A Man Needs a Woman or a Man to Be a Man Lyrics

When we leave, I go into our room
And lay me down on birds of paradise
It's pretty womanly in here!
Roses noting every move
Nothing goes on except what should
A vast legacy of good
And I don't know if I can uphold it on my own
I don't know if I can uphold it on my own
I don't know if I'm to be trusted
In our room
Alone

A man needs a woman or a man to be a man
A man needs a woman or a man to be a man

The light is explicit between nine and noon
The light shows a life to things thought dead
LIke oaken legs and fireworks beneath the bed
Fireworks are wasted in the day
I set 'em off anyway
To pass the time 'til you return
I can't see a thing 'til you return
Maybe a little smoke 'til you return
With fireworks
More fireworks!
With fireworks
More fireworks!
And you tell me to wait
Just wait, wait
Just wait

A man needs a woman or a man to be a man
A man needs a woman or a man to be a man

And when it's good and dark, the sky a wet black
Like earth has turned, you say OK
Now is time, OK, like earth has turned
Above us explode a golden lion dripping red
A blue bear spitting white
A spider of fire on a web of sparks
A green dragon with spiralled eyes
Fireworks light the way
Fireworks light the way
Fireworks light the way
Fireworks light the way

Before us lie many a night
Before us lie fireworks in boxes
But only in you, deep in you
Only in you, deep in you
Is the fire that lights them

A man needs a woman or a man to be a man
A man needs a woman or a man to be a man
4 Meanings

Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.

Add your thoughts...
Cover art for A Man Needs a Woman or a Man to Be a Man lyrics by Bill Callahan

I think I might have totally missed the point with this song, but I got this idea in my head and now it's all I can hear.

To me it seems as if the "fireworks in the day" is masterbation, and he's talking about man needing a sexual partner to be complete, rather than playing with yourself. I guess maybe this is a rather crude interpretation, but once you apply it to the lyrics they do all fall into place.

The last section is describing the true fireworks which his partner ignites when they make love.

Can someone either confirm this, or give me an alternative.

Cover art for A Man Needs a Woman or a Man to Be a Man lyrics by Bill Callahan

No that's completely accurate. Just a fun song about power/roles in sexual relationships etc.

Cover art for A Man Needs a Woman or a Man to Be a Man lyrics by Bill Callahan

You can consider it as both, it has it's funny and its crude side

Cover art for A Man Needs a Woman or a Man to Be a Man lyrics by Bill Callahan

To me it's more about withstanding loneliness and the ecstatic joy of love.

"The man needs a man" is more about the need to express yourself in front of the others.

The woman is gone but the man still loves her and for him the world is shining and sparkling and full of magic. This is where all those fireworks, lions, bears spiders and dragons come from.

 
Questions and Answers

Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.

Ask a question...