Peak
8
Weeks
20
Score
3,691
Chart Year
2014
A lyric video to accompany the release of "The Man" was first released to YouTube on January 10, 2014.[2] The song's official music video followed on March 3, 2014.[3] The video takes place in the 1960s and 1970s and gives tribute to figures and events significant to African American culture during that era. Below is a list of tributes to people/events in the music video. 0:39 Marvin Gaye What's Going On album cover 0:39-0:54 Violence and racial injustice at the time 0:54-1:12 Civil Rights and Vietnam war protest 1:12-1:45 Louis Armstrong or Clifford Brown 1:45-2:25 Marvin Gaye 2:25-2:57 Muhammad Ali 2:57-3:05 Soul Train 3:19-3:37 Malcolm X 3:37-3:49 Martin Luther King Jr. 3:49---- Martin Luther King Jr. (continued until the end) 3:59---- Selma to Montgomery marches aka "Bloody Sunday" 4:18---- 1968 Olympics Black Power salute (back, right corner)
American soul singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc achieved his first commercial success when his single "I Need A Dollar," peaked at #2 on the UK singles chart in 2010. Three years later he collaborated with Swedish DJ Avicii on his international hit "Wake Me Up." Blacc registered his first Hot 100 hit under his own name when this song was used as the background music for the Beats by Dr. Dre "Hear What You Want" commercials featuring Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Garnett and San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick. This pays tribute to Elton John's 1970 hit "Your Song" by opening its chorus with the same "you can tell everybody" line. Blacc turns the interpolation on its head by twisting the lyric about the effect a loved one has on somebody's life into an anthem for believing in oneself. Said Blacc to Q magazine: "I became a huge fan of Elton's after I purchased his greatest hits in the late '90s. I studied how Bernie Taupin wrote lyrics and Elton wrote melodies and I eventually ran all this through my head and wrote a song that sort of sampled it. I'm interested in divining and filtering what is pop-as in popular-music. I study the people who've made music of real quality and Elton John is at the top of my list." Blacc recalled to Billboard magazine getting some feedback from Dr. Dre, which helped turn this song's demo into a hit tune. "Interscope Exec VP of A&R] Larry Jackson said, 'Dre wants to meet you. He loves (2010 hit single) 'I Need A Dollar,'" the singer recalled. "When I met him, I asked what he thought about my other songs, and he wasn't impressed by 'The Man.' It gutted me. I felt like I had disappointed him." Blacc had been trying to incorporate "Your Song" into a tune he was writing for his Hip-Hop duo Emanon; after meeting with Dre, he paired it instead with this song's demo with help from Dre producer DJ Khalil. The title appears 41 times in this song, which is a lot but not as many title repetitions as Pharrell put in his song "Happy," which is another retro-sounding song that was on the charts at the same time. "Happy" shows up 56 times in that one. The interpolation of "Your Song" on this hit tune meant that Elton John and writing partner Bernie Taupin notched their first Top 20 Hot 100 placements as writers since "Candle In The Wind 1997" spent 14 weeks at #1 in 1997-98. The song's music video revisits both some of the adversities that African Americans have had to overcome and a selection of their triumphs. It was directed by American filmmaker Mathew Cullen (Pacific Rim, London Fields), who has previously helmed clips for Adele, Black Eyed Peas, Jay Z, Katy Perry, Pink and Taylor Swift. This topped the UK singles chart. The sales were enhanced by Blacc's performance of the song on the British edition of The Voice. The song's remix features rapper Kid Ink, who spits rhymes about being resilient and achieving his goals. A throwback to '70s soul music, this song is heavy on horns and bass, and even incorporates a string section and a harpsichord.
Well you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man Yes I am, yes I am, yes I am I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man I believe every lie that I ever told Paid for every heart that I ever stole I played my cards and I didn't fold Well it ain't that hard when you got soul (this is my world) Somewhere I heard that life is a test I been through the worst but I still give my best God made my mold different from the rest Then he broke that mold so I know I'm blessed (this is my world) Stand up now and face the sun Won't hide my tail or turn and run It's time to do what must be done Be a king when kingdom comes Well you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man Well you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man Yes I am, yes I am, yes I am I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man I got all the answers to your questions I'll be the teacher you can be the lesson I'll be the preacher you be the confession I'll be the quick relief to all your stressin' (this is my world) It's a thin line between love and hate Is you really real or is you really fake I'm a soldier standing on my feet No surrender and I won't retreat (this is my world) Stand up now and face the sun Won't hide my tail or turn and run It's time to do what must be done Be a king when kingdom comes Well you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man Well you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man Yes I am, yes I am, yes I am I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man Tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man Well you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man Well you can tell everybody Yeah you can tell everybody Go ahead and tell everybody I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man Yes I am, yes I am, yes I am I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man, I'm the man
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 28, 2013 | 85 | 41 |
| 4 | Jan 18, 2014 | 79 | 47 |
| 5 | Jan 25, 2014 | 24 | 102 |
| 6 | Feb 1, 2014 | 17 | 109 |
| 7 | Feb 8, 2014 | 16 | 110 |
| 8 | Feb 15, 2014 | 21 | 105 |
| 9 | Feb 22, 2014 | 17 | 109 |
| 10 | Mar 1, 2014 | 16 | 110 |
| 11 | Mar 8, 2014 | 13 | 113 |
| 12 | Mar 15, 2014 | 13 | 113 |
| 13 | Mar 22, 2014 | 12 | 114 |
| 14 | Mar 29, 2014 | 10 | 116 |
| 15 | Apr 5, 2014 | 9 | 117 |
| 16 | Apr 12, 2014 | 8 | 118 |
| 17 | Apr 19, 2014 | 9 | 117 |
| 18 | Apr 26, 2014 | 9 | 117 |
| 19 | May 3, 2014 | 12 | 114 |
| 20 | May 10, 2014 | 17 | 109 |
| 21 | May 17, 2014 | 32 | 94 |
| 22 | May 24, 2014 | 33 | 93 |