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You Make Me Want to Be a Man

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"You Make Me Want to Be a Man"
Song

"You Make Me Want to Be a Man" is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Utada for her fifth studio album and second English album, Exodus (2004). It was written and produced by Utada, alongside co-production by her father Teruzane Utada. The track was inspired by her relationship with her husband at the time, Kazuaki Kiriya. Its themes include sexism and understanding each other from a different perspective. "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" premiered on January 1, 2005 as the fourth and final single from the album. Self-described as an electronic and dance-pop song, it contains numerous elements including J-pop and techno.

Upon its release, "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" garnered positive reviews from music critics. Many critics commended the song's composition, lyrical content, and Hikaru's vocal and production delivery. Minor criticism was directed towards the song's production. Despite being released promotionally in North America and Japan, it failed to chart on any of their record charts. Released in the United Kingdom, it failed to reach inside the top 100, peaking at number 277. "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" is her only song to chart in the UK.

The accompanying music video for "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" was shot in Tokyo by Kōji Morimoto and Kiriya; it features an android–Utada inside of an industrial–cyber utopia. Inter cut scenes feature daily life functions, emphasizing a differentiation of human and synthetic being. The music video received positive reviews for its message and visuals. For additional promotion, the song was included on the track list of her concert tours Utada United 2006, and Utada: In the Flesh 2010.

Background and composition

"It came from facing my husband dealing with someone on that honest level. It's very hard to let someone into your life that much. With the song it's like, sometimes, the things that we don't understand about each other, if I was a man, maybe I could understand him better. It's very simple, it's all about wanting to become another person and see it from another point of view."

—Utada discussing the background of "You Make Me Want to Be a Man".[1]

"You Make Me Want to Be a Man" was inspired by her relationship with her husband at the time, Kazuaki Kiriya. In a press conference for Utada's album Exodus, she stated; "I was trying to deal with my husband, and it was the first time I really came face to face with another human being, and the things that we couldn't understand about each other, or things we argued about, I felt like it was because (that) some of it was just like a sex issue."[2] She went on to say that "I felt like if I could be a man, I could understand him more, in some ways, so I wanted to understand him, and I thought, 'I wish I were a man!'".[2] In an interview with Female First UK, she further elaborated "it's all about wanting to become another person and see it from another point of view."[1] It was selected as the fourth and final single from Exodus, the lead single for the UK editions, and was released on October 17, 2005 by Island Def Jam and Mercury. The Maxi CD version of the single contains three remixes of "You Make Me Want to Be a Man", and the accompanying music video.[3] A bonus promo package included a separate CD and DVD of the single, and featured unreleased artwork of Exodus.[4] A 12 inch vinyl was issued in the UK, featuring three remixes and the radio edit of the track.[5]

"You Make Me Want to Be a Man" was written, composed, arranged, and produced by Utada, alongside co-production by her father Teruzane Utada.[3] Utada described the song as "very electro" and "dance-pop" with numerous musical elements including J-pop and techno.[1][6][7] According to Lucas Villa from Axs.com, he deciphered the themes of the track by stating "Tougher subjects Utada tackled on Exodus included her dissolving marriage to Kazuaki Kiriya on 'You Make Me Want to Be a Man.' She turned her frustrations about gender roles in a relationship into a feminist message, singing, 'I really want to tell you something but I can't / You make me want to be a man.'.[8] Several critic publications including Renowned for Sound, Pop Hates Flops, and MuuMuse had quoted similar aspects of her relationship and feminism views as key themes to the song.[9][10][6]

Reception

Critical response

"You Make Me Want to Be a Man" received favourable reviews from most music critics. David Jeffries from AllMusic wrote the extended biography to Utada, and highlighted the track as an album and career stand out moment from Utada's discography.[11] A reviewer from Pop Hates Flops commended Utada's lyrical content, labelling it "shockingly intimate".[10] Ridwin Khan from Animefringe.com said that "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" has an "interesting hook and an energetic beat."[12] Bradley Stern from MuuMuse was positive in his review, labelling it a "futuristic J-pop-infused creation...".[6] Villa commended Utada's lyrical and vocal delivery, stating that the lyrics "got her point across on the battle-born dance track."[8] A reviewer from CD Journal gave the song a mixed review. The reviewer complimented Utada's song writing for portraying "real intentions" and praised the song's "fluctuation" of composition. However, they criticized the song's production for its continiuous looping.[13] A negative review came from Tomba at Channel.Ai, who felt "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" was a plain "mediocre song".[14]

Commercial performance

Despite being released promotionally in North America and Japan, it failed to chart on any of their record charts.[15][16] "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" is Utada's first and remains her only single not to chart in any Oricon or Billboard charts in Japan.[17][18][A] "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" also failed to chart in any Taiwanese or Korean chart.[19] Released in the United Kingdom, it failed to reach inside the top 100, peaking at number 277. Despite this, it is her first and only single to chart in the UK.[6][7]

Music video

Background

The accompanying music video for "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" was directed by anime director, Kōji Morimoto and Kiriya.[20] Utada stated that because the song itself featured electro and dance genres, "it fits well with visuals. I have a lot of electronic elements with machines and stuff like that."[1] Utada said she was influenced by her Japanese heritage, anime and otaku culture, and Japan's advance technology during the early 2000s. She commented ""We wanted to play with the Japanese side of my existence. Japan is well know for these kinds of technological things, like Anime and the futuristic things, so I think that is what started off the whole thing."[1] Utada revealed that she shared her creative input with Kiriya because "It's very difficult, but a bit of companionship was exactly what I needed. With most of my work I mostly just say yes or no, so I guess what I needed was someone that I could trust the taste and opinions of and have the guts to tell me about things. Somebody that I could trust with the creative side of things a little more, so that is when he came into the picture."[1]

Synopsis and reception

Utada (pictured) with red eyes, witnessing and absorbing information of human life. The visuals and scenery was critically acclaimed from critics and publications.[21]

The video opens with Utada's and the song's name superimposed on a CGI city, progressing with different views of it. Throughout the video, several inter cuts of archive footage feature heavy use of modern technology and small scenes of human functionality.[22] The first chorus features a robotic Utada laying down, with several machinery and chords impaling her. As she sings, she witnesses small screens of daily life functions, allowing her to absorb human functions and information through artificial life. Throughout he choruses, it has the human Utada singing with her band.[22] As several inter cuts of archive footage appears, the verses opens with another robotic Utada witnessing the small screens with red eyes.

By the second chorus, the robotic Utada is lifted into a container for further improvement.[22] By the second verse, a robotic–male companion emerges from a mercury substance, and is seen on a rooftop, displaying himself and the cityscape. The male snaps a piece of his rib cage off and puts out in front of him. Several chords and machinery interact with the rib bone, and forms a mysterious light. The mysterious light then turns into a final form of robotic Utada, cover in shiny gloss and red eyes.[22] The video ends with Utada on a seat, wired with several machinery and chords.[22]

The music video premiered on October 19, 2005 on UK MTV and Japanese music television channels, and premiered a week later worldwide.[20][23][24] The music video received positive reviews from most music critics. Tamar Anitai from MTV discussed how the music video related to the original MTV reality television series Made by failed to express gender reassignment. Anitai commented "But the one amazing transformation we’ve never seen on Made? Gender reassignment! Come on, Made! There’s gotta be some girl out there who doesn’t want to wear a bra anymore! And, believe it or not, we dug around in the MTV video vault and found a video buried in the WTF File that perfect embraces this sentiment: it’s Japanese pop star Utada’s clip, earnestly entitled, 'You Make Me Want to Be a Man.'.[21]

Live performances and other appearances

"You Make Me Want to Be a Man" has been included in numerous tours conducted by Utada; its inclusions are her Utada United 2006 tour,[25] and her Utada: In the Flesh 2010 concert tour.[26] Her performance on the Utada United 2006 tour received mixed reviews, many feeling that the performance and the visual aesthetics on stage was "mediocre".[14] "You Make Me Want to Be a Man" was included on Utada's 2010 greatest hits album, Utada the Best.[27]

Track listing

Credits and personnel

Source:[3][4]

Weekly charts

Charts (2005) Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC)[32] 227

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ The Japan Hot 100 was established in February 2008, despite her singles prior to its establishment charting on it.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f Female First staff (October 10, 2005). "Utada Interview: Japan's Most Famous!". Female First UK. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  2. ^ a b Utada, Hikaru (2004). Exodus Interview (Liner notes). Utada. Japan: Universal Music Group.
  3. ^ a b c d Utada, Hikaru (2005). You Make Me Want to Be a Man (Liner notes). Utada. Japan: Universal Music Group. 988 638-1. {{cite AV media notes}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |title= at position 1 (help)
  4. ^ a b c Utada, Hikaru (2005). You Make Me Want to Be a Man (DVD promo; Liner notes). Utada. United Kingdom: Universal Music Group. UTMANDLXP1. {{cite AV media notes}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |title= at position 1 (help)
  5. ^ a b Utada, Hikaru (2005). You Make Me Want to Be a Man (12 inch Vinyl; Liner notes). Utada. United Kingdom: Universal Music Group. 988 638-2. {{cite AV media notes}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |title= at position 1 (help)
  6. ^ a b c d Stern, Bradley (September 1, 2014). "This Is Our Exodus". MuuMuse. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Skedge (October 31, 2005). "Utada – You Make Me Want to Be a Man Information". seesaa. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  8. ^ a b Villa, Lucas (September 8, 2014). "Exodus at 10: A closer look at Utada Hikaru's English-language crossover album". Axs.com. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  9. ^ Smith, Michael (December 26, 2015). "Pop Rewinds: Utada – Exodus". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Pop Hates Flops staff (November 20, 2014). "Why Utada Hikaru's 'Exodus' Is Leaving us Lonely for the Holidays". Pop Hates Flops. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  11. ^ Jeffries, David. "Hikaru utada – Songs". AllMusic. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  12. ^ Khan, Ridwin (September 24, 2005). "Utada Hikaru: Exodus". Animefringe.com. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  13. ^ CD Journal Staff (September 24, 2005). "Utada / Exodus" (in Japanese). CD Journal. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  14. ^ a b Tomba (December 22, 2006). "Utada United 2006". Channel.Ai. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  15. ^ "Hikaru Utada - Chart history Billboard (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  16. ^ "Hikaru Utada - Chart history Billboard (Dance/Mix Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  17. ^ "宇多田ヒカルのリリース一覧". Oricon. Retrieved August 14, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "Hot 100｜JAPAN Charts｜Billboard JAPAN" (in Japanese). Billboard.
  19. ^ "2010년 50주차 Digital Chart 국외". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  20. ^ a b Imvdb Staff. "Utada Hikaru – You Make Me Want to Be a Man". Imvdb.com. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  21. ^ a b Anitai, Tamar (August 17, 2008). "Happy Birthday, 'Made'! + WTF Video: Utada, 'You Make Me Want to Be a Man'". MTV. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  22. ^ a b c d e Vevo (October 9, 2009). "Utada - You Make Me Want To Be A Man". UtadaVEVO; published through YouTube. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  23. ^ MTV UK Staff (October 19, 2009). "Utada - You Make Me Want To Be A Man". MTV. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  24. ^ MTV Base Staff (October 25, 2009). "Utada - You Make Me Want To Be A Man". MTV Base. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  25. ^ Utada, Hikaru (2006). Utada United 2006 (DVD). Utada. Japan: Eastworld Productions. TOBF-5506.
  26. ^ "Utada In the Flesh – Film by Utada". iTunes Store GB. 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  27. ^ Utada, Hikaru (2010). Utada the Best (Liner notes). Utada. Japan: Island Def Jam Group. UICL-1110.
  28. ^ Utada, Hikaru (2005). You Make Me Want to Be a Man (Liner notes). Utada. Europe: Universal Music Group. 0602498863794. {{cite AV media notes}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |title= at position 1 (help)
  29. ^ Utada, Hikaru (2005). You Make Me Want to Be a Man (12 inch Vinyl; Liner notes). Utada. United Kingdom: Universal Music Group. BEAMANDJ 1. {{cite AV media notes}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |title= at position 1 (help)
  30. ^ "You Make Me Want to Be a Man (Tom Neville Mix) – Single by Utada". iTunes Store GB (only released in the United Kingdom). January 1, 2005. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  31. ^ "You Make Me Want to Be a Man – Music video by Kumi Koda". iTunes Store NZ. January 1, 2005. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  32. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
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