About song
source
Man Smart, Woman Smarter," composed by Trinidadian calypsonian King Radio, is one of the best known of all calypsos. Radio originally recorded it in 1936, during his first trip to New York. The song offers wry commentary on the battle between the sexes, one of the eternal themes of calypso. Audiences throughout the world have applauded Radio's assertion:
I say, it's the women today
Smarter than the men in every way.
"Man Smart, Woman Smarter" was the first calypso recorded by Harry Belafonte-on a single in 1952. It was also one of the two calypsos that Belafonte included on his million-selling Calypso album (1956). The song became so popular during the 1956-57 American calypso craze that Lucy, Desi, Fred and Ethel even sang it during an episode of the I Love Lucy television show.
Since the 1950s, artists have performed versions of "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" in musical styles ranging from rock and country to zydeco and reggae. Chubby Checkers, Joan Baez and the Grateful Dead are a few of the many musicians who have interpreted the song.
Man Smart, Woman Smarter," composed by Trinidadian calypsonian King Radio, is one of the best known of all calypsos. Radio originally recorded it in 1936, during his first trip to New York. The song offers wry commentary on the battle between the sexes, one of the eternal themes of calypso. Audiences throughout the world have applauded Radio's assertion:
I say, it's the women today
Smarter than the men in every way.
"Man Smart, Woman Smarter" was the first calypso recorded by Harry Belafonte-on a single in 1952. It was also one of the two calypsos that Belafonte included on his million-selling Calypso album (1956). The song became so popular during the 1956-57 American calypso craze that Lucy, Desi, Fred and Ethel even sang it during an episode of the I Love Lucy television show.
Since the 1950s, artists have performed versions of "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" in musical styles ranging from rock and country to zydeco and reggae. Chubby Checkers, Joan Baez and the Grateful Dead are a few of the many musicians who have interpreted the song.
Lyrics
Older version by: Norman Span (King Radio)
source
I say let us put man and a woman together
To find out which one is smarter
Some say man but I say no
The woman got the man de day should know
And not me but the people they say
That de man are leading de women astray
But I say, that the women of today
Smarter than the man in every way
That's right de woman is uh smarter
That's right de woman is uh smarter
That's right de woman is uh smarter, that's right, that's right
Ever since the world began
Woman was always teaching man
And I you listen to my bid attentively
I goin' tell you how she smarter than me
Samson was the strongest man long ago
No one could a beat him, as we all know
Until he clash with Deliah on top of the bed
She told them all the strength was in the hair of his head
You meet a girl at a pretty dance
Thinking that you would stand a chance
Take her home, thinking she's alone
Open de door you find her husband home
I was treating a girl independently
She was making baby for me
When de baby born and I went to see
Eyes was blue it was not by me
Garden of Eden was very nice
Adam never work in Paradise
Eve meet snake, Paradise gone
She make Adam work from that day on
Methusaleh spent all his life in tears
Lived without a woman for 900 years
One day he decided to have some fun
The poor man never lived to see 900 and one
source
I say let us put man and a woman together
To find out which one is smarter
Some say man but I say no
The woman got the man de day should know
And not me but the people they say
That de man are leading de women astray
But I say, that the women of today
Smarter than the man in every way
That's right de woman is uh smarter
That's right de woman is uh smarter
That's right de woman is uh smarter, that's right, that's right
Ever since the world began
Woman was always teaching man
And I you listen to my bid attentively
I goin' tell you how she smarter than me
Samson was the strongest man long ago
No one could a beat him, as we all know
Until he clash with Deliah on top of the bed
She told them all the strength was in the hair of his head
You meet a girl at a pretty dance
Thinking that you would stand a chance
Take her home, thinking she's alone
Open de door you find her husband home
I was treating a girl independently
She was making baby for me
When de baby born and I went to see
Eyes was blue it was not by me
Garden of Eden was very nice
Adam never work in Paradise
Eve meet snake, Paradise gone
She make Adam work from that day on
Methusaleh spent all his life in tears
Lived without a woman for 900 years
One day he decided to have some fun
The poor man never lived to see 900 and one
Bob Weir introduced this song to the Grateful Dead in 1981, and played it regularly from then on.And lyrics are slightly different:
Let us put men and women together
See which one is smarter
Some say men, but I say no
The women got the men like a puppet show
Believe me, it's the people that say
That the men are leading the women astray
But I say that the women today
Are smarter than the men in every way
Chorus
That's right, the women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
The women are smarter than the men today
Little boy sit on the corner and cry
Big man come and he ask him why
Says I can't do what the big boys do
Man sat down and he cried too
It ain't me, but the people who say
That the men are leading the women astray
But I say that the women today
Are smarter than the men in every way
[chorus]
Ever since the world began
Women been imitating the ways of men
But listen cause I've got a plan
Give it up, just don't try to understand
[chorus]
source
tube by Greatful Dead
tube by Robert Palmer
tube by Harry Belafonte
Let us put men and women together
See which one is smarter
Some say men, but I say no
The women got the men like a puppet show
Believe me, it's the people that say
That the men are leading the women astray
But I say that the women today
Are smarter than the men in every way
Chorus
That's right, the women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
The women are smarter than the men today
Little boy sit on the corner and cry
Big man come and he ask him why
Says I can't do what the big boys do
Man sat down and he cried too
It ain't me, but the people who say
That the men are leading the women astray
But I say that the women today
Are smarter than the men in every way
[chorus]
Ever since the world began
Women been imitating the ways of men
But listen cause I've got a plan
Give it up, just don't try to understand
[chorus]
source
tube by Greatful Dead
tube by Robert Palmer
tube by Harry Belafonte
