Muddy Waters – Mannish Boy

"Mannish Boy" as written by and Ellas Mcdaniel Mckinley Morganfield....
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Everything gonna be alright this mornin.

Now, when I was young boy,
At the age of five.
My mother said I would be,
The greatest man alive.
But, now I'm a man,
I made twenty-one.
I want you to believe me, honey,
We're havin lots of fun.

I'm a man,
I spell, m - a, chile, - n.
That well within man.
An ol' b - o, chile, - y.
That spell mannish boy.

I'm a man, I'm a full grown man.
I'm a man, I'm a rollin stone.
I'm a man, I'm a hoochie coochie man.

Sittin on the outside,
Was just me and my mate.
I made the move,
Come up two hours late.

Wa'n't that a man?
I spell, m - a, chile, - n.
That well within man.
An ol' b - o, chile, - y.
That spell mannish boy.

I'm a man, I'm a full grown man.
I'm a man, I'm a rollin stone.
I'm a man, I'm a full grown man.

Oh well, oh well...


Lyrics submitted by turtonhot

Mannish Boy song meanings
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9 Comments

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  • +1
    General Commentwhat a great riff
    Ruton February 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentLosing your virginity!
    bkat004on September 19, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentYeah I'm a man is from Bo Diddley
    Ruton June 25, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentDoes anybody else think this is missing a few lyrics. In the version I have he talks about going to get his cousin. "That little John de Cock-a-roo!" and "I make love to ya woman, In five minutes time. AIN'T THAT A MAN!"
    voltafan101on August 02, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentVoltafan, the other lyrics are listed as 'Hoochie Coochie Man' but then the blues is all about improvisation. I guess somebody of this talent would never play a song identically the same twice.
    Mojo Workingon September 04, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThis song is absolutely riveting, especially the version on "The Last Waltz"....... Amazing
    ikefoxon September 11, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentIs'nt it a parody of Bo Diddley's"I'm a man" ?
    Celyon November 18, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General CommentMannish Boy is all about a young man becoming a great "full grown" man. "Full grown" , of course, refers to his man-sized "mate" (male organ) which is made to move a woman for two hours or more ("come up two hours late").
    That little Johnny Cocheroo is a mandrake root (also phallic) used to put a spell on his women before he "moves" her.
    Most blues lyrics are references to sex, sexual organs and sexual acts.
    tbonepon April 01, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThe L'il John is refering to a root that is ground up and mixed with alcohol and black tea.The spelling is dicey because it comes from way back in the voodoo religion.Direct spelling is ;L'il -John- with -the cock-a- root.L'il John is homemade whiskey"moonshine". Try some sometime....sitting down.
    bpcn10econ April 20, 2014   Link

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