It Takes a Lot to Know a Man Songtext
von Damien Rice

It takes a lot to know a man

It takes a lot to understand

The warrior, the sage
The little boy enraged

It takes a lot to know a woman
A lot to understand what′s humming
The honey-bee, the stings
The little girl with wings

It takes a lot to give
To ask for help, to be yourself
To know and love what you live with

It takes a lot to breathe
To touch, to feel the slow reveal
Of what another body needs

It takes a lot to know a man
A lot to know to understand

The father and the son
The hunter and the gun


It takes a lot to know a woman
A lot to comprehend what's coming
The mother and the child
The muse and the beguiled

It takes a lot to give
To ask for help, to be yourself
To know and love what you live with

It takes a lot to be
To touch, to feel the slow reveal
Of what another body needs

It takes a lot to give
To ask for help, to be yourself
To know and love what you live with

It takes a lot to breathe
To touch, to feel the slow reveal
Of what another body needs

It takes a lot to live
To ask for help, to be yourself

To know and love what you live with

It takes a lot to breathe
To touch, to feel the slow reveal
Of what another body needs


What are you so afraid to lose?
What is it you′re thinking that will happen if you do? (so afraid to lose)
What are you so afraid to lose? (Tell me, tell me, you're nervous and you're sorry)
What is it you′re thinking that will happen if you do?
(Crying like a baby, saying this thing is killing me)

(It takes a lot to know a man...)
What are you so afraid to lose?
(It takes a lot to know a man...)
What is it you′re thinking that will happen if you do?
(It takes a lot to know a man...)
What is it you carry on your bag?
(It takes a lot to know a man...)
What is it you notice when you know you can't laugh?
(Know you can, have to know...)