You'll Never Be A Man

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You need protection from the physical art of conversation
Though the fist is mightier than the lip, it adds the aggravation

I got the password
I got persuasion
A proposition for invasion of your privacy
Give yourself away and find the fake in me

You'll never be a man
No matter how many foreign bodies you can take
You'll never be a man
When you're half a woman and you're half awake
With a face full of tears and a chemical shake
Given half a chance, that I can take
Are you so superior, are you in such pain
Are you made out of porcelain?
When they made you they broke the cast
Don't wanna be first, I just want to last

You strike a profile on the low side of my imagination
My eyes climbed down to find the point of possible saturation

I got the password
I got persuasion
A proposition for invasion of your privacy
Give yourself away and find the fake in me

You'll never be a man
No matter how many foreign bodies you can take
You'll never be a man
When you're half a woman and you're half awake
Under the table with a chemical shake
Given half a chance, that I can take
Are you so superior, are you in such pain
Are you made out of porcelain?
When they made you they broke the cast
Don't wanna be first, I just want to last

You'll Never Be A Man
Written byElvis Costello
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe in association with Roger Bechirian
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocals, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
Recorded1980, DJM Studios and/or Eden Studios, London
ReleasedJanuary 1981
AlbumsTrust, 1981
Promos4 Tracks From The Trust LP, 1981
Length2:54

First known performance:
July 11, 1980, Orange, France
Last known performance:
February 20, 2023, New York, NY
     (58 known performances)


Alternate versions

You'll Never Be A Man (Alternate Take)
Performed byElvis Costello & The Attractions
Produced byNick Lowe in association with Roger Bechirian
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal, guitar
Steve Nieve - keyboards
Bruce Thomas - bass
Pete Thomas - drums
RecordedJuly 1980, DJM Studios, London
ReleasedJuly 28, 2003
AlbumsTrust (Rhino/Edsel reissue), 2003
Length3:08

You'll Never Be A Man (Live 1996)
Performed byCostello & Nieve
MusiciansElvis Costello - vocal
Steve Nieve - piano
RecordedMay 22, 1996, New York, NY
ReleasedDecember 3, 1996
AlbumsCostello & Nieve, 1996
PromosLive At The Supper Club, New York, 1996
Length3:16
TrustTrust album cover large.jpg

Costello & NieveCostello & Nieve album cover.jpg

Covers

Elastic No-No Band Every Elvis Has His Army: ENB Does EC 2005 website with download
Robbie Fulks & David Nagler performed live, 2016-09-12, The Hideout, Chicago, IL 2016 AllMusicYouTube
Steve Nieve instrumental, performed live, 2020-03-31, The Daily Improvisation, France 2020 Facebook - 6:40
Erich Sellheim home studio production, sung in German 2016 YouTube

Internal links

External links