I am just an aging drummer boy
And in the wars I used to play
And I've called the tune to many a torture session
Now they say I am a war criminal
And I'm fading away
Father, please hear my confession

I have legalized robbery
Called it belief
I have run with the money
I have hid like a thief
Rewritten history with armies and my crooks
Invented memories
I did burn all the books
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong

Well, I've tried to be meek
I have tried to be mild
But I spat like a woman
And I sulked like a child
I have lived behind walls that have made me alone
Striven for peace
Which I never have known
And I can still hear his laughter
And I can still hear his song
The man's too big
The man's too strong

Well, the sun rose on the courtyard
And we all did hear him say
"You always was a Judas,
But I got you anyway.
You may have got your silver
But I swear upon my life
Your sister gave me diamonds
And I laid down with your wife."
Oh father, please help me
For I have done wrong
The man's too big
The man's too strong


Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by OtterSpotter, KoosG

The Man's Too Strong song meanings
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    Basicly the same message than on "Ride across the river". It really looks MK was inspired by the thing. Pure duality about what's wrong and right on wars. He can be just a drummer boy or a dictator, it doesn't matter. The guy also is confessing, both interrogued (when he calls god in torture sessions, which might mean he apealed to that reasons for what he did, both being tortured or applying torture himself, again intentional ambiguity)and to God (father) at the end of the song, and whe he says "The man's..." he refers to the human being on the whole, obviously included himself. The confession itself is maybe a realistic thing or even a cinical one which the song would be criticising. MK very usually impersonates (as the one who tells the story) the one the song is criticising. This one, Ticket to heaven, RATR, All the songs about "jerks" as himself says, etc.. In fact very few times he takes a 3rd person point of view, as in "Iron hand", where he seats apart, watches and tells, probably because it's about a particular fact that impressed him so much. In this one, I don't think there's forgiving for the baddie. BTW, sometimes live "I gave 'em to your wife" ends it with a "...with your wife", but I can't understand the verb, I mean it'd be as "I spent them"... anyone knows? cheers

    sapitoon January 23, 2012   Link

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