Saturday, 3 August 2002
I'm just a simple man
In the morning sun, I'll recline
With a cup of tea in hand
I think that's just fine
Yes, I'm just a simple man
[Verse 2]
I'm just a simple chap
I like food and I like wine
With good friends, I'll sit and chat
Together as we dine
Yes, I'm just a simple chap
[Verse 3]
I'm just a simple fellow
I like to be at peace all the time
To keep life relaxed and mellow
To not have much trouble on my mind
Yes, I'm just a simple fellow
[Verse 4]
I'm just a simple guy
And if I can love my neighbour down the line
I'll be doing well, so I'll always try
Praying only the simple truth will leave these lips of mine
Yes, I'm just a simple guy
[Verse 5]
I'm just a simple man
In the quiet evening, you'll find
Me sitting with a cup of tea in hand
That certainly is just fine
Yes, I'm just a simple man
Analysis of A Simple Man Lyrics
Pastoral Idealism and the Rhetoric of Contentment
"A Simple Man" presents a fascinating study in contemporary pastoral literature, employing repetitive structural patterns to reinforce themes of deliberate simplicity and resistance to modern complexity. The song operates as a manifesto of contentment, structured around five verses that follow an almost liturgical pattern of declaration, elaboration, and affirmation.
Structural Architecture and Repetition
The most striking literary device is the formulaic repetition that frames each verse: the opening declaration ("I'm just a simple...") followed by the closing affirmation ("Yes, I'm just a simple..."). This creates a circular, almost meditative quality reminiscent of religious refrains or folk incantations. The variation in terminology—"man," "chap," "fellow," "guy"—suggests an attempt to encompass universal masculine identity whilst maintaining colloquial authenticity.
Pastoral Imagery and Domestic Ritual
The recurring motif of tea-drinking bookends the piece, appearing in both the first and final verses. This creates structural symmetry whilst establishing tea as a symbol of unhurried domesticity and Kiwi cultural identity. The progression from "morning sun" to "quiet evening" traces a complete diurnal cycle, suggesting the speaker's contentment spans all hours of existence.
Social Philosophy Through Simple Language
The fourth verse introduces the song's most complex moral sentiment: "if I can love my neighbour down the line." This biblical echo (referencing the commandment to love one's neighbour) elevates the piece from mere lifestyle preference to ethical statement. The phrase "simple truth" creates a paradox—truth itself as both straightforward and profound.
Anti-Materialist Aesthetic
The lyrics deliberately eschew material markers of success, instead celebrating modest pleasures: food, wine, friendship, peace. This positions the speaker as consciously rejecting contemporary consumer culture in favour of what might be termed "voluntary simplicity." The absence of technology, career ambition, or material possessions is conspicuous and intentional.
The work ultimately functions as a gentle manifesto for mindful living, using the pastoral tradition's celebration of simple pleasures to critique modern complexity without explicit condemnation. Its literary achievement lies in making philosophical contentment seem both attainable and admirable through accessible, conversational language.
