In 1966, I was 14 years old. I had already heard of James Brown, but that year he released a song that sounded amazing to me. He co-wrote and produced the song, and I soon had a copy on a vinyl single. Fifty-six years later, I still think it is an amazing song.

This is a man’s world, this is a man’s world
But it wouldn’t 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 electric light 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 wouldn’t be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl
Man thinks about our little bitty baby girls and our baby boys
Man made them happy, ’cause man made 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 wouldn’t be nothing, nothing, not one little thing, without a woman or a girl
He’s lost in the wilderness
He’s lost in bitterness, he’s lost lost
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Betty Jean Newsome / James Brown
It’s Man’s Man’s World lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc