The Man
Written By Taylor Swift & Joel Little
Produced By Taylor Swift & Joel Little
About
From Genius, the ultimate source of music knowledge
Track 4 on "Lover".
"The Man" was confirmed as an official Lover track in Taylor's Vogue interview from August 8, 2019. In the song, Taylor "plays with the idea of perception." According to Vogue, "she has often wondered how she would be written and spoken about if she were a man."
Taylor explains:
It's a thought experiment of sorts: 'If I had made all the same choices, all the same mistakes, all the same accomplishments, how would it read?'
On January 27, 2020, the song was confirmed by Billboard's Senior Director of Charts, Gary Trust, as the fourth official single off of Lover after it was sent to both pop and adult pop radio.
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
I would be complex, I would be cool
They'd say I played the field before I found someone to commit to
And that would be okay for me to do
Every conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you
[Pre-Chorus]
I'd be a fearless leader
I'd be an alpha type
When everyone believes ya
What's that like?
[Chorus]
I'm so sick of running as fast as I can
Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man
And I'm so sick of them coming at me again
'Cause if I was a man, then I'd be the man
I'd be the man
I'd be the man
[Verse 2]
They'd say I hustled, put in the work
They wouldn't shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve
What I was wearing, if I was rude
Could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves
[Pre-Chorus]
And they would toast to me, oh, let the players play
I'd be just like Leo in Saint-Tropez
[Chorus]
I'm so sick of running as fast as I can
Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man
And I'm so sick of them coming at me again
'Cause if I was a man, then I'd be the man
I'd be the man
I'd be the man
[Bridge]
What's it like to brag about raking in dollars
And getting bitches and models?
And it's all good if you're bad
And it's okay if you're mad
If I was out flashing my dollars
I'd be a bitch, not a baller
They'd paint me out to be bad
So, it's okay that I'm mad
[Chorus]
I'm so sick of running as fast as I can
Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man (You know that)
And I'm so sick of them coming at me again (Coming at me again)
'Cause if I was a man (If I was a man)
Then I'd be the man (Then I'd be the man)
I'm so sick of running as fast as I can (As fast as I can)
Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man (Hey)
And I'm so sick of them coming at me again (Coming at me again)
'Cause if I was a man (If I was a man), then I'd be the man
I'd be the man
I'd be the man (Oh)
I'd be the man (Yeah)
I'd be the man (I'd be the man)
[Outro]
If I was a man, then I'd be the man