It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World - wikipedia It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World For the James Brown album, see It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World ( album ). For works with similar titles, see It 's a Man 's World ( disambiguation ). `` It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World '' 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 ( 1966 - 04 ) Format 7 '' High Fidelity Recorded February 16, 1966, Talent Masters Studios, New York, NY Genre Rhythm and blues soul Length 2 : 52 Label King 6035 Songwriter ( s ) James Brown Betty Jean Newsome Producer ( s ) James Brown James Brown singles chronology `` Ai n't That a Groove Part 1 '' ( 1966 ) `` It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World '' ( 1966 ) `` Money Wo n't Change You '' ( 1966 ) `` Ai n't That a Groove Part 1 '' ( 1966 ) `` It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World '' ( 1966 ) `` Money Wo n't Change You '' ( 1966 ) `` It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World '' is a song by James Brown and Betty Jean Newsome. Brown recorded it on February 16, 1966 in a Tamworth, Staffordshire 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. Its title is a word play on the 1963 comedy film It 's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Contents 1 Song 2 Personnel 3 Chart positions 4 Renée Geyer version 4.1 Track listing 4.2 Charts 5 Other cover versions 6 Sampling 7 Answer songs 8 Uses in popular culture 9 References 10 External links Song The song 's lyrics, which Rolling Stone characterized as `` biblically chauvinistic '', attribute all the works of modern civilization ( the car, the train, the boat ( `` Like Noah built the ark '' ), and the electric light ) to the efforts of men, but claim that it all would `` mean nothing without a woman or a girl ''. The song also states that man made toys for the baby boys and girls, and comments about the fact that `` Man makes money '' to buy from other men. Before the song 's fade, Brown states that man is lost in his bitterness and in the wilderness. Brown 's co-writer and onetime girlfriend, Betty Jean Newsome, wrote the lyrics based on her own observations of the relations between the sexes. In later years, Newsome would claim that Brown did n't write any part of the song and argued in court that Brown sometimes forgot to pay her royalties. 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 Tammi Terrell, recorded `` I Cried '', a Brown - penned song based on the same chord changes, in 1963. Brown himself recorded a demo version of the song, provisionally entitled `` It 's a Man 's World '', in 1964. This version later appeared on the CD compilations The CD of JB and Star Time. 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 string section arranged and conducted by Sammy Lowe. A female chorus was involved in the recording sessions, but their parts were edited out of the song 's final master. `` 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. 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 Chart positions Chart ( 1966 ) Peak position Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 14 France ( SNEP ) 49 US Billboard Hot 100 8 US R&B Singles ( Billboard ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 13 Renée Geyer version `` It 's a Man 's Man 's World '' Single by Renée Geyer from the album ' 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 Format single Recorded August 1974 Studio Bill Armstrong Studios, Melbourne, Australia Genre Soul music Length 3 : 42 Label RCA Records Songwriter ( s ) James Brown Betty Jean Newsome Producer ( s ) Tweed Harris Renée Geyer singles chronology `` What Do I Do On Sunday Morning ? '' ( 1974 ) `` It 's a Man 's Man 's World '' ( 1974 ) `` Take Me Where You Took Me Last Night '' ( 1975 ) `` What Do I Do On Sunday Morning ? '' ( 1974 ) `` It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World '' ( 1974 ) `` Take Me Where You Took Me Last Night '' ( 1975 ) Australian musician Renée Geyer recorded a version in 1974. The song was released in November 1974 as the second single from her second studio album, It 's a Man 's Man 's World. The song peaked at number 44 on the Australian Kent Music Report, becoming her first Australian top 50 single. 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 ) Position Australian Kent Music Report 44 Other cover versions The song has been recorded by many artists in various idioms over the years. Tom Jones recorded the song on his 1968 album The Tom Jones Fever Zone. The Residents recorded the song as a companion single to their album George and James ; the video for the song was frequently played on MTV. Dutch musician Waylon ( singer ) covered this song on his first audition of televisionshow Holland 's Got Talent. Later he signed at Motown. Grand Funk released a version of the song entitled `` It 's a Man 's World '' on their 1983 album, What 's Funk ? British band Brilliant recorded a cover of the song in 1985, peaking at # 58 in the UK. Christina Aguilera performed a critically acclaimed rendition of the song as a posthumous tribute to James Brown at the 2007 Grammy Awards. Her performance has been voted as the 3rd Most Memorable Grammy Performance of all time. Seal recorded the song for his 2008 album Soul and released it as the second single from the album. Polish diva Edyta Górniak covered this song in the Jak Oni śpiewają Final on 21 November 2009. Polish musician Czeslaw Niemen was inspired by It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World and recorded Dziwny jest ten świat ( Strange Is This World ) in 1967, where he discusses mankind 's vices and hopes for peaceful future ( similarly to John Lennon 's Imagine. The cast of Glee, featuring Quinn Fabray ( Dianna Agron ) covered the song during season one 's twenty - first episode, entitled `` Funk '', and released it as a single. Quinn was trying to represent the suppressed feeling women feel from men. The song charted in the Canadian Hot 100 chart at 73, UK Singles Chart at 94 and in the Billboard Hot 100 chart at 95. Smash star, Katharine McPhee, covered the song during season one. Joshua Ledet covered this song during the eleventh season of American Idol, and briefly during the finale of the series. Van Morisson on A Night in San Francisco Celine Dion on Taking Chances World Tour : The Concert in 2010. Cher on It 's a Man 's World in 1995. Patricia Kaas on Je te dis vous in 1993. International singer Natacha Atlas recorded a cover for her 2003 album Something Dangerous. Sampling Michael Jackson samples the brass introduction from the song for `` Bad ''. `` It 's A Man 's World '' by Ice Cube from his 1990 album AmeriKKKa 's Most Wanted samples this song. The trumpet introduction was sampled by the Wu - Tang Clan for their 2000 song `` Gravel Pit '' and by Nigerian - Greek rapper MC Yinka in the song `` Χαιρετισμός '' ( Chairetismos ) from his album `` Αλάνα '' ( Alana ). 2Pac used a sample on the song `` Tradin War Stories '' from his 1996 album All Eyez on Me. Rapper Beanie Sigel used a sample for his song `` Man 's World '' from his 2001 album The Reason. The song is also sampled on Alicia Keys ' song `` Fallin ' ''. Macy Gray sampled on her song `` Ghetto Love '' on her album `` Big ''. The song is also sampled on Guilty Simpson 's song `` Man 's World '' produced by J Dilla. The song was most recently sampled in a live performance by Jennifer Hudson as the prelude to her cover of Aretha Franklin 's classic, `` Respect ''. The hip hop band Heavy D & the Boyz, sampled the musical introduction as the same on their track `` You Ai n't Heard Nuttin ' Yet '' for the album titled Big Tyme. Young The Giant covered the song released exclusively on a Spotify Spotify Sessions track. 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. Preceded by `` When a Man Loves a Woman '' by Percy Sledge Billboard Hot R&B Singles number - one single June 4, 1966 -- June 11, 1966 ( two weeks ) Succeeded by `` Hold On, I 'm Comin ' '' by Sam & Dave 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 appeared in the opening of the 2012 comedy hit Think Like a Man, starring Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union and Taraji P. Henson. The song was featured in the 2014 James Brown biopic Get On Up, starring Chadwick Boseman, Dan Aykroyd and Viola Davis. References ^ Jump up to : James Brown interviewed on the Pop Chronicles ( 1970 ) Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Top R&B / Hip - Hop Singles : 1942 - 2004. Record Research. p. 84. Jump up ^ White, Cliff ( 1991 ). `` Discography ''. In Star Time ( pp. 54 -- 59 ) ( CD booklet ). Tamworth : PolyGram Records. Jump up ^ It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World : James Brown : Rolling Stone Jump up ^ It 's a Woman 's World - Page 1 - Music - New York - Village Voice Jump up ^ White, Cliff, and Harry Weinger ( 1991 ). `` Are You Ready for Star Time ? ''. In Star Time ( pp. 29 ) ( CD booklet ). New York : PolyGram Records. Jump up ^ Leeds, Alan, and Harry Weinger ( 1991 ). `` Star Time : Song by Song ''. In Star Time ( pp. 46 -- 53 ) ( CD booklet ). New York : PolyGram Records. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- James Brown -- It 's A Man 's Man 's Man 's World '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 3, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- James Brown -- It 's A Man 's Man 's Man 's World '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Retrieved August 3, 2013. Jump up ^ `` James Brown -- Chart history '' Billboard Hot 100 for James Brown. Retrieved August 3, 2013. Jump up ^ It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World - James Brown - Awards. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Accessed on August 3, 2013. Jump up ^ `` June 1966 / Archive Chart : 16 June 1966 '' UK Singles Chart. Retrieved August 3, 2013. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 1993 ). Australian Chart Book 1970 -- 1992. St Ives, NSW : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 11917 - 6. Jump up ^ Amazon.com : It 's A Man 's Man 's Man 's World ( Glee Cast Version ) : Glee Cast : MP3 Downloads Jump up ^ `` Hot 100 : The Billboard Hot 100 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 122 ( 24 ) : 46. June 19, 2010. ISSN 0006 - 2510. Jump up ^ `` Glee Cast - It 's A Man 's, Man 's Man 's World ''. αcharts. us. Retrieved October 10, 2010. Jump up ^ The Wire - J Dilla - exclusive External links Song Review from Allmusic Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics James Brown singles Billboard charting singles ( R&B and Pop ) 1950s 1956 `` Please, Please, Please '' 1958 `` Try Me '' 1959 `` I Want You So Bad '' 1960s 1960 `` I 'll Go Crazy '' `` Think '' `` You 've Got the Power '' `` This Old Heart '' `` The Bells '' 1961 `` Bewildered '' `` I Do n't Mind '' `` Baby, You 're Right '' `` Just You and Me, Darling '' `` Lost Someone '' 1962 `` Night Train '' `` Shout and Shimmy '' `` Mashed Potatoes U.S.A. '' `` Three Hearts in a Tangle '' `` I 've Got Money '' 1963 `` Like a Baby '' `` Every Beat of My Heart '' `` Prisoner of Love '' `` These Foolish Things '' `` Signed, Sealed, and Delivered '' 1964 `` Oh Baby Do n't You Weep '' `` Please, Please, Please '' `` Caldonia '' `` The Things That I Used to Do '' `` Out of Sight '' `` Have Mercy Baby '' 1965 `` Papa 's Got a Brand New Bag '' `` Try Me '' `` I Got You ( I Feel Good ) '' 1966 `` Lost Someone '' `` I 'll Go Crazy '' `` Ai n't That a Groove '' `` It 's a Man 's Man 's Man 's World '' `` Money Wo n't Change You '' `` Do n't Be a Drop - Out '' `` Sweet Little Baby Boy '' 1967 `` Bring It Up '' `` Kansas City '' `` Think '' `` Let Yourself Go '' `` Cold Sweat '' `` Get It Together '' `` I Ca n't Stand Myself ( When You Touch Me ) '' `` There Was a Time '' 1968 `` You 've Got to Change Your Mind '' `` I Got the Feelin ' '' `` Licking Stick -- Licking Stick '' `` America Is My Home '' `` I Guess I 'll Have to Cry, Cry, Cry '' `` Say It Loud -- I 'm Black and I 'm Proud '' `` Goodbye My Love '' `` Tit for Tat ( Ai n't No Taking Back ) '' 1969 `` Give It Up or Turnit a Loose '' `` Soul Pride '' `` I Do n't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing ( Open Up The Door, I 'll Get It Myself ) '' `` The Popcorn '' `` Mother Popcorn ( You Got to Have a Mother for Me ) '' `` Lowdown Popcorn '' `` World '' `` Let a Man Come In and Do the Popcorn '' `` Ai n't It Funky Now '' 1970s 1970 `` It 's a New Day '' `` Funky Drummer '' `` Brother Rapp '' `` Get Up ( I Feel Like Being a ) Sex Machine '' `` Super Bad '' `` Santa Claus Is Definitely Here to Stay '' `` Get Up, Get into It, Get Involved '' 1971 `` Spinning Wheel '' `` Soul Power '' `` I Cried '' `` Escape - ism '' `` Hot Pants '' `` Make It Funky '' `` I 'm a Greedy Man '' 1972 `` Talkin ' Loud and Sayin ' Nothing '' `` King Heroin '' `` There It Is '' `` Honky Tonk '' `` Get on the Good Foot '' `` I Got a Bag of My Own '' `` What My Baby Needs Now Is a Little More Lovin ' '' 1973 `` I Got Ants In My Pants ( And I Want to Dance ) '' `` Down and Out in New York City '' `` Think '' `` Sexy, Sexy, Sexy '' `` Stoned to the Bone '' `` The Payback '' `` My Thang '' `` Papa Do n't Take No Mess '' `` Funky President ( People It 's Bad ) '' `` Coldblooded '' `` Reality '' `` Sex Machine '' `` Hustle ! ! ! ( Dead on It ) '' `` Superbad, Superslick '' `` Hot ( I Need To Be Loved, Loved, Loved, Loved ) '' 1976 `` ( I Love You ) For Sentimental Reasons '' `` Get Up Offa That Thing '' `` I Refuse to Lose '' `` Bodyheat '' 1977 `` Kiss in 77 '' `` Give Me Some Skin '' `` If You Do n't Give a Doggone About It '' 1978 `` Eyesight '' `` The Spank '' `` For Goodness Sakes, Look at Those Cakes '' 1979 `` It 's Too Funky in Here '' `` Star Generation '' 1980s 1980 `` Regrets '' `` Rapp Payback ( Where Iz Moses ) '' 1981 `` Stay with Me '' `` The Night Time Is the Right Time ( To Be With the One That You Love ) '' 1984 `` Unity '' 1985 `` Living in America '' 1986 `` Gravity '' `` How Do You Stop '' `` I 'm Real '' `` Static '' `` Gimme Your Love '' 1990s 1991 `` ( So Tired of Standing Still We Got to ) Move On '' `` Ca n't Get Any Harder '' UK - only charting singles `` Hey America '' ( 1970 ) `` Bring It On... Bring It On '' ( 1983 ) `` Froggy Mix '' ( 1985 ) `` She 's the One '' ( 1988 ) `` The Payback Mix '' ( 1988 ) `` I Got You ( I Feel Good ) ( James Brown v. Dakeyne ) '' ( 1992 ) `` Funk on Ah Roll '' ( 1999 ) Notable productions `` The Grunt '' ( 1970 ) `` Gimme Some More '' ( 1971 ) `` I Know You Got Soul '' ( 1971 ) `` Pass the Peas '' ( 1972 ) `` Think ( About It ) '' ( 1972 ) `` Doing It to Death '' ( 1973 ) `` Soul Power 74 '' ( 1973 ) Other songs `` ( Do the ) Mashed Potatoes '' ( 1960 ) `` Maybe the Last Time '' ( 1964 ) `` Old Landmark '' ( 1980 ) `` Killing Is Out, School Is In '' ( 2001 ) `` Gut Bucket '' ( 2006 ) Renée Geyer Discography Studio albums Renée Geyer ( 1973 ) It 's a Man 's Man 's World ( 1974 ) Ready to Deal ( 1975 ) Moving Along ( 1977 ) Winner ( 1978 ) Blues License ( 1979 ) So Lucky ( 1981 ) Sing to Me ( 1985 ) Difficult Woman ( 1994 ) Sweet Life ( 1999 ) Tenderland ( 2003 ) Tonight ( 2005 ) Dedicated ( 2007 ) Renéessance ( 2009 ) Swing ( 2013 ) Live albums Really Really Love You : Live at the Dallas Brooks Hall ( 1976 ) Renée Live ( 1983 ) Live at the Basement ( 1986 ) Live at the Athenaeum ( 2004 ) Soundtracks Seven Deadly Sins ( 1993 ) Compilation albums Renée Geyer at Her Very Best ( 1977 ) Faves ( 1983 ) The Best of Renee Geyer 1973 - 1998 ( 1998 ) The Ultimate Collection ( 2010 ) Singles `` Oh ! Boy '' `` It 's a Man 's Man 's World '' `` Heading in the Right Direction `` If Loving You is Wrong '' `` Shakey Ground '' `` Stares and Whispers '' `` Money ( That 's What I Want ) '' `` The Thrill is Gone '' `` Say I Love You '' `` Do You Know What I Mean '' `` I Can Feel the Fire '' `` Goin ' Back '' `` All My Love '' `` Crazy '' `` I 'm Gonna Make You Love Me '' `` I Wish It Would Rain '' Other songs `` Rock Around the Clock '' `` You 're Not Alone ( Australian Olympians song ) '' ( as part of Australian Olympians ) `` Yil Lull '' ( as part of Singers For The Red Black & Gold ) Related articles Sun 1972 Oz for Africa Mary and Max Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=It%27s_a_Man%27s_Man%27s_Man%27s_World&oldid=799741946 '' Categories : 1966 songs 1966 singles 1974 singles Songs written by James Brown James Brown songs Renée Geyer songs Grand Funk Railroad songs Billboard Hot R&B / Hip - Hop Songs number - one singles King Records ( United States ) singles Songs about women Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for UK Singlechart called without artist All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2013 All articles with vague or ambiguous time Vague or ambiguous time from July 2011 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Deutsch Español Français Italiano Norsk nynorsk Português Русский Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 9 September 2017, at 15 : 45. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote this is a man's world
Answer: James Brown