Around 5 years ago Stephen and visual Artist Anoushka Schellekens came together to create an exhibition around his song “More Than Me”. The conversations and collaboration that followed inspired Stephen. He drew from Schellekens ability to explore and expose her own lived experiences in her work and thus “The Man'' came to fruition. The exhibition did a string of dates in Ireland, England and Scotland. This intense experience and the reaction from the people who attended made it clear how important it was to Stephen to get these songs and their recordings right. “The Man'' follows the life of a boy moving from birth to early adulthood. It chronicles the specific type of societal pressure young boys face and how violence is not only deemed acceptable but positive in how they are raised. The idea that, if only violence is taught how can you expect someone to respond with anything other than violence, ripples throughout the song. To be clear “The Man'' should not be seen as a response to “More Than Me” but rather the examination of the other side of a different coin.
Lyrics
He was born with his eyes wide open
Arms outstretched not knowing what the world was hoping
They’d gather ‘round his bed and fill his head
With notions
They’d comment on his size “my oh my isn’t he a prize”
He’ll carry the whole world on his shoulders
They’d look him in the eye and describe
How he’d "break hearts when he’s older"
How he’d be the man
8 years old out on his push bike
Messing with the boys not a helmet in sight
His sister ordered home, nearly two hours ago
Wrapped in pads from head to toe
He goes flying down the hill, pulls the break back too far
Loses the back tyre, hits the pavement hard.
Hobbles home to see his father coming out
Clips him ‘round the ear and says boy, "I’ll give you something to cry about"
You Gotta be the man
15 and he’s moving quick
Had sex with a few girls, has the pics to prove it
He’s got the attitude, got the whole world at his fingertips
But anything other than anger or joy don’t seem to fit
He has no way of dealing with them
No experience to pull from
Anything else has been beaten out of him And then some
Taught at a young age to beat or be eaten
He runs with the crowd and lets them lead him
He has a 20 year old girl now he sees on the weekdays
Bunks school to take drugs and shag the day away
He’s not growing, not in any emotional sense
At 15 everything but his size has been stunted
But why should he care? Everythings going to plan
At least that’s what the t.v. his friends and his dad keep tellin him
If you’re not Charlie Sheen, well then you’re Alan
And so far the whole worlds keeps sellin’
That He’s the man
Revel in it now boys
When the shit hits the fan
You’ve had all your toys
Show me who’s the man
When the ship goes down
When the ship goes down
When the ship goes down
Who’s the man?