Why Can't A Man Stand Alone?

Lyrics

Why can't a man stand alone?

Must he be burdened by all that he's taught to consider his own?

His skin and his station, his kin and his crown, his flag and his nation

They just weigh him down

You know pride is a sin that we tend to forgive

But it gets hard to live

When you don't have the love in her heart to begin with

Why can't a man stand alone?

Why can't a woman be just what she seems?

Must she be tarnished by men who can only be men in their dreams?

When beauty meets ignorance they shout in the street

Repeating their offer to each girl they meet

The respect that she needs, it isn't a gift

But it gets hard to lift yourself up

When you don't have the strength to begin with

Why can't a woman stand alone?

Why can't a baby sleep at night and dream of the time to come

And never fear the world outside the touch of someone very near

Why can't a man stand up?

Why can't a man stand up?

Why can't a man stand alone?

Credits

• Written by: Elvis Costello
• Produced by: Geoff Emerick and Elvis Costello
• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocals and guitars

Steve Nieve - keyboards

Bruce Thomas - bass

Pete Thomas - drums and percussion

Discography

Albums:

• All This Useless Beauty, 1996
• All This Useless Beauty (Deluxe Edition), Rhino, 2001
• This section may be incomplete.

Singles:

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Collections:

• Album Name, Year
• This section may be incomplete.

Alternate Versions:

• Why Can't A Man Stand Alone? (demo)

All This Useless Beauty (Deluxe Edition), Rhino, 2001

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Soundtracks:

• none

Various Artists collections:

• none

Covers

Recorded by:

• none
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Performed by:

• none
• This section may be incomplete.

Bootlegs

• This section is incomplete.