I'm Not the Man I Used to Be

"I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" is a song by British pop-rock band Fine Young Cannibals. It was released as the fourth single from the band's 1988 album The Raw & the Cooked. The song reached the top 40 charts in the United Kingdom, Canada, Austria, and the Netherlands.

"I'm Not the Man I Used to Be"
Single by Fine Young Cannibals
from the album The Raw & the Cooked
B-side	"Motherless Child"
Released	1989
Genre	Pop rock
Length	4:20
Label	I.R.S.
Songwriter(s)	Roland Gift, David Steele
Producer(s)	Fine Young Cannibals
Fine Young Cannibals singles chronology
"Don't Look Back" (1989) "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" (1989) "I'm Not Satisfied" (1990)

Composition

Written by lead vocalist Roland Gift and bassist David Steele, "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" contains prominent drum beats with keyboards and finger-picked guitar accompaniment. The song utilises throughout the track a sample from "Funky Drummer" by James Brown.^[1] Allmusic writer Jo-Ann Greene described the song as having "a futuristic jungle beat and an almost housey production".^[2]

Release and reception

"I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" entered the UK Singles Chart in November 1989 and spent eight weeks on the chart, peaking at number 20.^[3] The song also peaked at number 29 in Austria and the Netherlands,^[4] number 35 in Canada,^[5] and number 54 in the United States.^[6]

Dave Thompson of AllMusic praised Gift for "[h]is introspective lyrics and almost wistful performance".^[1]

Track listing

7" vinyl

1. "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" - 4:20
2. "Motherless Child" - 2:33

12" vinyl, CD maxi-single

1. "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" (7" Mix) - 4:20
2. "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" (12" Remix) - 4:42
3. "I'm Not the Man I Used to Be" (Instrumental) - 4:25
4. "Motherless Child" - 2:37

Charts

Chart (1989)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart[3]	20
Austrian Singles Chart[4]	29
Canadian Singles Chart[5]	35
Dutch Top 40[4]	29
US Billboard Hot 100[6]	54
US Dance Music/Club Play[6]	8