"The Man" is the fourth track from American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift's seventh studio album, Lover, released on August 23, 2019, through Republic Records. The song became the fourth single from the album on January 28, 2020.
Background[]
In her September 2019 interview with Vogue, Swift revealed the existence of the song.
| “ | Next, Swift cues up a track that "plays with the idea of perception." She has often wondered about how she would be written and spoken about if she were a man, "so I wrote a song called 'The Man'." It's a thought experiment of sorts: "If I had made all the choices, all the same mistakes, all the same accomplishments, how would it read?" Seconds later, Swift's earpods are pumping a synth-pop ear worm into my head: "I'd be a fearless leader. I'd be an alpha type. When everyone believes ya: What's that like?" | ” |
In an interview with Billboard magazine, upon receiving the first-ever Woman of the Decade award, Swift explained that the song is about sexism and double-standards in the workplace, basing it off her personal experiences in the music industry and suggesting that women have to work harder to succeed. Swift said:
| “ | "It was a song that I wrote from my personal experience, but also from a general experience that I've heard from women in all parts of our industry. And I think that, the more we can talk about it in a song like that, the better off we'll be in a place to call it out when it's happening. So many of these things are ingrained in even women, these perceptions, and it's really about re-training your own brain to be less critical of women when we are not criticizing men for the same things. So many things that men do, you know, can be phoned-in that cannot be phoned-in for us. We have to really — God, we have to curate and cater everything, but we have to make it look like an accident. Because if we make a mistake, that's our fault, but if we strategize so that we won't make a mistake, we're calculating.
"There is a bit of a damned-if-we-do, damned-if-we-don't thing happening in music, and that's why when I can, like, sit and talk and be like 'Yeah, this sucks for me too,' that feels good. When I go online and hear the stories of my fans talking about their experience in the working world, or even at school — the more we talk about it, the better off we'll be. And I wanted to make it catchy for a reason — so that it would get stuck in people's heads, [so] they would end up with a song about gender inequality stuck in their heads. And for me, that's a good day."[1] |
” |
A lyric video for the song was released on February 7, 2020, and featured an animation of a woman in a suit trying to succeed in the business world, who climbed the corporate ladder.[2]
Spotify storyline[]
Swift discussed several topics within the storyline that accompanied this song on Spotify.
| “ | This is a song that I've been wanting to write for a very long time in my career, but I could never figure out exactly how to phrase it. / I've wondered several times, "If I had been a man instead of a woman and I had lived my life in exactly the same way, what would people have said about me?" / It's about perception. It's not "what would I do if I were a man?" It's about how I would be seen if I'd done exactly the same stuff. / This is when I finally got an idea of how to approach this song. | ” |
—Swift's Spotify story, each slide separated by a slash. | ||
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
I would be complex, I would be cool
They'd say I played the field before I found someone to commit to
And that would be okay for me to do
Every conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you
[Pre-Chorus 1]
I'd be a fearless leader
I'd be an alpha type
When everyone believes ya
What's that like?
[Chorus]
I'm so sick of running as fast as I can
Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man
And I'm so sick of them coming at me again
'Cause if I was a man, then I'd be the man
I'd be the man
I'd be the man
[Verse 2]
They'd say I hustled, put in the work
They wouldn't shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve
What I was wearing, if I was rude
Could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves
[Pre-Chorus 2]
And they would toast to me
Oh, let the players play
I'd be just like Leo in Saint-Tropez
[Chorus]
I'm so sick of running as fast as I can
Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man
And I'm so sick of them coming at me again
'Cause if I was a man, then I'd be the man
I'd be the man
I'd be the man
[Bridge]
What's it like to brag about raking in dollars
And getting bitches and models?
And it's all good if you're bad
And it's okay if you're mad
If I was out flashing my dollars
I'd be a bitch, not a baller
They'd paint me out to be bad
So, it's okay that I'm mad
[Chorus]
I'm so sick of running as fast as I can
Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man (You know that)
And I'm so sick of them coming at me again (Coming at me again)
'Cause if I was a man (If I was a man)
Then I'd be the man (Then I'd be the man)
I'm so sick of running as fast as I can (As fast as I can)
Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man (Hey)
And I'm so sick of them coming at me again (Coming at me again)
'Cause if I was a man (If I was a man), then I'd be the man
I'd be the man
I'd be the man (Oh)
I'd be the man (Yeah)
I'd be the man (I'd be the man)
[Outro]
If I was a man, then I'd be the man
Music video[]
The music video for "The Man" revolves around a man named Tyler Swift, portrayed by Taylor Swift in prosthetics, and voiced by Dwayne Johnson. He is a business man and is consistently praised and allowed to be self-obsessed. The video's message is the same as the song, it is meant to exemplify how men have more opportunities and are less criticized than women who do the same things as them. This is the first music video made by Swift that she directed herself.
Summary[]
The video opens with Tyler Swift in an office building. He is praised by all of his employees, being called the best boss. The next scene consists of Tyler on a subway. He is "man-spreading" and smoking, making all of the women around him cramped and uncomfortable. The next scene sees Tyler urinating purple glitter on the wall of the subway, spelling out "The Man", in front of a wall with all of Swift's albums written in graffiti, and the word "Karma" written in orange in the middle. On this wall, there is a sign with a “no scooters” sign on it. This is very likely in reference to Scooter Braun. There was a theory that Swift's next album would be titled Karma, but this may have been disproven by "Karma" being a song off of Midnights. The following scene sees Tyler Swift on a boat with numerous models, nodding to Leonardo DiCaprio doing something similar. Following this scene, Tyler gets up from being in bed with a woman, leaving the room and high fiving hands of varying colors in a hallway. After this, Tyler Swift is seen sitting near a young girl at a fountain in a park. He pats her head and is awarded as the "world's greatest dad" by everyone in the park. The next scene has Tyler Swift at a club surrounded by his male friends, talking about women's bodies in a vulgar way, and making a huge mess of the club. The next scene shows Tyler in a tennis match supporting women's charity. He gets upset when he gets called out by the ref, played by Taylor Swift's dad Scott Swift, throwing a major fit, referencing when people judged Serena Williams for getting upset during the 2009 US Open. There is a flash forward of 58 years, showing an older Tyler Swift marrying a young woman, and embarrassing her by shoving cake in her face on their wedding day. There is a cut back to the tennis scene, where Tyler breaks after a take and talks to Taylor, the director, and asks if the take was what she was looking for, and Taylor says "Pretty good but can you try to be sexier?", and tells the extra in the scene who only stood in (played by Loren Gray) that she did amazing. This shows how society treats male versus female actors, with the music video treating them opposite of how they are in society.
Gallery[]
Behind the scenes[]
Live performances[]
"The Man" was performed during the City of Lover Concert in Paris. The song was also performed as the third song in the Lover set of The Eras Tour.
Merchandise collection[]
Main article: The Man/Merchandise.
Trivia[]
- This is the second song of Swift's to use explicit language (the explicit words are "bitches" and "bitch"). However, this is one of the only songs to use profane language twice; the others being "the 1" and "betty".
- Swift performed this song at the American Music Awards in November 2019 while wearing a white jumpsuit, reminiscent of a prison uniform, with the names of all her previous albums printed on it. This suggests that "The Man" may be based on her legal dispute with Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta in order to secure her masters.[3][4]
References[]
- ↑ Lipschutz, Jason. "Taylor Swift Shares Stories Behind 'The Man' & 'It's Nice to Have a Friend' in Cover Story Outtakes." Billboard, 12 December 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- ↑ Kaufman, Gil. "Taylor Swift is Our Fearless Leader in 'The Man' Lyric Video: Watch." Billboard, 7 February 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- ↑ Ahlgrim, Callie. "Taylor Swift Began Her AMAs Performance with 'The Man,' A Song About Double Standards and Sexism." Insider, 24 November 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- ↑ Miller, Jordan. "Power Moves: Taylor Swift Readies Next 'Lover' Single." Breathe Heavy, 24 January 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
| Lover | ||
|---|---|---|
| "I Forgot That You Existed" • "Cruel Summer" • "Lover" • "The Man" • "The Archer" • "I Think He Knows" • "Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince" • "Paper Rings" • "Cornelia Street" • "Death By A Thousand Cuts" • "London Boy" • "Soon You'll Get Better" • "False God" • "You Need To Calm Down" • "Afterglow" • "ME!" • "It's Nice To Have A Friend" • "Daylight" | ||
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