"The Man" is a slang phrase that may refer to the government or to some other authority in a position of power. In addition to this derogatory connotation, it may also serve as a term of respect and praise.
The phrase "the Man is keeping me down" is commonly used to describe oppression. The phrase "stick it to the Man" encourages resistance to authority, and essentially means "fight back" or "resist", either passively, openly or via sabotage.
As a phrase meaning "the boss" it dates from at least 1918.
In the Southern U.S. states, the phrase came to be applied to any man or any group in a position of authority, or to authority in the abstract. From about the 1950s the phrase was also an underworld code word for police, the warden of a prison or other law enforcement or penal authorities.
The use of this term was expanded to counterculture groups and their battles against authority, such as the Yippies, which, according to a May 19, 1969 article in U.S. News and World Report, had the "avowed aim ... to destroy 'The Man', their term for the present system of government". The term eventually found its way into humorous usage, such as in a December 1979 motorcycle ad from the magazine Easyriders which featured the tagline, "California residents: Add 6% sales tax for The Man."
The Man! is the second solo album by Leroy Hutson. The photography was by Joel Brodsky.
The Man is a slang phrase, used to refer to a generalized idea of authority.
The Man may also refer to:
The Man is a 1964 novel by Irving Wallace that speculatively explores the socio-political consequences in U.S. society when a Black man becomes President of the United States. The novel's title derives from the contemporary — fifties, sixties, seventies — American slang English, "The Man".
The Man was written before the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. It depicts a political situation in which the office of Vice Presidency is vacant due to the incumbent's death. While overseas in Germany, the President and the Speaker of the House are in a freak accident; the President is killed, the Speaker of the House later dies in surgery. The Presidency then devolves onto Douglass Dilman, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, a black man earlier elected to that office in deference to his race. Dilman's presidency is challenged by white racists, black political activists, and an attempted assassination. Later, he is impeached on false charges for firing the United States Secretary of State. One of his children, who is "passing" for white, is targeted and harassed. At the end of the book the protagonist - though having credibly dealt with considerable problems during his Presidency and gained some popularity - does not consider running for re-election.
The Man is the self-produced eighth album by soul singer Barry White, released in 1978 on the 20th Century-Fox Records label, which saw its name changed from 20th Century.
The album became White's sixth R&B chart topper and peaked at #36 on the pop chart. Lead single "Your Sweetness Is My Weakness" reached #2 on the R&B chart and #60 on the Billboard Hot 100, while White's cover of Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" reached #45 on the R&B chart and peaked at #12 on the UK Singles Chart. A third single, "Sha La La Means I Love You", peaked at #55 on the UK Singles Chart. A cover version of "It's Only Love Doing Its Thing" (with the shortened title "It's Only Love") would be a hit for British band Simply Red in 1989. The album was digitally remastered and reissued on CD on September 24, 1996 by Mercury Records.
The Man is the fifth album by alternative rock band Sponge. Vocalist Vinnie Dombroski is the only original band member left on this recording. Former Sponge producer Tim Patalan's brother Andy assumed guitar duties for this album.
All songs written by Vinnie Dombroski except where noted.
It's been one week since you looked at me
Cocked your head to the side and said "I'm angry"
Five days since you laughed at me saying
"Get that together come back and see me"
Three days since the living room
I realized it's all my fault, but couldn't tell you
Yesterday you'd forgiven me
But it'll still be two days till I say I'm sorry
Hold it now and watch the hoodwink as I make you stop, think
You'll think you're looking at Aquaman
I summon fish to the dish, although I like the Chalet Swiss
I like the Sushi 'cause it's never touched a frying pan
Hot like wasabe when I bust rhymes
Big like Le Ann Rimes because I'm all about value
Bert Kaempfert's got the mad hits
You try to match wits, you try to hold me but I bust through
Gonna make a break and take a fake, I'd like a stinkin' achin' shake
I like vanilla, it's the finest of the flavors
Gotta see the show, 'cause then you'll know the vertigo is gonna grow
'Cause it's so dangerous, you'll have to sign a waiver
How can I help it if I think you're funny when you're mad
Trying hard not to smile though I feel bad
I'm the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral
Can't understand what I mean? Well, you soon will
I have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeve
I have a history of taking off my shirt
It's been one week since you looked at me
Threw your arms in the air and said, "You're crazy"
Five days since you tackled me
Well, I've still got the rug burns on both my knees
It's been three days since the afternoon
You realized it's not my fault not a moment too soon
Yesterday you'd forgiven me
So now I sit back and wait 'til you say, you're sorry
Chickity China, the Chinese chicken
Chickity China, the Chinese chicken
Chickity China, the Chinese chicken
Chickity China, the Chinese chicken
You have a drumstick
And your brain stops tickin'
Watchin' X-Files with no lights on
We're (Incomprehensible)
I hope the Smoking Man's in this one
Like Harrison Ford I'm getting frantic
Like Sting, I'm Tantric
Like Snickers, guaranteed to satisfy
Like Kurosawa, I make mad films
(Incomprehensible) make films
But if I did they'd have a Samurai
Gonna get a set a' better clubs, gonna find the kind with tiny nubs
Just so my irons aren't always flying off the back-swing
Gotta get in tune with Sailor Moon
'Cause the cartoon has got the Boom Anime Babes
That make me think the wrong thing
How can I help it if I think you're funny when you're mad
And tryin' hard not to smile though I feel bad
I'm the kind of guy who laughs at a funeral
Can't understand what I mean? Well, you soon will
I have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeve
I have a history of losing my shirt
It's been one week since you looked at me
Dropped your arms to your sides and said, "I'm sorry"
Five days since I laughed at you and said
"You just"
Three days since the living room
We realized we're both to blame but what could we do?
Yesterday you just smiled at me
'Cause it'll still be two days till we say we're sorry
It'll still be two days till we say we're sorry
It'll still be two days till we say we're sorry
Birch Mount Stadium, home of the Robbie
(Incomprehensible)