This song seems to be about how most of society’s sexism affects men, too. Because of sexism (“machismo” in Portuguese, as seen in verse 1) making women and femininity be seen as inferior, feminine men are seen as weak and “not real men”, it makes it seem like you’re only a real man if you’re rude,...
[Verse 1]
You got a lotta bravado
You coppin' massive machismo, you know
You wanna mano a mano, baby
I ain't no violent type though, you know me
Don't got no villain vaquero
Don't got no Marlyboro to smoke
I'm just a flower child lately
Sippin' the milk brought out by the poppyseed
[Chorus 1]
Help me help you understand
I'm not a real man
I am the mistress of a gun
I get it in bed before it kills someone, yuh-huh-uh
[Verse 2]
But if you fuck with my family (Ah-ah-ah-ah)
You'll see the lover inside me leave me
I've got a bull, ballistic baby
He get a little sadistic, a little crazy
[Chorus 2]
Help me help you to understand
He's not a real man
He's a delinquent in the street
Out running his mouth off, unable to speak of a simple feelin'
[Bridge]
(We live in a jungle, a bloody jungle)
Mano a mano jungle, baby
You're not a violent type, well, to you godspeed
[Chorus 3]
Somebody help me to understand
Just what is a real man?
Is it an infant with a stick
Out pickin' a fight with the quieter kids?
I have come to understand
Just what is a real man
He is the mama of a war
He's singin' to sleep before it can deploy
He's pinchin' the cheek of a little destroyer
He's rockin' grenaders in a cradle
A sedater
[Outro]
Yeah-ah-ah-ah
Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah
(Hey, hey, hey)
(Hey, hey, hey)
(Hey, hey, hey)
(Hey, hey, hey)
Mano a Mano was written by Ryan Guldemond.
Mano a Mano was produced by Ryan Guldemond & Jason “JVP” Van Poederooyen.
Mother-mother released Mano a Mano on Fri Jun 06 2025.