This song was inspired by a collection of many people's Dads - thankfully not my own! Many men have an odd, outdated view of masculinity and sadly try to impose that on their sons. Those sons who try to choose a different path can find it difficult in the face of such stifling intrusion.

Listen what I say, don't watch what I do
I've made my mistakes, I'm gonna make you make them too
I'll make a man out of you

I failed in my life, look what I've become
I can make it right by living through my son
I'll make a man out of you

You can start by pleasing your old man and quit the drama school
In front of the guys in the pub at night it makes me feel a fool
Can't you just be a man, like the other boys can
Do you have to give me the strain of making a man of you

I'll put you in the ring, teach you how to fight
The pride that that will bring me will make everything all right now sonny
I'll make a man out of you

Well I know how to fight now Daddy and its thanks to you
But the only man I ever needed to take on was you
And now I know that I can, its time to be my own man
I never needed you to make a man of me

I was always banned from doing what I want to do
You just don't understand, I'd hate to be like you
I don't wanna be a man like you

When I watch you across the room, you're not a man to me
You're just a cartoon of what a man should be
I don't wanna be a man like you