I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man

"I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man"
US 7" single
Single by Prince
from the album Sign o' the Times
B-side	"Hot Thing"
Released	November 3, 1987
Recorded	Hollywood Sound Recorders (Studio A), May 23, 1979 (Basic tracking of 1979 version) [1] Sunset Sound, July 16, 1986 (Basic tracking of album version)
Genre	Pop rock [2] [3] new wave [4] power pop [5] [6] dance-pop [7]
Length	3:13 (1979 version) 3:39 (7" edit) 6:31 (album/12" version)
Label	Paisley Park Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Prince
Producer(s)	Prince
Prince singles chronology
"U Got the Look" (1987) "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" / "Hot Thing" (1987) "Alphabet St." (1988)

"I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" is a song written and recorded by American musician Prince. It was released as the final single from his ninth studio album Sign o' the Times (1987), becoming the third top-ten hit off the album. It has since been covered by numerous artists.

Music

The original 1979 version was recorded during the sessions that would be his self-titled album. When working on Sign o' the Times, Prince relistened to original version, deciding to overhaul it with a new drum pattern on a LinnDrum, and rerecording the bass, synthesizers, guitars, and vocal tracks. ^[8]

The song features two guitar solos, one wild and energetic and one more bluesy and subdued in the full album cut. The song consists of two verses and two choruses, followed by a lengthy instrumental coda.

The lyrics paint the image of a woman seeking a man to replace the one who left, while Prince refuses, saying that she would not be satisfied with a one-night stand.

Cash Box called it an "exceptional tune [that] is skillfully produced and performed." ^[9]

Music video

The music video was made using the song's section in the Sign “☮” the Times film, and is a live take of the song and included the horn section of Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss. This version includes a horn solo in the song's coda, lifting a part from the Camille and The Black Album track, "Rockhard in a Funky Place".

B-side

The single was backed with "Hot Thing", also from Sign “☮” the Times. The 12-inch single includes the full album version of "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man", as well as several remixes of "Hot Thing". One of these was included on the Ultimate compilation album in 2006. "Hot Thing" received enough airplay by DJs to chart on its own, reaching No. 63.

Track listing

7": Paisley Park / 7-28288 (US)

1. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (fade) – 3:39
2. "Hot Thing" (edit) – 3:40

12": Paisley Park / 0-20728 (UK)

1. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" – 6:31
2. "Hot Thing" (edit) – 3:40
3. "Hot Thing" (extended remix) – 8:32
4. "Hot Thing" (dub version) – 6:53

12": Warner Bros / W8288T (UK)

1. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" – 6:31
2. "Hot Thing" (edit) – 3:40
3. "Hot Thing" (extended remix) – 8:32

*also released as a picture disc (W8288TP)

Personnel

Credits from Duane Tudahl, Benoît Clerc and Guitarcloud ^{[10] [8] [11]}

Album version

Musicians

• Prince – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, Fairlight CMI, Oberheim OB-8, bass guitar, LinnDrum, ^[12] handclaps
• Susannah Melvoin – possible backing vocals

Technical

• Prince – producer
• Susan Rogers, Coke Johnson – recording engineer
• Todd Herreman – assistant recording engineer

1979 version

Musicians

• Prince – vocals, electric guitar, bass, drums, synthesizers, claps, backing vocals

Technical

• Prince – producer
• Bob Muckler – recording engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart performance for "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man"

Chart (1987–1988)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [13]	28
Italy Airplay ( Music & Media ) [14]	7
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [15]	30
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [16]	9
UK Singles (OCC) [17]	29
US Billboard Hot 100 [18]	10

Jordan Knight version

"I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man"
Single by Jordan Knight
from the album Jordan Knight
Released	July 20, 1999
Recorded	1999
Genre	Pop R&B
Length	4:49
Label	Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Prince
Producer(s)	Robin Thicke
Jordan Knight singles chronology
"Give It to You" (1999) "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (1999) "Where Is Your Heart Tonight" (2005)

Jordan Knight, of New Kids on the Block, recorded a cover of the song as a ballad for his 1999 self-titled solo debut. The video debuted on TRL on July 27, 1999 at number 10. It features background vocals by Knight & Robin Thicke.

Track listing

US single

1. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (Soul Solution Radio Edit) – 4:03
2. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (LP version) – 4:04

US 12" vinyl

A1 "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (Soul Solution Ext. Vox) – 10:31

A2 "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (Soul Solution Radio Edit) – 4:03

B1 "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (CZR's Funk Parlor Remix) – 8:13

B2 "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (Soul Solution Dub) – 7:48

UK Maxi-CD

1. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (LP version) – 4:06
2. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (Uptempo Remix Radio Edit) – 3:54
3. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (Soul Solution Radio Mix) – 4:09
4. "Give It to You" (Club Remix) – 5:32
5. "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (CD-ROM video) – 4:09

Other cover versions

• The Goo Goo Dolls included a cover of "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (shortened to "Never Take the Place of Your Man") on their 1990 album Hold Me Up . ^[19] The vocals for this version are sung by Lance Diamond who performed in their hometown of Buffalo, New York.
• Flesh for Lulu released a live cover on their 1990 album Final Vinyl (and Live Flesh). ^[20]
• Dutch band The Essence released an uncharacteristic cover version as a B-side on their 1991 single "Out of Grace" from the album Nothing Lasts Forever. ^[21]
• German singer/songwriter Michy Reincke released a German-language version of "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" on his second solo CD RinTinTin in late Summer 1992, translated and reworked as "Ich bin nicht Dein Mann". ^[22] In 2010 he released an acoustic version of "Ich bin nicht Dein Mann" on his CD Palais Salam. ^[23]
• Danish punk band Gob Squad produced a cover for the 2004 compilation Punk Chartbusters, Volume 5. ^[24]
• Sigue Sigue Sputnik covered it on their 2007 EP Ray of Light. ^[25]
• After performing the song live on tour, Eels recorded a cover for their 2008 album Useless Trinkets . The album also features a cover of "If I Was Your Girlfriend", another song from Prince's Sign “☮” the Times album. ^[26] The video for this version is on the DVD Eels with Strings: Live at Town Hall , but without the audio. Authorization for use of the song was not received and the audio was replaced by an 'emergency commentary' explaining the situation in a veiled, but humorous manner by Eels leader E and guitarist The Chet.
• Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra included a cover on their 2009 EP The Dreaming. ^[27]
• Seattle band Fruit Bats reference the track in their ballad "Singing Joy to the World" from the 2010 release The Ruminant Band . ^[28]
• My Morning Jacket performed a cover of "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" during their set at the 2005 Bonnaroo Music Festival. ^[29] They covered the song again in May 2016 at Iroquois Amphitheater in Louisville as a tribute to Prince after his death a few weeks prior. ^[30]
• Paul Rocker produced and sang a cover for his 2014 album Identity Crisis, guest-starring Alex Vincent from the Alex Vincent Band on guitar. ^[31]
• Aaron Freeman (aka Gene Ween) has performed this track live with Freeman in 2014. ^[32]
• Minneapolis rock band The Replacements covered the song as documented in an unauthorized compilation "Essential Mats: Obscurities, Live Tracks, & Album Cuts." ^[33]
• Country music singer Christian Kane has also performed a cover of this song.

References

1. Kreps, Daniel (July 16, 2020). "Hear Prince's Original 1979 Version of 'I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved July 23, 2020.
2. "Prince's best songs: the NME edit". NME . June 7, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
3. Petridis, Alexis (September 12, 2019). "Prince's 50 greatest singles – ranked!". The Guardian . Retrieved January 31, 2025.
4. Perone, James E. (September 7, 2018). Listen to New Wave Rock! Exploring a Musical Genre. ABC-CLIO. p. 146. ISBN   978-1-44085-969-4 – via Google Books.
5. Shoup, Brad (April 21, 2017). "Prince Albums Ranked". Stereogum . Retrieved November 29, 2022.
6. Partridge, Kenneth (March 31, 2017). "Prince's 'Sign O' the Times' Turns 30: All the Songs Ranked". Billboard . Retrieved July 25, 2025. This paisley power-pop earworm represents something truly unusual in rock 'n' roll: a song where a guy tries to talk a woman out of having sex with him.
7. Ross, Graeme (July 29, 2021). "The 10 greatest Prince albums, from 1999 to Purple Rain". The Independent . Retrieved July 6, 2025. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" is bouncy dance-pop,...
8. Clerc, Benoît (October 2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus. ISBN   9781784728816.
9. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box . November 14, 1987. p. 6. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
10. Tudahl, Duane (2021). Prince and the Parade and Sign O' The Times Era Studio Sessions 1985 and 1986. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   9781538144527.
11. "Sign O The Times & The Black Album". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
12. "Linn LinnDrum | Guitarcloud - Prince Equipment Archive". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
13. "Prince – I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
14. "European Playlist Reports: RAI - Italy" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 4, no. 50. December 19, 1987. p. 13.
15. "Prince – I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
16. "Prince – I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
17. "Prince: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
18. "Prince Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
19. Goo Goo Dolls - Hold Me Up, 1990, retrieved April 7, 2025
20. Flesh For Lulu - Final Vinyl (And Live Flesh), 1990, retrieved April 7, 2025
21. The Essence - Out Of Grace, 1991, retrieved April 7, 2025
22. Michy Reincke - Rintintin, 1992, retrieved April 7, 2025
23. Michy Reincke - Palais Salam, October 22, 2010, retrieved April 7, 2025
24. Punk Chartbusters Vol. 5, 2004, retrieved April 7, 2025
25. Sigue Sigue Sputnik - Ray Of Light, 2007, retrieved April 7, 2025
26. Eels - Useless Trinkets B-Sides, Soundtracks, Rarities And Unreleased 1996-2006, 2008, retrieved April 7, 2025
27. The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra - The Dreaming EP, September 28, 2009, retrieved April 7, 2025
28. Fruit Bats – Singing Joy to the World , retrieved April 7, 2025
29. "My Morning Jacket Setlist at Bonnaroo 2005". setlist.fm. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
30. "My Morning Jacket Setlist at Iroquois Amphitheater, Louisville". setlist.fm. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
31. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man by Paul Rocker on Apple Music, August 21, 2014, retrieved April 7, 2025
32. "Freeman Setlist at Baby's All Right, Brooklyn". setlist.fm. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
33. "Replacements - I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Prince Cover)". YouTube. September 18, 2016. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.