If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner, take my hand, or
If you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand
I'm your man

If you want a boxer
I will step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor
I'll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver, climb inside
Or if you want to take me for a ride
You know you can
I'm your man

Ah, the moon's too bright
The chain's too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep
Ah, but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
Or I'd crawl to you baby and I'd fall at your feet
And I'd howl at your beauty like a dog in heat
And I'd claw at your heart, and I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please (please)
I'm your man

And if you've got to sleep a moment on the road
I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone
I'll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child
Or only want to walk with me a while across the sand
I'm your man

If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you


Lyrics submitted by division2ronin

I'm Your Man Lyrics as written by Leonard Cohen

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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I'm Your Man song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • +6
    General Comment

    To me this song is deeper than just a love song or the token of someone's commitment. I see this as someone who is obsessive and forceful over a relationship. Who will do anything not to be alone. He is saying he will be whatever she needs, knowing full well that the promises he makes in the long run he can't keep "I've been running through these promises to you, That I made and I could not keep".

    As I'm writing this I am trying to understand if that still is love. I think it might be but it's not a relationship. I guess I'm saying this because I think he's not singing to one particular person. I think he's singing it to every female he could ever possibly be with. He's a desperate romantic, wearing any kind of mask he has to to get the love he needs.

    I'm just saying this from personal experience. I could be completly wrong though.

    jpfennigon June 06, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is so beautiful. I would probably die for anyone who said something like this to me. He is saying that he loves a person, and the love is a special, life-changing kind of love that he would give anything to keep. And the way he sings, the animal-like emotion makes me breathe heavily and feel like there's something happening that I've never before thought of. And I feel this every single time I hear it.

    pristinityon May 27, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    for me this represents the greatest form of love. i want to sing this to somebody, even once.

    ventilatorblueson March 17, 2008   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    One of my favorite LC songs.

    First of all, I think the underlying theme is how a person is willing to do ANYTHING to win an ex-lover back driven by sexual yearnings (he's a "dog in heat"). There are quite a few hilarious allusions to S&M/role-play/kink ("another kind of love," "I'll wear a mask," "The chain's too tight,"strike me down in anger," "If you want a doctor/ I'll examine every inch of you as well" etc.).

    It seems like his lover has left him because he failed or wronged in some way ("I've been running through these promises to you/ That I made and I could not keep") and now he misses her and so he says he'd be or do a number of things to get her back, even if it means to "degrade" himself.

    We don't know much about the woman in question, but perhaps the line "And if you want to work the street alone/ I'll disappear for you" suggests that the woman works in the, um, "oldest profession"?

    hkgmclon October 18, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is one of my favourite Cohen songs. Lyrically it's simpler than some of his others, but some of the imagery in it is fantastic. Although the man is laying his life at her feet - he'll do anything she asks him to - and he can't sleep at night for the need of her, he's not going to beg because he knows she won't respect him for that. But it's the raw need in his voice when he sings how he would beg - just abandon all self respect and dignity - if he thought for a moment that it would work, that makes me listen to this song again and again. This is a wonderful love song.

    katerpillar77on August 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is one of my favourite Cohen songs. Lyrically it's simpler than some of his others, but some of the imagery in it is fantastic. Although the man is laying his life at her feet - he'll do anything she asks him to - and he can't sleep at night for the need of her, he's not going to beg because he knows she won't respect him for that. But it's the raw need in his voice when he sings how he would beg - just abandon all self respect and dignity - if he thought for a moment that it would work, that makes me listen to this song again and again. This is a wonderful love song.

    katerpillar77on August 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song has already been greatly explained. I thought I would mention Dax riggs did a cover of this. It's amazing go check it out.

    immaculatedefecton April 30, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    great song, simple message i love you so much i dont care what you do/want/think i wont change my mind

    joeosbornemusicon June 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is hte way I love. With every bit of my heart and soul.

    Favourite lines:

    "Ah but a man never got a woman back Not by begging on his knees Or I'd crawl to you baby And I'd fall at your feet And I'd howl at your beauty Like a dog in heat And I'd claw at your heart And I'd tear at your sheet I'd say please, please I'm your man"

    DAMN that's intense! I LOVE it!

    Tyler2004durdenon July 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    I think LC doesn't get enuff credit for his sense of humour.Several of his songs crack me up , e.g this one and Tower of Song. The line about being a doctor who will examine every inch of you is a belter. I'm not missing out his lyrical, mystical qualities and his power to see things most of us miss , but don't miss the fun along the way !!

    anajumbleon January 10, 2009   Link

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