Released as the album's first single in Europe in May 2006, "Maneater" became one of Nelly Furtado's most popular singles, topping the singles charts in Poland and the UK, and reaching the top ten across much of Continental Europe. It served as the album's second single in Australia, where it reached the top five, and in North America, where it became a club hit but was less commercially successful than the lead single, "Promiscuous". It received favorable reviews from many music critics.
"Maneater" was one of the first songs Furtado and Timbaland worked on in the Hit Factory Criteria recording studios in Miami, Florida. She has described the song as an analogy of how she incorporated the "creative energy" of Timbaland and his production crew into Loose. When making the album, Furtado and Timbaland were influenced by the work of musicians from the 1980s such as Talking Heads, Blondie, Madonna, The Police and Eurythmics. "Eurythmics had this spooky, keyboard-driven pop sound", Furtado said. Final production of the track was delayed after a speaker caught fire in the studio control room.
Furtado has characterized "Maneater" as "a 'couture pop' song", explaining that it is "in your face and very fashionable, stylistic and of-the-moment." In an interview with MTV News, she compared it favorably to eating too much cheesecake: "It's got a crazy loud beat, and the vocals are bitchy and loud. A lot of people say it sounds like Peaches, because of the delivery, the spooky vocals." According to Furtado, the song is related to how people become "hot on themselves" when dancing in their underwear in front of a mirror. "[It] truly has a life of its own; it makes you move", she said. Media sources compared it to the Hall & Oates single "Maneater", released in 1982, which Furtado has cited as an influence on the song.
In Australia, the CD was released in two formats, although one version (the international single) had an extremely limited run and was not widely available. The Australia-exclusive "Maneater" CD single includes a cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" recorded on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge program, on which "Maneater" was covered three times, by pop punk band Panic at the Disco, dance music duo Basement Jaxx and rock band Boy Kill Boy, whose cover was released on the album Radio 1's Live Lounge.
"Maneater" is an uptempo electro-rock song that combines 80's electro synths and a more dance-oriented beat. The up-tempo song has prominent electropop and synth pop influences and is lyrically related to how people become "hot on themselves" when dancing in their underwear in front of a mirror. "[It] truly has a life of its own; it makes you move", she said. Media sources compared it to the Hall & Oates single "Maneater", released in 1982, which Furtado has cited as an influence on the song. The song has a dance tempo and it is composed in the key of D major with a tempo of 132 beats per minute.
Maneater
Nelly Furtado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody look at me, me (oh)
I walk in the door you start screaming (oh)
Come on everybody, what you here for? (Oh)
Move your body around like a nympho (oh)
Everybody get your neck to crack around (oh)
I wanna see you all on your knees knees (oh)
You either wanna be with me or be me
Come on now
Man-eater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She's a man-eater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Make you fall real hard in love
She's a man-eater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She's a man-eater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Wish you never ever met her at all
And when she walks she walks with passion (oh)
When she talks, she talks like she can handle it (oh)
When she asks for something, boy, she means it (oh)
Even if you never ever see it (oh)
Everybody get your neck to crack around (oh)
All you crazy people come on jump around (oh)
You doing anything to keep her by your side (oh)
Because she says she love you, love you long time (oh)
Come on now
Man-eater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She's a man-eater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Make you fall real hard in love
She's a man-eater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She's a man-eater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Wish you never ever met her at all (oh)
Ahh (oh)
Ahh (oh)
Ahh (oh)
Ahh (yeah), come on now
Man-eater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She's a man-eater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Make you fall real hard in love
She's a man-eater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She's a man-eater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Wish you never ever met her at all
No, never ever met her at all
(What you sayin', girl?)
You wish you'd never ever met her at all
(What you sayin', girl?)
You wish you'd never ever met her at all
(What you sayin', girl?)
You wish you'd never ever met her at all
(Come on)
You wish you'd never ever met her at all
(What you sayin', girl?)
You wish you'd never ever met her at all
(What you sayin', girl?)
You wish you'd never ever met her at all
(What you sayin', girl?)
You wish you'd never ever met her at all (break)
I been around the world, I ain't ever seen a girl like this
She's a man-eater, a man-eater
I been around the world, I ain't ever seen a girl like this
She's a man-eater, a man-eater
I been around the world, I ain't ever seen a girl like this
She's a man-eater, a man-eater
I been around the world, I ain't ever seen a girl like this
Like this, like this, like this, like this, like this (this, this, this)
The song "Maneater" by Nelly Furtado is a song about a seductive, powerful woman who has the ability to make men fall in love with her and spend money on her. The chorus repeats the phrase "she's a man-eater," using the metaphor of a cannibalistic predator to describe the woman's behavior. The verses describe how the woman walks, talks, and demands attention, and how men are willing to do anything to keep her in their lives, even if it means spending their last dime. The bridge provides a break from the repetitiveness of the chorus and has Furtado asserting that she has never seen a woman like this before.
Overall, "Maneater" is a commentary on the power dynamics between men and women in relationships, and the idea that women can be just as predatory as men. However, the song does not necessarily condemn the woman for her behavior, but rather presents her as an irresistible force that men are drawn to despite the risks involved.
Line by Line Meaning
Take it back from the top
Let's start again from the beginning
Everybody look at me, me (oh)
Attention everyone, focus on me
I walk in the door you start screaming (oh)
People get excited and cheerful when I arrive
Come on everybody, what you here for? (Oh)
Let's have some fun and enjoy the moment
Move your body around like a nympho (oh)
Dance and groove sensually
Everybody get your neck to crack around (oh)
Move your head around in excitement
All you crazy people come on jump around (oh)
Let loose and have fun, don't be afraid to be wild
I wanna see you all on your knees knees (oh)
Let me see everyone groveling and begging for my attention
You either wanna be with me or be me
You either desire me or aspire to be like me
Man-eater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
She is a seductress who demands your utmost effort and money
Make you want all of her love
She can make you crave for her affection
She's a man-eater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
She has expensive tastes that can drain your bank account
Make you fall real hard in love
She has the power to make you fall head over heels for her
Wish you never ever met her at all
You regret the day you ever crossed paths with her
When she walks she walks with passion (oh)
Her every step exudes confidence and sensuality
When she talks, she talks like she can handle it (oh)
She speaks with poise and authority
When she asks for something, boy, she means it (oh)
She is assertive and doesn't take no for an answer
Even if you never ever see it (oh)
Even if she doesn't show it, you know she means business
You doing anything to keep her by your side (oh)
You will do whatever it takes to keep her happy and stay with her
Because she says she love you, love you long time (oh)
She claims to love you passionately and forever
No, never ever met her at all
You wish you could erase her from your life entirely
I been around the world, I ain't ever seen a girl like this
She is unique and unlike any girl you have ever encountered
Like this, like this, like this, like this, like this (this, this, this)
She is extraordinary, and her charms are one-of-a-kind
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Floyd Nathaniel Hills, Jim Beanz, Nelly Kim Furtado, Timothy Z. Mosley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@emilyroberts8213
βYou either want to be with me, or be meβ π₯π₯
@Arcade-Legend
Trueπβ€
@Princesspoot278
π₯π₯
@GriezmannTuti10
Im just me
@Ariheartsu2
@@emilyroberts8213 Abby?
@jolantawa8810
K9πlPllβ@@Ariheartsu2
@evonekky3672
My dad put this on my ipod shuffle when i was in middle school π’π’π’ memories
@Oeleted
My mom put a lot of songs on my iPod shuffle too lmao a solid 90% of the music I listen to today is because of her π
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uwu
@Jasmine-om2mw
This song is my spirit animal going into 2024 π