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 a young boy
At the age of five
My mother said I was gonna be
The greatest man alive
But now I'm a man
I'm age twenty-one
I want you to believe me, honey
We having lots of fun

I'm a man (yeah)
I spell M
A, child
N
That represent man
No B
O, child
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
Just me and my mate
I'm made to move
Come up two hours late
Wasn't that a man?
I spell M
A, child
N
That represesnt man
No B
O, child
Y
That spell mannish boy
I'm a man
I'm a full-grown man
I'm a man
I'm a rolllin' stone
I'm a man
Full-grown man
Oh, well
Oh, well


Lyrics submitted by turtonhot

"Mannish Boy" as written by Melvin London Ellas Mcdaniel

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

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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