A Man Needs a Maid (song)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"A Man Needs a Maid"
Symphonic rock, soft rock[1]
Length4:05
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)Neil Young
Producer(s)Jack Nitzsche[2]

"A Man Needs a Maid" is a song written by

live and compilation albums
.

Lyrics and music

Music critic

Allmusic critic William Ruhlmann said the words were "an impressionistic musing by a man who is contemplating the start of a new romantic relationship."[4]

The lyrics of "A Man Needs a Maid" have generated controversy over

women's liberation."[7]

Perhaps anticipating such criticism, Young remarked at an early performance of the song at the Boston Music Hall on January 21, 1971:[9]

This is another new song. It's called "A Man Needs a Maid." It's kind of a . . . it doesn't really mean what it says. It's just the idea that anyone would think enough to say something like that would show that something else was happening. [short laugh] So don't take it personally when I say it. I don't really want a maid.[10][11]

In the last verse, Young describes watching a movie and falling in love with the actress.[5][11] This is an autobiographical reference to Young falling in love with actress Carrie Snodgress, who would become the mother of Young's first son.[5][6][7] Young had become smitten by Snodgress when he saw her playing the role of the titular housewife in the movie Diary of a Mad Housewife.[4][7][12]

Background and recording

In live performances before recording Harvest, Young sang "A Man Needs a Maid" accompanying himself on piano.

arrangement.[13][14] The Harvest recording begins with Young on solo piano with the orchestral accompaniment joining after the first statement of "a man needs a maid."[13] Several critics, including Johnny Rogan, found the orchestral accompaniment to be overblown.[3][4] Sam Inglis, however, claims that the orchestra "underline[s] the dynamics of Young's performance in the same way a film composer might reinforce the twists and turns of some high melodrama."[6] As an example, Inglis notes the point at which Young cries out passionately for a "mai-ai-ai-aid" while "pounding" the piano, and the piccolo plays a "warning note" before the strings "soar upwards."[6]

Reception

Pitchfork critic Mark Richardson said the song is "one of [Young's] stranger creations, an affecting portrait of loneliness undercut with a clumsy, lunkheaded chorus refrain, the sincerity of which has never been quite clear."[18]

Young included "A Man Needs a Maid" on his 1977

There's a World.[20]

The National Lampoon comedy troupe performed a song in the mid-70s "Old Maid (Southern California Brings Me Down)," which parodied "A Man Needs a Maid" with lyrics such as "I need someone to live with me, keep my bed warm...and sew patches on my jeans."[12]

Emily Haines interpreted the song with "The Maid Needs a Maid."[21]

References

  1. ^ Oregonian/OregonLive, David Greenwald | The (April 3, 2014). "The top 10 '70s soft-rock seduction ballads (playlist)". OregonLive.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Harvest". Discogs. February 1972. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-0711953994
    .
  4. ^
    Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  5. ^
    ISBN 9780306806117
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 9780826414953
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 9780879307417
    .
  8. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  9. ^ "Neil Young Setlist at The Music Hall, Boston, MA, Tour: 1971 Journey Through the Past Solo Tour". www.setlist.fm. Setlist.fm. Retrieved 17 Feb 2020.
  10. ^ Recording of live concert broadcast on WAER-FM 88.3, "Live Concerts at Twelve Midnight," between set list #6 (Love in Mind) and #7 (A Man Needs A Maid/Heart of Gold Suite).
  11. ^ a b "The Story Behind 'A Man Needs A Maid' By Neil Young". Society of Rock. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  12. ^
    ASIN B008RYZ7WM
    .
  13. ^
    ISBN 9780275999025
    .
  14. ^ a b c d "The 100 Greatest Songs". Neil Young. Rolling Stone. 2014. p. 89.
  15. ^ Christgau, R. "Neil Young". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  16. ^ Mendelsohn, John (March 30, 1972). "Neil Young Harvest > Album Review". Rolling Stone. No. 105. Archived from the original on 13 October 2004. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  17. ISBN 978-0743201698
    .
  18. Pitchfork Media
    . Retrieved 2015-07-22.
  19. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  20. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  21. ^ "Neil Young News: "The Maid Needs a Maid" by Emily Haines". neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org. Retrieved 2018-04-25.
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