It's a Man's Man's Man's World
"It's a Man's Man's Man's World" | ||||
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Single by James Brown | ||||
from the album It's a Man's Man's Man's World | ||||
B-side | "Is It Yes or Is It No?" | |||
Released | April 1966[1] | |||
Recorded | February 16, 1966 | |||
Studio | Talent Masters, New York City | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 2:52 | |||
Label | King | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | James Brown | |||
James Brown singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"James Brown - It's A Man's Man's Man's World" on YouTube |
"It's a Man's Man's Man's World" is a song written by James Brown and Betty Jean Newsome. Brown recorded it on February 16, 1966, in a New York City studio and released it as a single later that year. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2][3] Its title is a word play on the 1963 comedy film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Song
The song is written in the key of
The composition of "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" developed over a period of several years. Tammy Montgomery, better known as
The released version of "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" was recorded quickly, in only two takes, with a studio ensemble that included members of Brown's touring band and a
"It's a Man's Man's Man's World" became a staple of Brown's live shows for the rest of his career. Its slow, simmering groove and declamatory vocal line made it suitable for long, open-ended performances incorporating spoken ruminations on love and loss and sometimes interpolations from other songs. It appears on almost all of Brown's live albums starting with 1967's Live at the Garden. Brown also recorded a big band jazz arrangement of the song with the Louie Bellson Orchestra for his 1970 album Soul on Top.
In 2004, "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" was ranked number 123 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
In 2010, the 1966 recording of the song by James Brown on King Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.[10]
Personnel
- James Brown – lead vocal
with studio band:
- Dud Bascomb – trumpet
- Waymon Reed – trumpet
- Lamarr Wright – trumpet
- Haywood Henry – baritone saxophone
- Ian Bridle – piano
- Billy Butler – guitar
- Bernard "Pretty" Purdie – drums
Other players, including trombone, bass and strings, unknown
Arranged and conducted by Sammy Lowe[11]
Chart positions
Chart (1966) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] | 14 |
France ( SNEP)[13]
|
49 |
US Billboard Hot 100[14] | 8 |
US | 1 |
13 | |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17] | 25 |
Renée Geyer version
"It's a Man's Man's World" | ||||
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It's a Man's Man's World | ||||
A-side | "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" | |||
B-side | "Once in a Lifetime Thing" | |||
Released | November 1974 | |||
Recorded | August 1974 | |||
Studio | Bill Armstrong Studios, Melbourne, Australia | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 3:42 | |||
Label | RCA Records | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Tweed Harris | |||
Renée Geyer singles chronology | ||||
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Australian musician
Track listing
- Australian 7" Single
- Side A "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" – 3:30
- Side B "Once in a Lifetime Thing" – 3:30
Charts
Chart (1974/75) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[18] | 44 |
Other cover versions
The song has been recorded by many artists in various idioms over the years.
- American band The Residents recorded many cover of the song since 1984, and until 2020, performed the piece in many of their concerts.
- British band Brilliant recorded a cover of the song in 1985, peaking at No. 58 in the UK.
- 2007 Grammy Awards. Her performance has been voted as the 3rd Most Memorable Grammy Performance of all time, as presented in the 2007 CBS television special My Night at the Grammys.[19][20][21][22] Later, in 2021, she performed the song for two nights at the Hollywood Bowl with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.[23][24]
- British soul singer Super Duper Love". It was included in a commercial for Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle in 2012 starring Keira Knightley.[25]
- The cast of
- Ventriloquist, Darci Lynne performed a cover with Petunia, her puppet, in Season 14 of America's Got Talent as a guest performer. Petunia dedicated the song to Preacher Lawson.[28][29]
Sampling
- The song is sampled on Guilty Simpson's song "Man's World" produced by J Dilla.[30]
- The song is sampled by Agust D with his self-produced song "Agust D".[31]
Answer songs
- Neneh Cherry released the answer song "Woman" on her 1996 album Man in response to the chauvinism of the original.
- The band Napalm Death released the song "It's a M.A.N.S World!", which attacks and parodies the ideas of chauvinism and patriarchy ideas, on their 1988 album From Enslavement to Obliteration.
Uses in popular culture
- The song was featured in the 1993 film A Bronx Tale, which starred actor Robert De Niro, who also directed the film.
- The song was featured in the 1993 television film Portrait of a Young Girl at the End of the 60s in Brussels, directed by Chantal Akerman.
- The song was also featured in the 2000 Liam Neeson/Sandra Bullock action comedy Gun Shy.
- The song appeared in the opening of the 2012 comedy hit Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union and Taraji P. Henson.
- The song was featured in the 2014 James Brown biopic .
- The song was featured in the 2019 film The Kitchen.
- The song was featured in the 2020 film Birds of Prey, starring Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollett, and Ewan McGregor.
- The ending song in The Godfather II.
- The song is featured in the video game MLB The Show 24.
References
- ISBN 978-1-61713-009-0.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 84.
- ^ White, Cliff (1991). "Discography". In Star Time (pp. 54–59) [CD booklet]. Tamworth: PolyGram Records.
- ^ "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. April 7, 2011.
- ^ James Brown interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1970)
- ^ "It's a Woman's World". The Village Voice. December 18, 2007.
- ^ "Allege Infringement" (PDF). Record World. June 25, 1966. p. 3.
- ^ White, Cliff, and Harry Weinger (1991). "Are You Ready for Star Time?". In Star Time (pp. 29) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. April 23, 1966. p. 20. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
- ^ https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#i [bare URL]
- ^ Leeds, Alan, and Harry Weinger (1991). "Star Time: Song by Song". In Star Time (pp. 46–53) [CD booklet]. New York: PolyGram Records.
- ^ "James Brown – It's A Man's Man's Man's World" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- Les classement single. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ^ "James Brown Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5756." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2019/10/22.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ My Night at the Grammys (television special). CBS. November 30, 2007.
- ^ "Academy Announces Nov. TV Special". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ "My Night at the Grammys". IGN. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ "My Night at the Grammys". The Futon Critic. Futon Media. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ^ Aniftos, Rania (July 17, 2021). "Christina Aguilera Reimagines Her Biggest Hits With the LA Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 17, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ^ Cashmere, Paul (July 18, 2021). "Christina Aguilera Performs With Orchestra At Hollywood Bowl". Noise11.com. The Noise Network. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ^ "Coco Chanel Mademoiselle TV Commercial Featuring Keira Knightley". iSpot.tv.
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ "Glee Cast – It's A Man's, Man's Man's World". αcharts.us. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
- ^ Malone, Michael (September 3, 2019). "Sean Hayes, Queen Latifah to Guest Judge on 'America's Got Talent'". Broadcasting & Cable.
- ^ Aniftos, Rania (September 4, 2019). "Ventriloquist Darci Lynne Farmer Returns to 'America's Got Talent' to Perform 'It's A Man's World': Watch". Billboard.
- ^ "J Dilla – exclusive – The Wire". The Wire Magazine – Adventures in Modern Music.
- ^ "BTS' Suga says his first mixtape 'Agust D' "sounds immature" in hindsight". NME. April 10, 2023.
External links
- Song Review from Allmusic