This song is sort of a bookend to "Handyman", made popular by James Taylor. (I don't know who wrote it- maybe Sam Cooke?) It's basically a songwriting exercise on a love song using electrician's metaphors.
Being a genius at wordplay, she noticed that an electrician has a "technical manual" and the object of her affection is a "man". By stretching out the vowel in "maaaaanual" is forces the listener to reconsider the word. She focuses us on the double meaning. This is reason #487,264 in Lama's leather-bound book of reasons why Joni has only one peer as a lyricist. Joni and Eminem. All the best, Lama Anne brought up the use of the word "manual": >>>Here's another weird take on these lines. I always thought the way she sings them was interesting, with the syllable "man" being extended.>>>
