MISTER, YOU’RE A BETTER MAN THAN I
“Mister, You’re a Better Man Than I”, alternately listed as “Mr. You’re a Better Man Than I” and simply as “You’re a Better Man Than I”, is a song first recorded by the English rock band the Yardbirds. It was written by brothers Mike and Brian Hugg, and was introduced as the B-side to the “Shapes of Things” single in February 1966. With its politically-conscientious lyrics and catchy melody, “Mister, You’re a Better Man Than I” has been covered several times. While it was not penned by any of the band members, nonetheless “Mister, You’re a Better Man Than I”, along with “Shapes of Things”, is perhaps the best example of Jeff Beck’s experimentation with distorted guitar instrumentals and use of feedback in the Yardbirds’ recordings. (More from Wikipedia)
Another song on Ear-Piercing Punk is my favorite version of the absolute best anti-prejudice protest song, “Mister, You’re a Better Man than I” by a band called the Herde. (First verse: “Can you judge a man, / by the way he wears his hair? / Can you read his mind, / by the clothes that he wears? / Can you see a bad man, / by the pattern on his tie? / Well then, mister, you’re a better man than I . . .”). “Mister, You’re a Better Man than I” was written by two of the guys in Manfred Mann, though the better known version is by the Yardbirds, so that is high praise indeed.
(April 2011)
