About the song
Background
- Songwriters: Shania Twain and Robert John “Mutt” Lange (her then-husband and producer extraordinaire).
- Album: Part of her massively successful album Come on Over (1997)
- Release: March 1999
- Genre: Country Pop with a clear rock influence
Themes
- Female Empowerment: The song is an anthem of self-confidence and celebrating womanhood. It’s about embracing your femininity and having fun with it.
- Breaking Stereotypes: The song pushes back against conventional gender roles, emphasized by Shania’s use of “men’s shirts, short skirts” to express her style.
- Liberation and Self-expression: At its heart, it’s about letting loose, having fun, and not caring about what others might think.
Lyrics
Here are some key lyrical moments of the song emphasizing its themes:
- “The best thing about being a woman / Is the prerogative to have a little fun” – This encapsulates the attitude of the whole song – women shouldn’t be held back from enjoying themselves.
- “Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy, forget I’m a lady / Men’s shirts, short skirts” – This is playing with fashion and expectations as a form of liberation and self-expression.
- “Color my hair, do what I dare / Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free / Yeah, to feel the way I feel / Man! I feel like a woman!” – It’s about self-determination and embracing your individuality.
Legacy and Impact
“Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” didn’t just top charts; it has lasting cultural impact:
- Female Empowerment Icon: Considered a feminist anthem embraced by women of all ages
- Fashion Inspiration: The iconic video featuring a top hat, corset, and leopard print helped solidify a sexy yet powerful style statement.
- Crossover Appeal: The rock-infused sound and energetic lyrics appealed beyond country music fans
- Karaoke Staple: It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and an absolute classic.
Video
Lyrics
Let’s go girls! Come on
I’m going out tonight
I’m feelin’ alright
Gonna let it all hang out
Wanna make some noise
Really raise my voice
Yeah, I wanna scream and shout
No inhibitions
Make no conditions
Get a little outta line
I ain’t gonna act politically correct
I only wanna have a good time
The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun
Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy
Forget I’m a lady
Men’s shirts
Short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild
Yeah, doin’ it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action
Feel the attraction
Color my hair
Do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free
Yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!
The girls need a break
Tonight we’re gonna take
The chance to get out on the town
We don’t need romance
We only wanna dance
We’re gonna let our hair hang down
The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun
Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy
Forget I’m a lady
Men’s shirts
Short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild
Yeah, doin’ it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action
Feel the attraction
Color my hair
Do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free
Yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!
The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun (fun, fun)
Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy
Forget I’m a lady
Men’s shirts
Short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild
Yeah, doin’ it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action
Feel the attraction
Color my hair
Do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free
Yeah, to feel the way I feel
(To feel the way I feel)
Man! I feel like a woman!
Oh, oh, yeah, yeah
I get totally crazy
Can you feel it
Come, come, come on baby
I feel like a woman