"Merely a Man" is a song by Andy Partridge. It appeared on the 1989 album Oranges & Lemons.
The demo appeared on Andy's Fuzzy Warbles Volume 1 in 2002. "Shaking Skin House," the song's precursor, appeared on Fuzzy Warbles Volume 6 in 2004.
Quotes[]
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.”
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.”
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