Many Too Many

Genesis

Many too many have stood where I stand
Many more will stand here too
I think what I find strange is the way you built me up
Then knocked me down again

The part was fun but now it's over
Why can't I just leave the stage?
Maybe that's because you securely locked me up
Then threw away the key

Oh mama
Please would you find the key
Oh pretty mama
Please won't you let me go free
I thought I was lucky
I thought that I'd got it made
How could I be so blind?

You said good-bye on a corner
That I thought led to the straight
You set me on a firmly laid and simple course
Then removed the road

Oh mama
Please help me find my way
Oh pretty mama
Please lead me through the next day
I thought I was lucky
Oh I thought that I'd got it made
How could I be so blind? Oh no


Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae

Many Too Many Lyrics as written by Anthony George Banks

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

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Many Too Many song meanings
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6 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment
    to me this about the confusion felt by one sad lost brokenhearted man. talking of his need to carry on, finding a way out from the life he had, to the woman that abandonned him... and not to Anthony phillips lol because i have to say the 'mama' reference here ..well it might confirm that it ain't about Hackett's frustration felt among the band..and simply exclude that this is the (predictable) one subject of the song right ? :) ahh fans and their band's mythology..... ;)
    naivadaon September 16, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    not what I thought, but it's probably close to the truth.
    Typhoon TAon August 23, 2007   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion
    Beautiful. The way the music seems to tumble down following the words "the way you built me up, Then knocked me down again" is just one of several master-strokes !
    IntenseMeon November 16, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation
    To me this is a song about someone who has fallen in love with someone who probably just was having a casual fling. It seems supported by the lyrics. Sounds like the "many too many have stood where I stand" is written about a guy who fell for a "heartbreaker" who has already moved on to someone else (hence "many more will stand here too"). Also seems like the protagonist had his ego propt up by his false notion that this person was going to stick with them (hence the "built me up then knocked me down again). The lesson hopefully learned here is to not put stock in someone too soon, no matter how great they seem.
    mattdan79on August 17, 2018   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation
    Some women love to control the narrative. That's what this lyric is about. They will trap you ("locked me up") & trick you ("removed the road"). They won't let you out of the trap, & they won't help you find a way. Is love involved? That's difficult to say. Likely not. These women often ensnare many as a matter of course. & then walk away. Without consequence.
    FOBiggleson October 21, 2022   Link
  • -3
    General Comment
    this is steve hacketts leaving present. the many too many refernce perhaps referin to other guitarists who had been in his position and left previously like anthony phillips. the part about bein locked up i guess is about his frustration at bein left out of the musical process more and more as time passed. he ended up with less imput in the group bein left with short solo's towards the end of his run. -not sure about the use of mama in this song. the jist remains that he was unhappy bein in the band. i read somewhere that hackett actually did say goodbye on a corner to phil shortly before bein due to play... sad really, i liked hacketts parts. good solo run after tho'! he's always re-using genesis stuff like blood on the rooftops and los endos.
    parberooon April 15, 2005   Link

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