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"Are you woman enough to be my man?"

Bushleaguer28Bushleaguer28 Posts: 776
edited March 2010 in Words and Music...Communication
Ive always thought the most powerful part of Hail,Hail was

Sometimes realize, I could only be as good as you'll let me
Are you woman enough to be my man?
Bandaged hand in hand

But for some reason that middle line has always puzzled me . . .

Anyone have any insight as to its meaning?
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Comments

  • acrossssSsssshitttacrossssSsssshittt Posts: 1,014
    For me, this line has always been most meaningful (as has the song generally) because it's about the question of whether a man can find a woman and love her, precisely because he feels absolutely free to say or do anything in her presence and company.... too many men and women both, have social circles of their own respective genders (e.g, girls' nights out/ guys' nights out) simply cuz they need to let out shit which they feel cannot be shared with their partners... and that's sad... it's a norm these days but sad nevertheless... cuz it's only when you can truly say something to, or do something in the company of, the person you love, without gettin a headache about whether it's right or wrong, good or bad, politically correct or not, sexist or not,that you can genuinely be at ease around them.... and most importantly honest... which is why such freedom is not meant to, and ought not to, take anything away from treating a woman with kindness and respect and loving her...

    Far from it... i think it's when men (or women) need to hang around with their own gender to really let loose, that a lack of respect or honesty can arise... But of course, hangin out with your own does not always lead to such negativity and often it's just about chillin n havin fun or whatever... i just think that if you NEED the company of your own gender to, say, talk dirty or bitch every now n then, that's just sad if you are in a marriage or relationship ... (of course if all one does is talk dirty or bitch, that's just a sad person, period :lol:

    I think if a woman were to sing this line, (providing of course she too were a real and honest rocker like Eddie) the line could have been, "Are you man enough to my woman?" :D (if that makes any sense)

    i was in a chilled out relationship like this sometime ago, and therefore this is just my interpretation of what Eddie says here... then again, that's no more, so maybe I've got it all wrong... who the fuck knows...
  • PolPol Posts: 60
    I've always interpreted it as the woman within the relationship is asking the man "Are you woman enough to be my man?" or in other words do you have enough guts/emotional availability to maintain the relationship. She is calling out his feminine side and asking him to see things from a woman's perspective instead of the usual macho bullshit attitude that a lot of men stereotypically have towards relationships and women.

    Wonderful song! :D
    In Pearl Jam we trust!
  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    Are you strong enough to be "my man", EG the strong person for the Ed.
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  • acrossssSsssshitttacrossssSsssshittt Posts: 1,014
    Pol wrote:
    I've always interpreted it as the woman within the relationship is asking the man "Are you woman enough to be my man?" or in other words do you have enough guts/emotional availability to maintain the relationship. She is calling out his feminine side and asking him to see things from a woman's perspective instead of the usual macho bullshit attitude that a lot of men stereotypically have towards relationships and women.

    Wonderful song! :D


    yeah i can see that too...
  • BinauralJamBinauralJam Posts: 14,158
    it means he's gay
  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    KO282453 wrote:
    it means he's gay

    I was about to type this exact same thing.
    ADD 5,200 to the post count you see, thank you. :)
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  • evenflowevenflow Posts: 401
    CJMST3K wrote:
    KO282453 wrote:
    it means he's gay

    I was about to type this exact same thing.

    That means you're gay :D
    It's all about the music...

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  • BinauralJamBinauralJam Posts: 14,158
    evenflow wrote:
    CJMST3K wrote:
    KO282453 wrote:
    it means he's gay

    I was about to type this exact same thing.

    That means you're gay :D

    Thats what she said.
  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,721
    means you are all gays :lol:
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  • acrossssSsssshitttacrossssSsssshittt Posts: 1,014
    homosexuality...
  • DreamOfAngelsDreamOfAngels Posts: 829
    Pol wrote:
    I've always interpreted it as the woman within the relationship is asking the man "Are you woman enough to be my man?" or in other words do you have enough guts/emotional availability to maintain the relationship. She is calling out his feminine side and asking him to see things from a woman's perspective instead of the usual macho bullshit attitude that a lot of men stereotypically have towards relationships and women.

    Wonderful song! :D
    I never saw it as this but that's an interesting interpretation. I always looked at it as if the man singing has the stereotype characteristics of a woman in terms of being more in touch with his emotional side (i.e. the stereotype of a woman) and needing an strong parter (i.e. the man of the relationship). Make sense?

    If you take all three of the lines the OP pasted as if the woman is speaking to the man... that would definitely support Pol's interpretation in my opinion.

    Sure wish Ed would write and let us know. :)
  • DreamOfAngelsDreamOfAngels Posts: 829
    There are a few other songs where he clearly is singing a "conversation".. the problem is, he doesn't change his voice to be different people while he is singing, so it's hard to know who is person A and B. For example, Alive, he actually sings "you're still alive, she said" so you know someone else is in the conversation :)

    When I read stories to my kids, I change my voice which makes it much easier to visualize 8-)
  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    evenflow wrote:
    CJMST3K wrote:
    KO282453 wrote:
    it means he's gay

    I was about to type this exact same thing.

    That means you're gay :D

    Is there a problem that I'm gay?
    ADD 5,200 to the post count you see, thank you. :)
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  • evenflowevenflow Posts: 401
    CJMST3K wrote:
    Is there a problem that I'm gay?


    Not at all, I believe to each his (or her) own. Plus, being gay means you get to rock that sweet moustache! :lol:
    It's all about the music...

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  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    evenflow wrote:
    CJMST3K wrote:
    Is there a problem that I'm gay?


    Not at all, I believe to each his (or her) own. Plus, being gay means you get to rock that sweet moustache! :lol:


    Haha... I'm not gay. I just like messing with people. :D
    ADD 5,200 to the post count you see, thank you. :)
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  • evenflowevenflow Posts: 401
    CJMST3K wrote:
    Haha... I'm not gay. I just like messing with people. :D

    Yeah, I kinda figured that, but I gotta say, I've always thought K.I.T.T. preffered to drive in the left lane if you know what I mean. :? :lol:
    It's all about the music...

    http://www.myspace.com/christianjame (Music Page)

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  • CJMST3KCJMST3K Posts: 9,722
    evenflow wrote:
    CJMST3K wrote:
    Haha... I'm not gay. I just like messing with people. :D

    Yeah, I kinda figured that, but I gotta say, I've always thought K.I.T.T. preffered to drive in the left lane if you know what I mean. :? :lol:


    You should see his stick shift. :shock:
    ADD 5,200 to the post count you see, thank you. :)
    *NYC 9/28/96 *NYC 9/29/96 *NJ 9/8/98 (front row "may i play drums with you")
    *MSG 9/10/98 (backstage) *MSG 9/11/98 (backstage)
    *Jones Beach 8/23/00 *Jones Beach 8/24/00 *Jones Beach 8/25/00
    *Mansfield 8/29/00 *Mansfield 8/30/00 *Nassau 4/30/03 *Nissan VA 7/1/03
    *Borgata 10/1/05 *Camden 5/27/06 *Camden 5/28/06 *DC 5/30/06
    *VA Beach 6/17/08 *DC 6/22/08 *MSG 6/24/08 (backstage) *MSG 6/25/08
    *EV DC 8/17/08 *EV Baltimore 6/15/09 *Philly 10/31/09
    *Bristow VA 5/13/10 *MSG 5/20/10 *MSG 5/21/10
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