I'm the Man (Joe Jackson album)

I'm the Man is the second album by English musician Joe Jackson, released in October 1979. Released shortly after Jackson's breakthrough debut, Look Sharp!, I'm the Man saw Jackson continue the style of his earlier album. Singles from the album included "I'm the Man" and "It's Different for Girls", the latter of which was his biggest UK chart single, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart.

I'm the Man was re-released in 2001 with one bonus track, a live version of "Come On". "Come On" was originally released as the B-side to Jackson's single "I'm the Man", also issued in October 1979.

Background

On the album cover, Jackson appears in the guise of a particular type of petty criminal known in the United Kingdom as a spiv, a character who, in Jackson's own words, "always wears a gross polka-dot tie and a pencil-thin mustache, and he's always trying to sell you a watch or something like that real cheap. I think people always want to put a label on what you do, so I thought I'd be one step ahead of them and invent one myself - spiv rock." Jackson later explained, that the spiv character is "a silly image that I thought appalling. It's not intended to be a new musical revolution."

The album was quickly recorded to follow up Jackson's successful debut album Look Sharp!. Shortly after Look Sharp's release, Jackson speculated, "Compared to the first album, I think it's a bit more mature. It's getting more interesting as it goes along. The band is getting stronger. I think the band is gonna amaze people on the next album". Since then, the album has been described by Jackson as "Part Two of Look Sharp!". He later said on his website,

This is really Part Two of Look Sharp! – it was released less than a year later. I don't know how I even had the time to write and record a slightly more mature record, but I think it is, and the best of the first three.

I'm the Man was also released as a 7" album (5 - 7" singles) in a package as 'The 7" Album' and included a poster.

John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls named the album as one of the ten albums that changed his life. Carol Decker of T'Pau similarly praised the album as one of her favourites.

Singles

Jackson pushed for "I'm the Man" to be the leading single from the album, and professed bemusement when it failed to chart in the US or the UK. (It did reach the top 40 in Canada, peaking at #23.) The record label then decided on its own to release "It's Different for Girls" which went straight to the UK Top Ten. Jackson later confessed: "I was amazed when that one was a hit." The album's third single, "Kinda Kute", reached number 91 in Canada.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Record Mirror
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide
Smash Hits	7½/10
The Village Voice	C+

The Christian Science Monitor called the music "crisp and sharp," writing that "Jackson continues his subtle satirization and serves notice he ... is not getting soft."

Track listing

All songs written and arranged by Joe Jackson, except where noted. Produced by David Kershenbaum.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"On Your Radio"	4:01
2.	"Geraldine and John"	3:14
3.	"Kinda Kute"	3:33
4.	"It's Different for Girls"	3:43
5.	"I'm the Man"	3:58
6.	"The Band Wore Blue Shirts"	5:07
7.	"Don't Wanna Be Like That"	3:41
8.	"Amateur Hour"	4:05
9.	"Get That Girl"	3:03
10.	"Friday"	3:36

2001 reissue bonus track
No.	Title	Length
11.	"Come On" (Live version. Written by Chuck Berry)	3:29

Personnel

Musicians

Joe Jackson – vocals, piano, harmonica, melodica
Gary Sanford – guitar
Graham Maby – bass, vocals
David Houghton – drums, vocals

Production

Joe Jackson - arrangements
David Kershenbaum - producer
Alan Winstanley - recording engineer
Aldo Bocca - mixing engineer
Neil King - assistant mixing engineer
Michael Ross - art direction
Bruce Rae - cover photography

Charts

Album

Chart (1979-80)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	81
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)	45
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)	47
UK Albums (OCC)	12
US Billboard 200	22

Singles

Year	Song	Chart	Position
1979	"It's Different for Girls"	Ireland (IRMA)	#4
1979	"It's Different for Girls"	UK Singles Chart	#5
1979	"It's Different for Girls"	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#101

Certifications

Organization	Level	Date
CRIA – Canada	Gold	1 November 1979
CRIA – Canada	Gold	1 January 1980
BPI – UK	Gold	29 April 1980

References

^ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 485–486. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 274. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
Henke, James (17 May 1979). "Joe Jackson Puts His Best Shoe Forward". Rolling Stone (291). Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc.: 22.
^ Bocaro, Madeline. "My Interview With Joe Jackson - June 1979". madelinex.com. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
^ Jackson, Joe. "I'm the Man". joejackson.com.
"Goo Goo Dolls' John Rzeznik – The Ten Records That Changed My Life". Goo Goo Fans. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
"Carol Decker: My six best albums | Music | Entertainment | Express.co.uk". www.express.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
^ Stand, Mike (May 1980). "Joe Jackson: Indifferent To Joe". The Face. Retrieved 18 October 2019 – via Rock's Backpages.
DeGagne, Mike. "I'm the Man – Joe Jackson". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
Larkin, Colin (2011). "Jackson, Joe". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
Sexton, Paul (13 October 1979). "No Nylons but a Tasty Album". Record Mirror. p. 16.
Coleman, Mark; Randall, Mac (2004). "Joe Jackson". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 412–13. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
Starr, Red (18–31 October 1979). "Albums". Smash Hits. Vol. 1, no. 23. p. 29.
Christgau, Robert (25 February 1980). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
Siegel, Eric (26 March 1980). "The British are coming — again!". Arts. The Christian Science Monitor.
Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 151. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
"Dutchcharts.nl – Joe Jackson – I'm the Man" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
"Charts.nz – Joe Jackson – I'm the Man". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
"Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
"Joe Jackson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 July 2021.

External links

I'm The Man album information at The Joe Jackson Archive

v t e Joe Jackson
Discography The Joe Jackson Band: Dave Houghton Graham Maby Gary Sanford
Studio albums	Look Sharp! I'm the Man Beat Crazy Jumpin' Jive Night and Day Body and Soul Big World Blaze of Glory Laughter & Lust Night and Day II Volume 4 Rain The Duke Fast Forward Fool What a Racket!
Classical albums	Will Power Night Music Heaven & Hell Symphony No. 1
Soundtrack albums	Mike's Murder Tucker
Live albums	Live 1980/86 Summer in the City: Live in New York Two Rainy Nights Afterlife At the BBC Live Music - Europe 2010 Live at Rockpalast
Compilation albums	Stepping Out: The Very Best of Joe Jackson Joe Jackson - Greatest Hits This Is It! (The A&M Years 1979–1989) Joe Jackson - Collected Steppin' Out - The Collection
Singles	"Is She Really Going Out with Him?" "Sunday Papers" "One More Time" "Fools in Love" "I'm the Man" "It's Different for Girls" "Kinda Kute" "The Harder They Come" "Mad at You" "One to One" "Beat Crazy" "Jumpin' Jive" "Real Men" "Steppin' Out" "Breaking Us in Two" "A Slow Song" "Memphis" "You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)" "Happy Ending" "Be My Number Two" "Right and Wrong" "Left of Center" "Home Town" "(He's a) Shape in a Drape" "Nineteen Forever" "Down to London" "Stranger than Fiction" "Obvious Song" "Stranger Than You" "In 20-0-3"
Other songs	"Got the Time" "On Your Radio" "Come On"
Video	Laughter & Lust Live

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