I'm a Man (The Spencer Davis Group song)

For other songs by this name, see I'm a Man (song).

"I'm a Man" is a song written by Steve Winwood and record producer Jimmy Miller. It was first recorded in 1967 by the Spencer Davis Group; Winwood sang lead vocals and played keyboards. The song was a hit in the United Kingdom and the United States, reaching No. 9 and No. 10, respectively. It has been recorded by many other performers over the years, most successfully by Chicago, whose version charted at No. 8 in the UK in 1970 and No. 49 in the US in 1971.

"I'm a Man"
Single by the Spencer Davis Group
B-side	"I Can't Get Enough of It"
Released	20 January 1967 (1967-01-20)
Genre	British R&B[1][2] hard rock[3] funk[3] soul[4]
Length	2:58
Label	Fontana (UK) United Artists (US)
Songwriter(s)	Steve Winwood Jimmy Miller
Producer(s)	Jimmy Miller
The Spencer Davis Group singles chronology
"Gimme Some Lovin'" (1966) "I'm a Man" (1967) "Time Seller" (1967)

Original song

The original recording was a Hammond organ-driven blues rock track released as a single by the Spencer Davis Group in early 1967, reaching No. 9 in the UK Singles Chart.^[5][6] In the US, it peaked at No. 10 in the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as No. 48 in the magazine's Top Selling R&B Singles.^[7] It was the last hit single by the band before the brothers Steve and Muff Winwood left to pursue their own separate careers. The song is included on the band's 1967 album, I'm a Man.

Chicago version

"I'm a Man"
Single by Chicago Transit Authority
from the album The Chicago Transit Authority
A-side	"Questions 67 and 68"
Released	1970 (1970)
Recorded	27–30 January 1969
Genre	Hard rock
Length	7:43 (album version) 3:27 (single version)
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Steve Winwood Jimmy Miller
Producer(s)	James William Guercio
Chicago Transit Authority singles chronology
"Beginnings/Colour My World" (1971) "I'm a Man" (1970) "Saturday in the Park" (1972)

Chicago (then known as Chicago Transit Authority) recorded a cover version of "I'm a Man"^{[lower-alpha 1]} for their 1969 debut album, The Chicago Transit Authority. When the band's popularity surged after their second album, "I'm a Man" was released as the B-side to a re-release of "Questions 67 and 68".

Radio stations ended up playing both sides, and "I'm a Man" reached No. 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1971. In the UK, it reached No. 8^[8] and No. 13 in Ireland.^[9]

Chicago personnel:

• Terry Kath – lead vocals (first verse), backing vocals, guitar
• Peter Cetera – lead vocals (second verse), backing vocals, bass
• Robert Lamm – lead vocals (third verse), backing vocals, keyboards
• Danny Seraphine – drums, maracas
• Jimmy Pankow – cowbell, trombone
• Lee Loughnane – claves, trumpet
• Walt Parazaider – tambourine, tenor saxophone

Other cover versions

• Italian-American band Macho recorded a 17-minute disco rendition of the song in 1978, based loosely off of the Chicago arrangement. A shortened version was released as a single, and reached the top 10 of the Billboard Disco Action chart.^[10]
• Yugoslav rock band Siluete recorded it in 1967 for the Yugoslav TV show Koncert za ludi mladi svet (A Concert for Young Crazy World). The video was shot in the Wild West town settings in the Avala Film Studios.^[11]
• In 1987, Italian producer Gianfranco Bortolotti released a medley under his Club House alias, with "I'm a Man" being mixed with Mory Kanté's "Yé ké yé ké". In 1989 the single was licensed to Music Man Records in the UK and became a small hit peaking at number 69 in the British charts.^[12][13]
• Los Lonely Boys released a cover version on their album Forgiven.
• Ty Segall released a cover version on his album of covers Fudge Sandwich. ^[14]
• April Wine released a cover on their 1994's album "Frigate"

VW Polo advertisement

Volkswagen aired a UK television commercial titled "Dog" in late winter 2008, which featured a dog miming singing "I'm a Man". The version used in the advertisement for the Polo was a cover version by a young British singer-songwriter, Charlie Winston. The Noam Murro-directed^[15] advert received complaints from the RSPCA and over 750 viewers.^[16][17]

Notes

1. The lyrics to Chicago's version differ considerably from those of the Spencer Davis Group version, likely because the members of Chicago had difficulty understanding the original words. For example, "I'm all hung up on music" from the original became "Never had no problems" in Chicago's cover, while "My toilet's trimmed with chrome" became "My body's pretty strong."

References

1. Unterberger, Richie. "The Spencer Davis Group – I'm a Man Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
2. Evans, Paul (2004). "The Spencer Davis Group". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 220. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
3. Breihan, Tom (26 June 2019). "The Number Ones: Ohio Players' "Fire"". Stereogum. Retrieved 21 June 2023. ...plenty of great hard rock songs, like the Spencer Davis Group's "I'm A Man," were also great funk songs...
4. Moon, Tom (28 August 2008). "Blind Faith - Blind Faith". 1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die. Workman Publishing Company. pp. 98–99. ISBN 9-780761-139638.
5. "Official Singles Chart Results Matching: I'm a Man". Official Charts Company.
6. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 103. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
7. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 147.
8. "Chicago – Singles". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
9. Ward, Jaclyn. "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
10. "Disco Singles 1974–1980". top40weekly.com. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
11. Fajfrić, Željko; Nenad, Milan (2009). Istorija YU rock muzike od početaka do 1970. Sremska Mitrovica: Tabernakl. p. 327.
12. "I'm a man/Ye ke ye ke | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
13. "CLUB HOUSE | full Official Chart History". Official Charts.
14. "Fudge Sandwich". AllMusic.
15. "VW Polo Dog". Glossy. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
16. O'Meara, Ryan (29 March 2008). "RSCPA Complain About 'Abused' Dog in Volkswagen TV Advert – Let's Get Our Priorities Right Shall We?". K9 Magazine. Archived from the original on 20 September 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2008.
17. Judd, Terri (25 June 2008). "Kiss goodbye to your sales, Stonewall tells 'homophobic' Heinz after advert is pulled". The Independent. Retrieved 2 November 2008.

External links

• Review of "I'm a Man" by Richie Unterberger at AllMusic