Overview

The song “A Woman Needs a Man like a Fish Needs a Bicycle” is a song by the Irish rock band U2. The song was released as a single in Ireland in July 1980 and was later included on their debut album, Boy.

The song is about the need for independence and self-reliance in a relationship. The title is a quotation from Gloria Steinem which she used as the title of her book Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions.

The song was inspired by the book A Woman Needs a Man like a Fish Needs a Bicycle by Irina Dunn. The book is an anthology of essays by women who were pushing for equality in the 1970s.

History

“A Woman Needs a Man like a Fish Needs a Bicycle” is a song written by Bono and The Edge for the Irish rock band U2. It is the second track on their ninth studio album, Pop, and was released as the album’s fifth and final single on 15 September 1997. The song peaked at number 21 in Canada and number 33 in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it charted at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the band’s seventh top-40 single there.

Lyrics

A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle I don’t want her to be my mother I don’t want her to be my sister either I want her to be my wife and my lover I want her to be the one that I come home to A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle She doesn’t need a man to make her feel alive She doesn’t need a man to make her feel wanted She doesn’t need a man to make her feel needed She just needs a man to make her feel loved

Meaning

The phrase is a feminist saying which suggests that men are unnecessary for women’s happiness and success. It is often used to demonstrate the independence of women, and their ability to achieve goals without relying on men.

Legacy

“A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.” is a popularized version of the oft-misattributed quote “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.” The phrase is often used to express the view that men and women are not only unnecessary for each other’s survival, but also that they are mutually exclusive, and that one is better off without the other.

The phrase is often used to express the view that men and women are not only unnecessary for each other’s survival, but also that they are mutually exclusive, and that one is better off without the other. The sentiment behind the phrase is one of independence and self-sufficiency, and has been popularized by feminist icon Gloria Steinem.