Masters at Work is a house music production team from the United States, co… Read Full Bio ↴Masters at Work is a house music production team from the United States, consisting of Little Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" Gonzales. They are also known as Nuyorican Soul.

Kenny "Dope" Gonzales loaned out the name Masters At Work to Todd Terry who released two singles (Alright Alright and Dum Dum Cry) in 1987 under this moniker.

Reach
Masters at Work Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Man, women, boy, women, girl
Women without a man is nothing
Without her, man is nothing
Women have their faults
Men only have two
Everything they say and everything they do
Men who have pierced ears are better prepared for marriage
They've experienced pain

And have bought jewelry
Women have two weapons
Cosmetics and tears
I'm a perfect house keeper
Every time I leave a man I keep his house
No women has ever hated a man
Enough to give him back his diamonds
Why don't women blink during foreplay?
They don't have time
Man, women, boy, women, girl
Men forget everything
Women remember everything
A girl can wait for the right man to come along
But it doesn't stop her from having fun
With all the wrong ones in the mean time
The real reason why it's so difficult to find men
Who are sensitive, caring and good looking?
Is because they all have boyfriends already
A successful man is one who makes more money
Than his wife can spend
A successful women is one who can find such a man
Man, women, boy, women, girl
Women driver really means
Someone who doesn't speed, tailgates
Swear, make obscene gestures
And has a better driving record than men have
It's a guy thing really means
Irrational, illogical, stupid and extremely low
Oh don't fuss I just cut myself, it's no big deal
Really means I'm about to die but before I die
I want you to remember me as a strong proud man
Who never cries
Man, women, boy, women, girl
If you want to learn more about women
Watch 'Sex in the City'
If you want to learn more about men
Take a good look at Homer Simpson

The difference between light and hard
Is that men can sleep all night with a light on

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Masters at Work's song "Reach" provide a pointed commentary on the differences and often unequal treatment of men and women in society. The opening lines set the tone, with a series of gendered labels that imply the singer sees people primarily in terms of their sex. The subsequent lines delve more deeply into societal expectations and stereotypes surrounding men and women. Women are described as needing men to feel complete, yet also wielding power through the use of cosmetics and tears. Men, on the other hand, are depicted as forgetful, irrational, and emotionally fragile.

Throughout the song, the singer challenges these assumptions, highlighting the absurdity and harmfulness of many common beliefs about gender. The reference to pierced ears and marriage is an example of this, calling out the notion that men who have experienced a small amount of pain are somehow better equipped for commitment. The closing lines of the song, with their juxtaposition of "light" and "hard", highlight the ways in which men are romanticized and valorized for behaviors that are ultimately harmful, such as surpressing emotions in the name of toughness.

Overall, "Reach" critiques the gendered stereotypes and expectations that limit people of all genders and often perpetuate harmful inequalities. Instead, the song promotes empathy, understanding, and a more nuanced approach to understanding human behavior.

Line by Line Meaning

Man, women, boy, women, girl
Acknowledging the existence of all genders and ages

Women without a man is nothing
Society tends to view women as incomplete without a male partner

Without her, man is nothing
A partner can add value to one's life but should not be the sole source of happiness or self-worth

Women have their faults
No one is perfect, and it is unfair to hold women to an unrealistic standard

Men only have two
Men are often praised for their strengths while women are judged for their weaknesses

Everything they say and everything they do
Men are not immune to making mistakes and should be held accountable for their actions

Men who have pierced ears are better prepared for marriage
Experiencing pain and investing in jewelry shows that a man is willing to sacrifice and commit to a lifelong partnership

Women have two weapons
Stereotypically, women are seen as using makeup and tears to manipulate men

Cosmetics and tears
These stereotypical 'weapons' are unfair and diminish women's value as individuals

I'm a perfect house keeper
A woman should not be defined by her ability to keep a man's house in order

Every time I leave a man I keep his house
This suggests that a woman's worth is tied to her relationship to a man

No women has ever hated a man
This is a generalization and not true for all individuals and situations

Enough to give him back his diamonds
Material possessions should not be the primary focus of a relationship and do not equal love or respect

Why don't women blink during foreplay?
This is a sexist and unfounded stereotype with no basis in reality

They don't have time
This statement perpetuates a harmful and false belief about women and sexuality

Men forget everything
This reinforces the gendered stereotype that men are forgetful and females are nurturing in memory

Women remember everything
This reinforces the gendered stereotype that women have a perfect memory

A girl can wait for the right man to come along
It is important to wait for someone who treats you with respect and kindness

But it doesn't stop her from having fun
Enjoying oneself and having fun should not be limited to being with the 'right' person

With all the wrong ones in the mean time
It is natural to have experiences with different people in order to grow and learn about oneself

The real reason why it's so difficult to find men
The qualities one desires in another person may not be present in every individual

Who are sensitive, caring and good looking?
These qualities are not limited to any gender and are not the only desirable qualities in a person

Is because they all have boyfriends already
This statement assumes that attraction is limited to those in a romantic relationship and not available to anyone else

A successful man is one who makes more money
Financial success should not be the only determinant of one's worth or success

Than his wife can spend
This reinforces the gendered stereotype that women are shoppers who spend excessively

A successful women is one who can find such a man
This reinforces the gendered stereotype that women are dependent on men for success

Women driver really means
This statement is a harmful, sexist stereotype and has no basis in reality or fact

Someone who doesn't speed, tailgates, swear, make obscene gestures
Driving habits are individual and should not be attributed to one's gender or sex

And has a better driving record than men have
This is a misleading generalization and not true for all individuals

It's a guy thing really means
This statement perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes and should not be used to excuse negative behaviors or attitudes

Irrational, illogical, stupid and extremely low
These are unfair stereotypes and diminish men's value as individuals

Oh don't fuss I just cut myself, it's no big deal
This statement minimizes pain and emotional distress and reinforces the stereotype that men should not show vulnerability

Really means I'm about to die but before I die
This illustrates the pressure men feel to be strong and not express emotions

I want you to remember me as a strong proud man
This emphasizes the importance of societal expectations and stereotypes that place a value on traditional notions of masculinity

Who never cries
This perpetuates the harmful stereotype that men should not show their emotions or vulnerability by crying

If you want to learn more about women
It is important to listen to and learn from women's perspectives and experiences

Watch 'Sex in the City'
This show may provide entertainment but may not accurately represent all women or their experiences

If you want to learn more about men
It is important to listen to and learn from men's perspectives and experiences

Take a good look at Homer Simpson
Homer Simpson is a fictional character and not a representative of all men or their experiences

The difference between light and hard
This line sets up a joke based on a pun between 'light' and 'hard'

Is that men can sleep all night with a light on
This statement is meant to be humorous and is not factual or true for all individuals

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: ERICK A. MORILLO, LOUIE VEGA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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