Merely a Man

(Partridge)

Oranges & Lemons

Recordings Art Lyrics Chords and Tablature

Recordings

1. Album version, 3'25.
   Released on Oranges & Lemons.

   Andy: “Someone at the record company in England asked me to write a banal hit single. I said, ‘Right. I'll show them.’ It was a challenge. So I wrote some sexist nonsense. But it wasn't me. I was lying. And I scrapped it. But I liked the riff and the title. I rewrote it in a very boastful way about not following leaders, certainly religious ones. They're only people. The most anyone can offer you is love.”

2. Demo version.
   Released on 2 December 2002 on Fuzzy Warbles Volume One in the U.K.

   Andy: “After writing and demoing this, at the request of Virgin Records, for something more guitary, more commercial and more like ZZ Top (huh?). I must admit, I was reluctant to take it into the studio. This version has a buzzy, idiot charm though.”

[Thanks to R. Stevie Moore]

Art

[THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

Lyrics

  Higher! I'm a king, yes, I'm a head of state. But I'm the kitchen boy who'll wash your dirty plate. I had no message and the message was, we're all Jesus, Buddha, and the Wizard of Oz!
  I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you. I'm merely a man and I want nothing that you can't do!
  And you know it's true. That with logic and love we'll be lifting humanity higher! Higher!
  I'm all religious figures rolled into one, Gaddafy Duck propelled from Jimmy Swaggart's tommy gun. Don't promise rainbows with some golden pot, In fact what I can offer I know you've already got!
  I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you. I'm merely a man and I want nothing that you can't do?
  And you know it's true. That with logic and love we'll have power enough to raise consciousness up and for lifting humanity higher! Higher!
  And you know it's true. We should chase superstition and fear from our hearts if we're going to survive and take levels of sanity higher! Kick it up... Higher!
  I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you. I'm merely a man and I want nothing that you can't do!
  And you know it's true. That with logic and love we'll have power enough to raise consciousness up and for lifting humanity higher!

© 1989 Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd.

Chords and Tablature

Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 22:48:23 +0100
From: Tim Harris <wordsrus (at) wordsrus dot demon dot co dot uk>
Subject: Merely A Man - guitar chords
Message-ID: <D85FpDAnyIwxEw+N (at) wordsrus dot demon dot co dot uk>

A fairly humble contribution in terms of how complicated it looks -
nevertheless an achievement for me. Perhaps someone who has managed to
decipher the songs where I didn't have a clue where to start (thanks)
can sort out what's going on around the E chord of the verse. Anyway, it
sounds right when you play along with the CD!

E (etc E7,  E9?)
Higher

I'm a king yes I'm a head of state

But I'm the kitchen boy who'll wash your dirty plate

I had a message and the message was

We're all Jesus, Budda and the Wizard of Oz
Ab           Eb              Bbm                  Eb
I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you
Ab           Eb             Bbm                   Ab
I'm merely a man and I want nothin that you can't do
        B(7) A(7) B(7)    B(7)  A(7)  B(7)
And you know it's true
B7                                                   E
That with logic and love we'll be lifting humanity higher     higher

(solo with brass re-uses the: Ab-Eb-Bbm-Eb sequence)

Tim Harris

From: Kevin <KB305 (at) aol dot com>
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 17:57:06 -0400
Message-ID: <960723175703_244054811 (at) emout16 dot mail dot aol dot com>
Subject: one more time

Merely a Man

Higher!
F7
I'm a king, yes, I'm a head of state.
But I'm the kitchen boy who'll wash your dirty plate.
I had no message and the message was,
we're all Jesus, Buddha, and the Wizard of Oz!
A            C#m             Bm                   E
I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you.
A            C#m            Bm           E         A
I'm merely a man and I want nothing that you can't do!
C9

                                                                           F7
And you know it's true.
That with logic and love we'll be lifting humanity higher!  Higher!

I'm all religious figures rolled into one,
Gaddafy Duck propelled from Jimmy Swaggart's tommy gun.
Don't promise rainbows with some golden pot,
In fact what I can offer I know you've already got!
I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you.
I'm merely a man and I want nothing that you can't do?

And you know it's true.
That with logic and love we'll have power enough to raise consciousness up
and for lifting humanity higher! Higher!
And you know it's true.
We should chase superstition and fear from our hearts if we're
going to survive and take levels of sanity higher! Kick it up... Higher!
I'm merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you.
I'm merely a man and I want nothing that you can't do!
And you know it's true.  That with logic and love we'll have power
enough to raise consciousness up and for lifting humanity higher!

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