"A Man I'll Never Be" is a song written by Tom Scholz and first released on Boston's 1978 album Don't Look Back. It was also released as a single and reached #31 on the Billboard Hot 100, spending five weeks on the chart. It also reached #27 in Canada.

"A Man I'll Never Be" is a change of pace from the songs on Boston's debut album and some of the other songs on Don't Look Back. Allmusic critic Tim Sendra claimed that the song reveals "a reflective side that was nowhere to be found on Boston." Paul Grein of Billboard commented on the song's "religious feel," describing it as "the softest cut on the album" and noting that "it may well be a strong single." Grein also commented on the song's "moody organ solo" and "ponderous ballad sound."Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci described the song as "an introspective ballad, unlike the band's typical material and rated it the band's 10th all time best song.New West magazine described the song's subject as "how hard it is to live up to a girl's image of a boy."Rolling Stone critic Ken Emerson compared "A Man I'll Never Be" to Led Zeppelin's lengthy classic song "Stairway to Heaven." On Boston's official site, David Wild described the song as "a slowburning power ballad reflecting real grown-up concerns and lived-in reality." Craig Rosen of Billboard Magazine concurred in describing the song as a power ballad.Los Angeles Times critic Jon Matsumoto called the song "a grandiose guilty pleasure." On the other hand, Milo Miles of Boston Phoenix called it a long stretch "of immaculate self-abuse."

According to Scholz, the lyrics came to "A Man I'll Never Be" came to him quickly after he completed the music.Brad Delp sang the lead vocal and Scholz played lead and rhythm guitar, organ and piano. The song was mostly recorded at Scholz' Hideaway Studio, although the piano part was recorded by engineer and admitted self-promoter David 'db' Butler (erroneously credited as "Dave Butler" on the liner notes) at Northern Studio in Maynard, Massachusetts allegedly because Hideaway was too small to fit the piano. In truth Scholz had found the Steinway piano of his dreams only to have it sold out from under him before he could buy it and record it. The Yamaha grand at Northern Studios was legendary in the area for its great tone and Scholz decided he didn't want to spend the time to find another piano after some experimenting with the Northern Studio's piano with the help of Butler. Boston played "A Man I'll Never Be" live on the tour supporting their first album before recording it for Don't Look Back. Footnote: 'db' Butler was the only credited engineer on a Boston recording besides Scholz for the first 3 albums.

...
Wikipedia