always got my back
Never disrespectful 'cause his mama taught him that
I got a good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
A mighty mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
Yes he is
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
What a mighty good man
What a man, what a man, what a man
What a mighty good man
He's a mighty mighty good man
What a mighty mighty good man
What a mighty good man
Lyrics submitted by Boonechic_21
Whatta Man Lyrics as written by Cheryl James Herby Azor
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, SPIRIT MUSIC ALPHA, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Reminds me of Gregory House. :D