The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active … Read Full Bio ↴The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia, and disco. One of Motown's signature acts, The Supremes were the most successful African-American musical act of the 1960s, recording twelve #1 hits between 1964 and 1969, many of them written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland-Dozier-Holland. The crossover success of the Supremes during the mid-1960s paved the way for future black soul and R&B acts to gain mainstream audiences both in the United States and overseas.

Founded in Detroit, Michigan, United States in 1959, The Supremes began as a quartet called The Primettes. Founding members Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, all from the Brewster-Douglas public housing project in Detroit, were the sister act to The Primes (later The Temptations). In 1960, Barbara Martin replaced McGlown, and the group signed with Motown in 1961 as The Supremes. Martin left at the end of 1961, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson carried on as a trio. After they achieved success in the mid-1960s with Ross as the lead singer, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes in 1967, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Ross left the group for a solo career in 1970, and was replaced by Jean Terrell. After 1972, the lineup of the Supremes changed frequently, with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene all becoming members before the group ended its eighteen-year existence in 1977.

I Am Woman You Are Man
The Supremes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I am woman, you are man
I am smaller so you can be taller than
I am softer to the touch
It's a feeling I like feeling very much

You are someone whom I admire
Still our friendship leaves something to be desired

Does it take more explanation than this?
I am woman you are man
I am woman you are man
Let's kiss

I am woman, you are man
I am gentle so you can be barbarian
I'm all pleats and pins and rouge
Mostly sham but ma'am
I love the subterfuge

I'm am fiction I hope you are fact
Contradiction's what makes it a perfect act

Does it take more explanation than this?
I am woman you are man

I am woman you are man
Let's kiss

Overall Meaning

In "I Am Woman You Are Man," The Supremes are exploring the dynamic between a man and a woman in a romantic relationship. The first verse emphasizes the physical differences between men and women, with the woman acknowledging that she is smaller and softer than her male partner. However, despite these differences, the woman still admires the man and desires a romantic connection with him.

The second verse plays with the idea of gender roles and expectations. The woman presents herself as a stereotypically feminine figure, with pleats, pins, and rouge, while the man is a "barbarian." The woman acknowledges that she is largely a facade, but enjoys the performance of femininity nonetheless. The lyrics suggest that there is a tension between reality and fiction in their dynamic, but that this tension creates an exciting and "perfect" act.

Overall, the lyrics in "I Am Woman You Are Man" are playful and flirty, but also hint at deeper complexities in the relationship between the man and woman. The song highlights the ways in which gender shapes our interactions with others, and suggests that there can be both pleasure and challenge in navigating those differences.

Line by Line Meaning

I am woman, you are man
Acknowledging the difference in gender between the singer and the person being addressed, and the power dynamic that can come with that.

I am smaller so you can be taller than
Highlighting the physical differences between men and women, and how society expects men to be taller and women to be smaller.

I am softer to the touch
Emphasizing the softness and femininity that is traditionally associated with women.

It's a feeling I like feeling very much
Expressing enjoyment in being a woman and fulfilling gender norms.

You are someone whom I admire
Acknowledging respect for the person being addressed.

Still our friendship leaves something to be desired
Implying that there is potential for a deeper connection beyond friendship.

Does it take more explanation than this?
Suggesting that the dynamics between men and women are simple and straightforward.

Let's kiss
Proposing a physical expression of the attraction between the two.

I am gentle so you can be barbarian
Contrasting the softness and gentleness of women with the strength and aggression of men.

I'm all pleats and pins and rouge
Describing the traditional feminine appearance and clothing.

Mostly sham but ma'am
Acknowledging that much of femininity is performative and not genuine.

I love the subterfuge
Indicating an enjoyment in playing the role of the traditional feminine.

I'm am fiction I hope you are fact
Acknowledging the difference between gender and sex, and the idea that femininity and masculinity are often constructed and not inherent.

Contradiction's what makes it a perfect act
Suggesting that the performance of gender involves contradictions and that this is what makes it successful.

Let's kiss
Reiterating the proposal for physical intimacy.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Written by: BOB MERRILL, JULE STYNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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