Talk:A Man Needs a Maid (song)

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Does anyone know what this song is supposed to mean? Is everyone glossing over the sexist undertones of the era, or is the maid a metaphor for a loving wife (which is still sexist). I can't get over it; or have the grasped the wrong end of the stick?

Hi, I think it's meant to be an incredibly dark portrayal of reluctance to submit to romance of any variety, instead wanting a mate not for companionship, but just to allow for subsistence. Lots of people characterise this as a love song to Carrie Snodgress, and the wiki article perpetuates this interpretation, but apparently he couldn't even play it in front of her, such was the darkness at the core of the song (some of which I think is informed by the disintegration of his first marriage). But that's only half of the story - "to give a love, you gotta be part of", right? It's a hollow existence, you need to actively engage, support, encourage. This song used to be paired with 'Heart Of Gold' as a suite, a far more optimistic sounding piece, to balance it out. As a song, it is absolutely not sexist - it's meant to be full of despair and longing. It's far more to do with wanting to be alone rather than specifically subjugating or indicating a dislike of women altogether. 'Fix my meals and go away'? What stage must a person be at to want that to occur? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.64.19.169 (talk) 19:12, 7 June 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Relationship to Heart of God[edit]

It is a big jump from noticing that the Massey Hall version of this song had a verse of "Heart of Gold" sung in the middle of it to claiming that said verse was part of "A Man Needs A Maid" and was later split out. "Heart of Gold" was recorded for Harvest a scant two weeks after the performance at Massey Hall. Isn't it just as likely that "Heart of Gold" was completed by the time of Massey Hall but this is how he wanted to present it on that night? Or perhaps the song was not yet completed and he only had the first verse, but never intended it to be part of "A Man Needs a Maid."

My point is that the segued version on February 19 is not proof that Young ever considered the first verse of "Heart of Gold" to be part of "A Man Needs a Maid." I do not have access to the source cited at the end of the sentence. Does it quote Young as saying that was the case? Or does that writer make the same assumption that this article makes? Or does it not say anything about it at all?

I am tempted to edit this paragraph to take out the assertion, but perhaps the author of this article can check the source and either fix it himself/herself or let us know that this is indeed what the source claims.Bob Caldwell CSL (talk) 18:29, 21 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I reworded it.Rlendog (talk) 01:11, 23 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Nicely done. That's clearer. Thanks Bob Caldwell CSL (talk) 13:29, 23 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]