In 2009, pop music dominated the airwaves. Banjos were not heard on Top 40 radio. But that changed when a rising British folk-pop band, Mumford & Sons, released their debut single, “Little Lion Man.”
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The song was an instant hit for several reasons, the main one being that it was just so different. Following on the heels of famous artists like Kesha and Lady Gaga, Mumford & Sons were something completely new. They played acoustic instruments, their tracks weren’t polished, and the lyrics were deep and philosophical. Moreover, “Little Lion Man” contained a frank F-bomb—in the chorus, no less—shocking more people into taking notice.
“Little Lion Man” is irresistible because of its catchy-ness; it’s a high-energy, almost frantic song that’s heavy with double bass, acoustic guitar, and banjo. The single rocketed to the top of the charts, earning a Grammy nomination and ushering in a new age of mainstream folk music.
The band went on to score more big hits, such as “The Cave,” “Lover of the Light,” and “I Will Wait.” But “Little Lion Man” remains an essential part of their discography, and is still one of the band’s most deeply philosophical. So, what is the meaning behind “Little Lion Man,” and what makes it so great?
The Background of “Little Lion Man”
“Little Lion Man” is a unique song, a combination of self-reproach and painful regret over rollicking high-tempo banjos. While frontman Marcus Mumford says the song was written as a reflection on a personal experience, he has never elaborated.
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The most important thing, he believes, was the shock factor. It’s meant to be a “come-to-Jesus” experience, in a sense. Mumford has always said that the stripped-down instrumentals and blunt lyrics are all a part of that concept.
“I find it difficult when you write a song, it’s kind of like sometimes it’s in kind of a desperate moment, when you can’t really articulate it,” Mumford tells NPR. “It’s one of those moments when you sit yourself down, and you review your life, and you talk to yourself in the mirror.”
The Meaning of The Song
“Little Lion Man” is written from the point of view of an older person speaking to a younger one. The younger man, nicknamed “Little Lion Man,” believes he is brave and righteous. However, his arrogance has caused more problems than he was solving.
The narrator—who may be an older version of Little Lion Man—encourages him to feel regret for his actions, as it is the only way he can begin to fix them. But he also reminds him that this was all a problem of his own making.
Weep, Little Lion Man
You’re not as brave as you were at the start
Rate yourself and rake yourself
Take all the courage you have left
And waste it on fixing all the problems
That you made in your own head
In the second verse, the narrator goes even further, encouraging Little Lion Man to give up his argumentative nature. Because, ultimately, he’s looking for conflicts that aren’t worth winning. Though he thinks of himself as fearless and right, he actually acts like a child and hurts people in the process.
The lyrics bring the lion metaphor full circle at the end of the second verse:
Your grace is wasted in your face
Your boldness stands alone among the wreck
Now learn from your mother
Or else spend your days biting your own neck
This refers to mother lions carrying their cubs by biting their neck. The narrator suggests that if Little Lion Man doesn’t change, he’ll be stuck as a child forever.
The Famous Curse Word
One of the most stand-out moments of the song comes in the chorus, with a blunt admission of guilt that doesn’t shy away from the plain facts:
It was not your fault but mine
And it was your heart on the line
I really fucked it up this time
Didn’t I, my dear?
The use of the curse word was a controversial one, but band members insisted on keeping it. Mumford said that it was necessary for the emotional rawness of the song, and thus a vital component.
“There was definitely something about being emotionally vulnerable that was culturally acceptable at that time, and it has been since,” Mumford tells Billboard. “There’s been a resurgence in the past decade of a generation that are emotionally quite aware, allowing emotional vulnerability from their stars is something that’s more culturally acceptable, and even attractive.”
The offending verb earned a radio edit, which amounted to a brief silence to make it acceptable for airplay.
“There were people asking, ‘Is there any way you can write a different word? We’ll do anything!’” Mumford told Entertainment Weekly. “But I now have my parents agreeing with me as well. My mum’s justifying it to other people: ‘ There’s no other word that fits, it has to be that one!’”
The Legacy of “Little Lion Man”
“Little Lion Man” peaked at No. 1 on the American Alternative Airplay charts and No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has been widely credited for cementing Mumford & Sons as superstars and ushering in the folk-rock craze that would remain popular through much of the 2010s. Some have credited Mumford & Sons for opening the door for hit tracks such as “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers, “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men, and “Wake Me Up” by Avicii.
Marcus Mumford maintains that the song’s real legacy is its authenticity in the lyrics and musical elements. One thing is certain: this barebones approach would continue to define the band’s subsequent success.
Photo by Gus Stewart/Redferns
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