Shania Twain’s “Man! I Feel Like A Woman” is the perfect female empowerment hymn.
It was first released in March 1999 to the country radio stations in North America as a single off Twain’s third studio album, Come on Over. It then reached domestic success – selling more than fifteen million copies. This made Twain determined to become an international star! So, a few months later, the country-pop song was released worldwide.
Not only did it receive favorable reviews from various music critics, but it was also commercially successful. While reaching No. 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, the song went on the Top Ten in six other countries.
It also earned an RIAA Platinum certification for gaining a million digital downloads. Moreover, “Man! I Feel Like A Woman” took home Best Female Country Vocal Performance during the 2000 Grammy Awards.
The Story Behind The Song
Written by Shania Twain along with her frequent collaborator and then-husband Robert John “Mutt” Lange, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” began as a message of encouragement to herself.
The country superstar explained that it was pretty late for her to acknowledge that she was becoming a woman. She added that she grew up as a rowdy girl who was always with the boys playing football and other sports. However, she noticed that she is getting curvier day by day, making her uncomfortable with her body.
Even so, Twain learned to embrace such changes. She began appreciating the fact that she can absolutely have fun being a woman, and that became the central theme of “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” She decided to write the song to share her own self-empowerment – a symbol of her shift into womanhood.
However, many other people relate to the compelling track that it eventually developed into a girl-power anthem.
In another interview, the country music hit-maker said that the song’s title and lyrics were based on her experiences while working at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ontario. Twain remembered working with some drag performers at the resort, and she finds it fascinating enough every time they transform themselves into gorgeous women. She also credits them as the source of her inspiration.
Equally Frivolous Music Video
The song is also accompanied by a music video shot in New York City. Twain can be seen standing in front of a group of men dressed in the same way, donning perfect eyeliner. They were meant to imitate the women in Robert Palmer’s music videos for “Simply Irresistible” and “Addicted to Love.” It became Twain’s second most watched video, garnering 240 million views while “From This Moment On” was on top with 250 million views as of this writing.
Indeed, it’s the most iconic among Shania Twain songs. You can listen to “Man! I Feel Like A Woman” by Shania Twain in the video below.
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Shania Twain