Real Men (song)

"Real Men" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, which was released in 1982 as the lead single from his fifth studio album Night and Day. It was written by Jackson, and produced by Jackson and David Kershenbaum.[2] The song became a hit only in the Dutch language area and Australia. In the Dutch Top 40 it reached the 15th position, and in the Flemish Radio 2 Top 30 it reached the 25th position. "Real Men" reached No. 89 in the UK and No. 6 in Australia.[3][4] A music video was filmed to promote the single, directed by Steve Barron.[5] The song was covered by Tori Amos on her 2001 album of gender-swapped covers, Strange Little Girls.

"Real Men"
Single by Joe Jackson
from the album Night and Day
B-side"Chinatown"
Released11 June 1982 (UK)[1]
GenrePower pop
Length4:03
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Joe Jackson
Producer(s)Joe Jackson
David Kershenbaum
Joe Jackson singles chronology
"Jumpin' Jive"
(1981)		 "Real Men"
(1982)		 "Steppin' Out"
(1982)

Background

Jackson has described "Real Men" as being about the "age old battle of the sexes". He told Billboard in 1982: "I think your average male has had his masculinity and supremacy threatened to the point where he's not sure what it is he's supposed to do. Intelligent, forward thinking, in the sexual arena, is being done by women. It's all about the way stereotypes have reversed, turned upside down and become meaningless."[6] The song has also been described as examining the themes of sexuality and male sexual attraction to other men.[7]

Critical reception

In a review of Night and Day, Susan Molloy of The Sydney Morning Herald described "Real Men" as "lyrically one of the most outrageous songs for a long time" which "seemingly ends with a plea for grass-roots heterosexuality".[8] Mike Day of The Age considered "Real Men" to be a "superbly grandiose creation" with "Phil Spector-style piano", a "wailing vocal chorus that is vintage Springsteen", "echoing drums" and lyrics that "cut a swathe through male chauvinism".[9]

Alan Kellogg of the Edmonton Journal noted the "sheer lyric depth" and "brittle intensity", adding it was "a song for the Eighties if there ever was one".[10] Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone commented: "The album's loveliest song, "Real Men," solemnly blends string chamber music with echoes of Phil Spector, as Jackson sorts out the contradiction between the traditional male role of warrior and today's macho gay culture."[11]

In 2015, Kevin Wuench of Tampa Bay Times said of the song's lyrical message: ""Real Men" is not so much pro-gay song but more an open-ended song that asks the listener to make their own definition of what makes a real man".[12] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described the song as "haunting" in a retrospective review of Night and Day.[2]

Track listing

7-inch single

  1. "Real Men" - 4:03
  2. "Chinatown" - 4:26

12-inch single (The Real Men E.P., Dutch release)

  1. "Real Men" - 4:05
  2. "El Cancer" - 6:06
  3. "El Blanco" - 3:52
  4. "Un Otro Mundo" - 4:00

Personnel

Production

  • Joe Jackson – producer, mixing
  • David Kershenbaum – producer, mixing
  • Michael Ewasko – engineer

Other

  • Gary Green – photography

Charts

References
  1. "Joe Jackson - Real Men / Chinatown - A&M - UK - AMS 8231". 45cat. 18 June 1982. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  2. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Night and Day - Joe Jackson | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  3. "Joe Jackson UK Singles Chart History (from ukmix.org)". Imgur.com. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 151. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. "Joe Jackson - Real Men (1982)". IMVDb. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  6. "Billboard - Google Books". 17 July 1982. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  7. Molloy, Susan (30 August 1982). "Joe forgets Billy". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  8. Molloy, Susan (30 August 1982). "Joe forgets Billy". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  9. Daly, Mike (23 September 1982). "Joe's not just a singer". The Age.
  10. Kellogg, Alan (15 July 1982). "Sound Waves". The Edmonton Journal.
  11. (Posted: Aug 16, 1982) (16 August 1982). "Joe Jackson: Night And Day : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2 June 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  12. "What is 'Real Men' about? Joe Jackson leaves that up to you". Tampabay.com. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  13. "Joe Jackson – Real Men" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Joe Jackson" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  15. "Joe Jackson – Real Men" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  16. "Joe Jackson – Real Men". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  17. "Kent Music Report No 445 – 3 January 1983 > National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report, via Imgur.com. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
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