"I Don't Need a Man" is a song recorded by American girl group
the Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls were an American girl group and dance ensemble, founded in Los Angeles, California, by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a burlesque troupe. At the suggestion of Jimmy Iovine, Antin decided to take the burlesque troupe ...
for their debut studio album ''
PCD'' (2005). It was written and produced by Rich Harrison, with additional writing from Nicole Scherzinger, Vanessa Brown and Kara DioGuardi. A
post-disco song, "I Don't Need a Man" promotes
female empowerment
Women's empowerment (or female empowerment) may be defined in several ways, including accepting women's viewpoints, making an effort to seek them and raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, and training.Kabeer, Naila ...
. The song was released as the fifth single from ''PCD'' on September 9, 2006, by
A&M Records
A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...
and
Interscope Records.
Upon its release, "I Don't Need a Man" received critical acclaim. A commercial success, it became their fifth consecutive top-ten single on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, peaking at number seven, while also attaining top-ten positions in Australia, Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania and Scotland. In the United States, it became their lowest-charting single, peaking at number 93 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 due to its limited release in the country.
Writing and production
"I Don't Need a Man" was written and produced by
Rich Harrison
Richard Christopher Harrison (born 1979) is an American record producer and songwriter from Washington, D.C., specializing in R&B and hip hop music.
The winner of a Grammy Award, Harrison is well known for producing songs such as " Get Right ...
, with additional writing from
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
,
Vanessa "VV" Brown and
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (; born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She writes music primarily in the pop rock genre. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; sales o ...
.
Ron Fair
Ronald Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several ar ...
provided additional and vocal production for the song. The song was recorded for the group's debut album ''
PCD'' (2005) and predominately features Scherzinger's vocals with
background vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...
by VV Brown.
Tal Herzberg engineered and used
Pro-Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture (sound design, audio post-product ...
for the track, as well as playing bass for the production. Horns were led and arranged by
Jerry Hey
Jerry Hey (born 1950) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Michael Jackson's ''Thriller'', '' Rock with You'' ...
, with further contributions from Garry Grant, Dan Higgins and Bill Reichenbach.
Wurlitzer
The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...
, piano and
glockenspiel were played by Fair. Further engineering was carried out by Scotty Beats, JD Andrew, Mike Hogue, and Mike "Angry" Eleopoulos.
Peter Mokran
Peter Mokran is an American mixer, producer, engineer and musician.
Early life
Mokran was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up, he studied classical guitar, while also learning engineering and programming as a teen.Paul Tingen“Secr ...
mixed "I Don't Need a Man" at the
Record Plant studios in Los Angeles.
The song was released alongside its
B-side "We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going", which is a medley of
Labelle's song "Far as We Felt Like Goin" (1975), written by
Bob Crewe and
Kenny Nolan
Kenny Nolan (born September 30, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter from Los Angeles.
He is best remembered for the 1976–77 song " I Like Dreamin'", which he wrote and performed; it reached No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 4 on ...
, and
The S.O.S. Band's song "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" (1980). The Pussycat Dolls' version was produced by Fair with additional production and Pro-Tools by Herzberg. Lead vocals were credited to Scherzinger, whilst
Melody Thornton
Melody Thornton (born September 28, 1984) is an American singer and television personality. After graduating high school, Thornton became one the main vocalists of the pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls and released the albums '' PCD'' (2005) an ...
,
Carmit Bachar
Carmit Maile Bachar ( he, כרמית בכר; born September 4, 1974), known professionally as Carmit, is an American singer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. She is a member of the Pussycat Dolls. She is married to longtime partner Kevin Whita ...
and
Kaya Jones
Chrystal Neria (born August 28, 1984), known professionally as Kaya Jones, is a Canadian-born American singer and model. She originally became known in 2003 for performing with the American girl group the Pussycat Dolls. Since 2004, she has pursue ...
were credited with additional vocals.
"We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going" first appeared on the soundtrack to the animated film ''
Shark Tale
''Shark Tale'' is a 2004 American computer-animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by DreamWorks Pictures. The film was directed by Vicky Jenson, Bibo Bergeron, and Rob Letterman (in his feature directorial de ...
'' (2004).
Music and lyrics
"I Don't Need a Man" is a
post-disco song with a length of three minutes and 39 seconds.
According to
EMI Music Publishing
EMI Music Publishing Ltd. is a British multinational music publishing company headquartered in London, owned by parent company Sony Corporation of America.
In May 2018, Sony Music Publishing agreed to increase its stake in EMI to 90%, pending ...
's digital sheet music for the song, "I Don't Need a Man" is composed in the key of
D minor and set in
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note val ...
, with a moderate groove of 105
beats per minute
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ...
. The group's vocal range spans from the low note of
A3 to the high note of
D5.
"I Don't Need a Man" has been described as a song that finds the "self-objectifying group flipping the script" for
female empowerment
Women's empowerment (or female empowerment) may be defined in several ways, including accepting women's viewpoints, making an effort to seek them and raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, and training.Kabeer, Naila ...
.
Caroline Bologna of ''
HuffPost
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' claimed that the song is about
masturbation.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine likened the song to the music of
Beyoncé, while Rebecca Deczynski of ''
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic.
Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from pe ...
'' retrospectively wrote that the song was a
prequel to her song "
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album, ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Columbia Records released "Single Ladies" as a Single (music), single on October 13, 2008, as a A-side ...
" (2008).
Critical reception
Rebecca Deczynski of ''
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers composed of polyamides ( repeating units linked by amide links).The polyamides may be aliphatic or semi-aromatic.
Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from pe ...
'' magazine listed "I Don't Need a Man" in her list of 12 songs that defined girl power, appreciating the "crystal-clear" messaging behind it. ''
People
A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'' magazine contributors also lauded its themes, deeming it as one of ''PCD'' better songs. ''musicOMH's'' John Murphy acknowledged its synth production.
Commercial performance
In comparison with the previous four singles from ''PCD'', "I Don't Need a Man" was slightly less commercially successful. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number 21, with first-week digital sales of 5,448 units in the last week of September 2006. The following week, it sold 13,220 copies after its physical release and peaked at number seven, becoming the Pussycat Dolls' fifth consecutive top-ten single as ''PCD'' surpassed sales of one million copies in the country. The same week, the song reached the summit of the
UK R&B Chart
The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Albums, or simply the UK Urban Chart) are 40-posi ...
and number eight on the
Scottish Singles Chart
The Scottish Albums Chart is a chart compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) which is based on how physical and digital sales towards the UK Albums Chart fare in Scotland. The official singles chart for Scotland, the Scottish Singles Chart, ...
.
"I Don't Need a Man" was also the group's fifth consecutive top-ten single in multiple countries aside from the UK, peaking at number five in the Netherlands,
number six in Australia,
number seven in Belgium (Flanders) and New Zealand,
and number nine in Ireland.
In the United States, it became their lowest-charting song on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number 93 due to its limited release in the country.
Music video
The accompanying
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
for "I Don't Need a Man" was directed by
Chris Applebaum and was first announced and described by group member
Ashley Roberts
Ashley Allyn Roberts (born September 14, 1981) is an American singer, dancer, and media personality. She is a member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls.
Roberts released her debut solo studio album, ''Butterfly Ef ...
in a
blog
A blog (a truncation of "weblog") is a discussion or informational website published on the World Wide Web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries (posts). Posts are typically displayed in reverse chronological order s ...
entry on their official website. It premiered on the group's website on April 17, 2007 and on
MTV's
TRL TRL or trl may refer to:
Arts
* Temporary Residence Limited, a record label
* ''Total Request Live'', a former MTV show
* TRL Awards (''Total Request Live''), an Italian music award
Libraries
* Tampines Regional Library, a regional library in Ta ...
the following day,
following its international release through the maxi CD single of "I Don't Need a Man" in September 2006.
The first verse begins with Roberts doing her nails dressed in white clothing. The video features
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
singing,
Carmit Bachar
Carmit Maile Bachar ( he, כרמית בכר; born September 4, 1974), known professionally as Carmit, is an American singer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. She is a member of the Pussycat Dolls. She is married to longtime partner Kevin Whita ...
drying her hair and
Jessica Sutta
Jessica Lynn Sutta (born May 15, 1982), previously known as J Sutta, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. She is best known as a former member of the American girl group the Pussycat Dolls.
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Sutta devel ...
having a shower as they prepare to go out. In the chorus, the Dolls mimic a
hair salon
A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment dealing with cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, and medical spas.
Beauty treatments
Massage for the body is a ...
scene. During the second verse, the video shows
Kimberly Wyatt
Kimberly Kaye Wyatt (born February 4, 1982) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She is a former member of the pop/ R&B girl group and dance ensemble The Pussycat Dolls. She is also a member of the ...
in a bath getting ready to go out,
Melody Thornton
Melody Thornton (born September 28, 1984) is an American singer and television personality. After graduating high school, Thornton became one the main vocalists of the pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls and released the albums '' PCD'' (2005) an ...
putting on her make-up and Scherzinger singing. In the second chorus, it shows the group performing a dance routine before breaking into different slides of the members dancing separately. Following this, Scherzinger and Thornton are shown singing "let it go", a bridge in the middle of the song. This then breaks into more dance clips of the members, with Scherzinger singing. The video concludes with the group performing another dance routine against a black background in the final chorus before
confetti
Confetti are small pieces or streamers of paper, mylar, or metallic material which are usually thrown at celebrations, especially parades and weddings. The origins are from the Latin ''confectum'', with ''confetti'' the plural of Italian ''co ...
falls down.
Track listings and formats
UK digital download and European CD single
#"I Don't Need a Man" 3:40
#"We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going" 3:52
International digital EP
#"I Don't Need a Man" 3:40
#"I Don't Need a Man" (instrumental) 3:29
#"We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going" 3:52
Australian and UK maxi CD single
#"I Don't Need a Man" 3:40
#"I Don't Need a Man" (instrumental) 3:29
#"We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going" 3:52
#"I Don't Need a Man" (music video) 3:40
US Hit 3 Pack EP
#"I Don't Need a Man" 3:40
#"
Don't Cha
"Don't Cha" is a song written by Busta Rhymes and CeeLo Green, and produced by the latter. The chorus is an interpolation of the song "Swass", which was written and performed by Sir Mix-a-Lot. The song was originally recorded and published by Tor ...
" (featuring
Busta Rhymes) 4:33
#"
Buttons
A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole.
In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood ...
" (featuring
Snoop Dogg) 3:51
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''PCD'' and
Tidal
Tidal is the adjectival form of tide.
Tidal may also refer to:
* ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple
* Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim
* TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music
* Tidal (servic ...
.
;Recording
*Mixed at
The Record Plant
The Record Plant is a recording studio established in New York City in 1968 and currently operating in Los Angeles, California. Known for innovations in the recording artists' workspace, it has produced highly influential albums, including Blon ...
(
Hollywood, California
Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, ...
)
;Personnel
*JD Andrews engineer
*Scotty Beats engineer
*
Vanessa Brown
Vanessa Brown (born Smylla Brind, March 24, 1928 – May 21, 1999) was an Austrian-born American actress who worked in radio, film, theater, and television.
Early life
Born in Vienna, Austria, to Jewish parents (Nah Brind, a language teacher, a ...
background vocals, songwriter
*
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (; born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She writes music primarily in the pop rock genre. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; sales o ...
songwriter
*Mike "Angry" Eleopoulos engineer
*
Ron Fair
Ronald Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several ar ...
incidental additional producer, vocal producer, vocal arranger, glockenspiel, piano, Wurlitzer
*Gary Grant horns
*
Rich Harrison
Richard Christopher Harrison (born 1979) is an American record producer and songwriter from Washington, D.C., specializing in R&B and hip hop music.
The winner of a Grammy Award, Harrison is well known for producing songs such as " Get Right ...
songwriter, producer,
track programmer
*Tal Herzberg engineer,
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed and released by Avid Technology (formerly Digidesign) for Microsoft Windows and macOS. It is used for music creation and production, sound for picture ( sound design, audio post-produ ...
, bass
*
Jerry Hey
Jerry Hey (born 1950) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Michael Jackson's ''Thriller'', '' Rock with You'' ...
horn arrangement, horns
*
Dan Higgins
Dan Higgins (born January 28, 1957 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American saxophone and woodwind player. He has worked with such artists as John Williams, Seth MacFarlane, Aerosmith, Stevie Wonder, Neil Diamond, Al Jarreau, Maroon 5, Kenny Loggin ...
horns
*Mike Hogue assistant mix engineer
*
Peter Mokran
Peter Mokran is an American mixer, producer, engineer and musician.
Early life
Mokran was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up, he studied classical guitar, while also learning engineering and programming as a teen.Paul Tingen“Secr ...
mix engineer
*
Bill Reichenbach horns
*
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
songwriter
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
External links
*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:I Don't Need A Man
2005 songs
2006 singles
The Pussycat Dolls songs
A&M Records singles
Interscope Records singles
Songs written by Nicole Scherzinger
Songs written by Kara DioGuardi
Songs written by Rich Harrison
Song recordings produced by Rich Harrison
Song recordings produced by Ron Fair
Music videos directed by Chris Applebaum
Songs with feminist themes
Post-disco songs