Real Men (song)


"Real Men" is a song by British singer-songwriter and musician Joe Jackson, released in 1982 as the lead single from his fifth studio album Night and Day. It was written by Jackson, and produced by Jackson and David Kershenbaum. "Real Men" reached No. 89 in the UK and No. 6 in Australia. A music video was filmed to promote the single, directed by Steve Barron.
"Real Men" pointed obliquely to New York City's early 1980s gay culture. Speaking to Billboard in 1982, Jackson said of the song: "It's a song about the age old battle of the sexes. I think your average male has had his masculinity and supremacy threatened to the point where he's not sure what it is he's supposed to do. Intelligent, forward thinking, in the sexual arena, is being done by women. It's all about the way stereotypes have reversed, turned upside down and become meaningless."

Critical reception

Kevin Wuench of Tampa Bay Times said of the song's lyrical message: ""Real Men" is not so much pro-gay song but more an open-ended song that asks the listener to make their own definition of what makes a real man". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described the song as "haunting" in a retrospective review of Night and Day. Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone commented: "The album's loveliest song, "Real Men," solemnly blends string chamber music with echoes of Phil Spector, as Jackson sorts out the contradiction between the traditional male role of warrior and today's macho gay culture."

Track listing

;7" single
  1. "Real Men" - 4:03
  2. "Chinatown" - 4:26
;7" single
  1. "Real Men" - 4:03
;12" single
  1. "Real Men" - 4:05
  2. "El Cancer" - 6:06
  3. "El Blanco" - 3:52
  4. "Un Otro Mundo" - 4:00

    Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Personnel

;Production
;Other