Just like a Woman - Manfred Mann - Lyrics Meaning

Just like a Woman was written by pop icon Bob Dylan. Dylan performed the song in his 1966 Blonde on Blonde album, and later released it as a single in the US where it reached only as high as number 33 in the pop charts.

Rumour has it that Dylan wrote in one day, that day being Thanksgiving Day 1965 where he found himself on tour, and staying in a hotel in Kansas City. Most of Dylan's songs have a message and Just like a Woman was reportedly about his affair with folk singer Joan Baez. A short lived relationship that went on when she was at the peak of her stardom and Dylan was relatively unknown.

In the UK, the song was covered by Manfred Mann, a highly popular group of the time who took their name from their founder. The group's vocalist, Mike D'Abo had a much softer voice than Dylan's whining tones, which possibly explained why the song enjoyed more success on both sides of the channel.

References to Dylan's romance with Baez are emphasized throughout the song and in particular in the following line.

"Should we meet again, introduced as friends, please don't let on that you knew me when, I was hungry and it was your world."