About The Song
“It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” is a song written by James Brown and his then-girlfriend Betty Jean Newsome, who drew inspiration from her own observations of gender relations, released as a single in 1966. It became a major hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song is a soul classic, known for its powerful vocals, driving rhythm, and catchy horn section. However, the lyrics have been interpreted in various ways, with some considering them to be chauvinistic. The song celebrates the achievements of men, attributing the creation of various things like cars, trains, and even the electric light to men’s efforts. However, it also acknowledges the importance of women, stating that “it would be nothing without a woman or a girl”
Lyrics
This is a man's world
This is a man's world
But it would be nothing, nothing
Without a woman or a girl
You see, man made the cars
To take us over the road
Man made the train
To carry the heavy load
Man made the electrolight
To take us out of the dark
Man made the boat for the water
Like Noah made The Ark
This is a man's, man's, man's world
But it would be nothing, nothing
Without a woman or a girl
Man thinks about a little bit of baby girls and of baby boys
Man make them happy
'Cause man make them toys
And after man make everything
Everything he can
You know that man makes money
To buy from other man
This is a man's world
But it would be nothing, nothing
Not one little thing
Without a woman or a girl
He's lost in the wilderness
He's lost in bitterness