Bruce wrote “My Lover Man” for Patti Scialfa’s first album, but she decided not to use it.<\/p>\n
No wait, that’s not right: “My Lover Man” was originally intended for the movie\u00a0Philadelphia<\/em>, which explains its homoerotic theme.<\/p>\n Hang on–that’s not right, either.<\/p>\n I’ve heard both of those theories floated several times, and more besides that.<\/p>\n I don’t believe any of them, but more importantly: why must fans search for an explanation as to why Bruce wrote this song? It’s not as if Bruce hasn’t written from the female perspective before: “Devil’s Arcade<\/a>” is unmistakably sung in the voice of a woman, as is “Car Wash<\/a>.”<\/p>\n I suspect it’s the outright romantic nature of the song that makes some fans uncomfortable with it, as well as the explicit title.<\/p>\n I think the more interesting question is: what made him write about the subject matter from\u00a0any\u00a0<\/em>perspective. And if there’s controversy to be found, it’s in the debate over the wisdom of a character who shrugs off their partner’s infidelity and chalks it up to “hey, men are just like that.”<\/p>\n If Bruce gives us any clue at all as to his motivation for the song, it’s probably found not in the lyrics but rather the music. Take a listen:<\/p>\n