“Maneater,” a powerful and assertive track by Nelly Furtado, burst onto the music scene as a defining song of the mid-2000s. The song’s lyrics paint a vivid picture of a captivating yet dangerous woman, the archetypal “maneater,” who commands attention and leaves a trail of captivated admirers in her wake. Let’s delve into the lyrics to understand the allure and the warning embedded within this iconic song.
Take it back
Everybody look at me me
I walk in the door you start screaming
Come on everybody, what you here for?
Move your body around like a nympho
Everybody get your neck to crack around
All you crazy people come on jump around
I wanna see you all on your knees knees
You either wanna be with me or be me
Come on now
Maneater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She’s a maneater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Make you fall real hard in love
She’s a maneater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She’s a maneater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Wish you never ever met her at all
And when she walks she walks with passion
When she talks she talks like she can handle it
When she asks for something boy she means it
Even if you never ever see it
Everybody get your neck to crack around
All you crazy people come on jump around
You doing anything to keep her by your side
Because she says she love you love you long time
Come on now
Maneater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She’s a maneater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Make you fall real hard in love
She’s a maneater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She’s a maneater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Wish you never ever met her at all
Come on now
Maneater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She’s a maneater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Make you fall real hard in love
She’s a maneater, make you work hard, make you spend hard
Make you want all of her love
She’s a maneater, make you buy cars, make you cut cards
Wish you never ever met her at all
No, never ever met her at all (What you sayin’ girl?)
You wish you’d never ever met her at all (What you sayin’ girl?)
You wish you’d never ever met her at all (What you sayin’ girl?)
You wish you’d never ever met her at all (Come on!)
You wish you’d never ever met her at all (What you sayin’ girl?)
You wish you’d never ever met her at all (What you sayin’ girl?)
You wish you’d never ever met her at all (What you sayin’ girl?)
You wish you’d never ever met her at all (Break!)
I been around the world I ain’t ever seen a girl like this
She’s a maneater, a maneater
I been around the world I ain’t ever seen a girl like this
She’s a maneater, a maneater
I been around the world I ain’t ever seen a girl like this
She’s a maneater, a maneater
I been around the world I ain’t ever seen a girl like this
The lyrics open with an immediate sense of command and attention-grabbing presence. Phrases like “Everybody look at me me” and “I walk in the door you start screaming” establish a dynamic where the subject is the center of attention, demanding and receiving immediate reactions. The energy is high, almost aggressive, setting the stage for the introduction of the “maneater” persona.
The chorus is the core of the song, repeating the defining characteristic: “Maneater, make you work hard, make you spend hard / Make you want all of her love.” This repetition emphasizes the central theme of the song – a woman who is demanding and extracts resources (“work hard, spend hard”) while simultaneously being alluring and desirable (“want all of her love”). The lyrics “make you buy cars, make you cut cards” illustrate the materialistic aspect of this “maneater,” suggesting she drains her partners financially, even to the point of financial recklessness (“cut cards”). The stark warning “Wish you never ever met her at all” underscores the potential for regret and pain associated with this type of relationship.
Verses two and three further elaborate on the “maneater’s” captivating and intimidating nature. “When she walks she walks with passion / When she talks she talks like she can handle it” highlights her confidence and self-assuredness. “When she asks for something boy she means it / Even if you never ever see it” suggests a manipulative streak, where her desires are demands, and promises might be empty. Despite the warnings, the lyrics also acknowledge the irresistible pull of the “maneater,” as men will do “anything to keep her by your side,” even when faced with the potential for heartbreak and financial strain.
The outro reinforces the global and universal nature of this “maneater” archetype with the lines “I been around the world I ain’t ever seen a girl like this.” This exaggeration serves to amplify the uniqueness and impact of this particular type of woman, solidifying the “maneater” as a powerful and unforgettable figure in the narrative of the song. Ultimately, “Maneater” song lyrics serve as both a celebration of female power and a cautionary tale about the potential pitfalls of desire and infatuation with a captivating yet potentially destructive figure.
