I'm Your Man – English Lyrics

• By: Mitski
• Album: The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the intricate emotional landscape of Mitski's "I'm Your Man," a song that masterfully uses metaphor and shifting perspectives to explore complex feelings of guilt and betrayal. Through its poetic lyrics, you can learn to appreciate the nuanced ways language can express internal conflict, making it a compelling piece for those looking to deepen their understanding of both English and the human condition.

[English]

You're an angel, I'm a dog

Or you're a dog and I'm your man

You believe me like a god

I'll destroy you like I am

I'm sorry I'm the one you love

No one will ever love me like you again

So when you leave me, I should die

I deserve it, don't I?

...

I can feel it gettin' near

Like flashlights comin' down the way

One day you'll figure me out

I'll meet judgment by the hounds

People always gave me love

Others were never to blame after all

You believe me like a god

I'll betray you like a man

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
angel /ˈeɪndʒəl/ A1	noun - a spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God
dog /dɒɡ/ A1	noun - a domesticated carnivorous mammal that typically has a long snout, an acute sense of smell, and a barking, howling, or whining voice
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A2	verb - to accept that something is true or real
destroy /dɪˈstrɔɪ/ A2	verb - to damage so badly that something no longer exists or cannot be repaired
sorry /ˈsɒri/ A1	adjective - feeling regret or sorrow over an unfortunate situation
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep affection for someone or something verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something
leave /liːv/ A1	verb - to go away from a place or person
die /daɪ/ A1	verb - to stop living
deserve /dɪˈzɜːv/ B1	verb - to merit or be qualified for something, usually due to one's actions
feel /fiːl/ A1	verb - to experience an emotion or sensation
near /nɪər/ A1	adjective - close in time or space
figure /ˈfɪɡə/ B1	verb - to understand or solve something after thinking about it
judgment /ˈdʒʌdʒmənt/ B2	noun - the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions
blame /bleɪm/ A2	verb - to say or think that someone is responsible for something bad
betray /bɪˈtreɪ/ B1	verb - to expose someone to danger or harm by revealing a secret

Key Grammar Structures

• Comparison of identities between two beings (angel/dog/man).

  ➔ Parallel structure

  ➔ Repeated grammatical forms create balance and rhythm, linking contrasting identities.

• Statement showing belief similar to worship.

  ➔ Simile with 'like'

  ➔ Uses 'like' to compare belief to godlike faith, showing devotion metaphorically.

• Apology followed by noun clause expressing reason for sorrow.

  ➔ Noun clause introduced by 'that/wh-' (understood)

  ➔ The clause acts as the object of 'sorry', explaining what the speaker regrets.

• Conditional expression about deserving punishment.

  ➔ Tag question

  ➔ Uses an auxiliary question tag to seek confirmation of a moral statement.

• Description of an approaching event felt emotionally.

  ➔ Present continuous for future event

  ➔ Uses present continuous to express something that is coming soon or inevitable.

• Prediction about someone discovering the speaker's true self.

  ➔ Future simple ('will') + phrasal verb

  ➔ Combines 'will' for inevitability and a phrasal verb for natural spoken tone.

• Judgment expressed using passive-like phrasing ('by the hounds').

  ➔ Passive voice with agent

  ➔ Agent phrase 'by...' identifies who performs the action in a passive sentence.

• Reflection showing causation or justification after a statement.

  ➔ Conjunction 'after all'

  ➔ Shows reasoning or justification to soften or clarify a previous claim.