The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Half a Man" by the artist "Willie Nelson"

Willie Nelson's "Half a Man" explores the crippling aftermath of a love that has left the speaker emotionally devastated. He perceives himself as "half a man," stripped of his wholeness and strength.

Each verse details how the loss of a specific physical ability would alleviate his suffering:

One arm: Being armless would prevent him from embracing, symbolizing the loss of physical closeness and possibly intimacy. The absence of arms would also rob him of painful memories associated with touch.

One ear: Deafness in one ear would spare him from hearing the lies of his lover. This suggests that words played a key role in their destructive relationship. Being "half-deaf" to her words would bring him closer to the "half a man" she has made him.

One leg: With only one leg to stand on, he would physically be unable to walk away from her. This serves as a metaphor for his emotional dependence and inability to break free from the relationship despite the pain it inflicts. He is trapped and made into a shadow of his former self.

The recurring line "then I'd be more like the half a man you made me" emphasizes that it's the lover's actions and words that are the source of his pain. He does not blame himself but rather points to her destructive influence that has emasculated him and left him emotionally crippled.