The Man Who Would Be King (or simply Man Who Would Be King) is track #4 on The Libertines' second album, The Libertines. The track is credited to Doherty and Barat, and was first heard by fans when a rough demo version was recorded by The Libertines, in May 2003, during their Babyshambles sessions. It is thought that "The Man Who Would Be King" was the only track recorded during the 3 CD sessions that featured Libertines bass player John Hassall. As well as being played with The Libertines, the song has occasionally been played live by Doherty’s current band, Babyshambles.
The Man Who Would Be King takes its title from a short story by Rudyard Kipling. The story was also the inspiration behind the 1975 film of the same name starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine, the theme of which was friendship.
The song is linked with the Libertines debut album, Up The Bracket 's Tell the King; both songs begin the same way, with the same rhythm on drums and chords on guitars. You can also hear Barat saying on "The Man Who Would Be King" the sentence "Another secret for ya" in reference to the sentence "I've got a little secret for ya" he says in Tell the King.
The Libertines | ![]() | Album | 2004-08-30 |
Babyshambles Sessions | ![]() | Session | 2003-05 |
Monitor Mixes | ![]() | Session | 2003 |
Conversations in Eden (& Flophouse) | ![]() | Session | Unknown |
![]() | ![]() | Ancienne Belgique, Brussels | 2016-05-03 |
![]() | ![]() | Music Hall, Paris | 2016-03-09 |
![]() | ![]() | Hamburg | 2010-11-01 |
![]() | ![]() | Nottingham | 2010-10-18 |
![]() | ![]() | Leftfield Tent | 2010-06-25 |
![]() | ![]() | Camden Roundhouse, London | 2009-09-19 |
![]() | ![]() | Paleo Festival, Nyon, Swiss | 2009-07-24 |
![]() | ![]() | Malsaucy, France | 2009-07-04 |
![]() | ![]() | Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline | 2009-06-09 |
![]() | ![]() | San Franscisco, US | 2009-01-08 |
![]() | ![]() | 2004-09-12 | |
![]() | ![]() | London (Whitechapel), UK | 2004-07-13 |
![]() | ![]() | London (Whitechapel), UK | 2004-04-14 |
Another secret for ya
I've been told if you want to make it in this game
You got to have the luck
You got to have the look
To make what I quite like to make it through the night
My heart beats slow fast, I dont feel right
With a sleight of hand I might die
What about you over there?
Don't you think I care?
Well I know you know I know you know I know
And to the man who would be king
I would say only one thing
And to the man who would be king
I will say only one thing
la la la-la-la-laa la la la-la-la-laa
I lived my dreams today
And I have lived it yesterday
And I'll have lived it tomorrow
No don't look at me that way
Well I hear the words you say...
But my heart has gone astray
I watched friendship slip away
But it wasn't s'posed to be that way
I lived my dreams today I lived it yesterday
And I'll be living yours tomorrow
Anything else to say?
I lived my dream today I lived it yesterday
And I'll be living yours tomorrow
So don't look at me that way!
What's about you man, Nancy my dear
What's about you man, Nancy my dear
What's about you man, Nancy my dear
What will you do when she comes here?
Oh she'll kill me
Oh, I don't wanna kill me
And to the man who would be king
I would say only one thing
And to the man who would be king
I would say only one thing
la la la-la-la-laa la la la-la-la-laa
Perish the day when they heed what you say
They'll take you away if they don't like what you say
They don't like what you say
So come what may but I'll never stay
NameThe Man Who Would Be King
BandThe Libertines
CreditsCarl Barat
Peter Doherty
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