Editing I'm the Man (EP)

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = I'm the Man
| type         = EP
| artist       = [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]]
| cover        = AnthraxI'mTheMan.jpg
| alt          = 
| released     = December 8, 1987
| recorded     = 1987
| venue        = 
| studio       = 
| genre        = {{hlist|[[Thrash metal]]|[[rap metal]]|{{nowrap|[[comedy rock]]}}}}
| length       = 28:01
| label        = [[Megaforce Records|Megaforce]], [[Island Records|Island]]
| producer     = [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]], [[Eddie Kramer]], Paul Hammingson
| chronology   = [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]] EP
| prev_title   = [[Armed and Dangerous (EP)|Armed and Dangerous]]
| prev_year    = 1985
| next_title   = [[Penikufesin]]
| next_year    = 1989
}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2022}}{{Album reviews
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]] 
|rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web|last=DaRonco|first=Mike|title=Anthrax: I'm the Man|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/im-the-man-mw0000194287|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=October 6, 2012|archive-date=May 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502222514/https://www.allmusic.com/album/im-the-man-mw0000194287|url-status=live}}</ref> 
|rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
|rev2score = B−<ref name="Christgau">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=A&bk=80|chapter=A|access-date=August 16, 2020|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s]]|publisher=[[Pantheon Books]]|year=1990|isbn=0-679-73015-X|via=robertchristgau.com|archive-date=July 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712082304/https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=A&bk=80|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev3 = ''[[The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
|rev3Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="New RS">{{cite book|last1=Brackett|first1=Nathan|last2=Hoard|first2=Christian David|title=[[The New Rolling Stone Album Guide]]|date=2004|publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/20 20]}}</ref>
}}

'''''I'm the Man''''' is the second [[Extended play|EP]] by American metal band [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]], released in 1987 by [[Megaforce Records|Megaforce Worldwide]]/[[Island Records]] (although the song was supposedly written three years before).<ref name=MetroLyrics>{{cite web|url= http://www.metrolyrics.com/im-the-man-91-lyrics-anthrax.html|title=MetroLyrics Anthrax – I'm the Man '91 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625030420/http://www.metrolyrics.com/im-the-man-91-lyrics-anthrax.html|archive-date=2016-06-25|url-status=unfit| access-date=May 10, 2018 |date=February 2015| work=[[Metrolyrics]] }}</ref> The band, along with [[Eddie Kramer]] and Paul Hammingson, produced the EP, which includes the single "I'm the Man". The single is considered among the first [[rap metal]] songs.

The title track is a comedy/novelty song that parodies the style of the [[Beastie Boys]], and its main guitar [[riff]] is based on the melody of the Jewish folk song "[[Hava Nagila]]"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Krueger |first=Alyson |date=2023-06-24 |title=Is That ‘Hava Nagila’ I’m Hearing at the Club? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/24/style/hava-nagila-bars-clubs-sports-events.html |access-date=2024-08-02 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> (guitarists Scott Ian and Dan Spitz, as well as all the members of the Beastie Boys, are Jewish); according to [[Charlie Benante]], the song was meant to have the Beastie Boys as the MCs on the song, but scheduling conflicts prevented it, so the band performed the vocals themselves.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp8dbbM9DV8|title=Anthrax Interviewed by Chuck D: 40 Years of Thrash, Part 1|date=July 13, 2021|via=YouTube}}</ref>

For live performances, [[Joey Belladonna]] and Benante would switch places, Benante performing some of the raps and Belladonna drumming. A [[7" single]] was also released, containing only the second and fifth tracks.

A new version titled "I'm the Man '91" would appear on the 1991 b-sides collection [[Attack of the Killer B's]]

==Samples and borrowed material==
The beginning of "I'm the Man" features an electric guitar riff of the Jewish folk song "[[Hava Nagila]]", which can also be heard in the chorus. The chorus' lyrics are borrowed from one of [[Taylor Negron]]'s lines in the [[Rodney Dangerfield]] film ''[[Easy Money (1983 film)|Easy Money]]''. Rather than using a sample, the song's lines are performed by Frank Bello. Anthrax also used one of [[Sam Kinison]]'s famous primal screams for the song. At about 1:55, a sample of the [[Metallica]] song "[[Master of Puppets (song)|Master of Puppets]]" from the 1986 album ''[[Master of Puppets]]'' can be heard. A few times after "I'm The Man" is said, a sample of "shut up" from [[Run-DMC]]'s "[[You Talk Too Much (Run-DMC song)|You Talk Too Much]]" from the 1985 album ''[[King of Rock]]'' can be heard. Additionally, the "yeah" that begins the song "[[(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)]]" by the Beastie Boys on their 1986 debut, ''[[Licensed to Ill]]'', is sampled.

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| title1          = I'm the Man
| note1           = Censored Radio version
| writer1         = [[Joey Belladonna]], [[Dan Spitz]], [[Scott Ian]], [[Frank Bello]], [[Charlie Benante]], John Rooney
| length1         = 3:03
| title2          = I'm the Man
| note2           = Def Uncensored version
| writer2         = Belladonna, Spitz, Ian, Bello, Benante, Rooney
| length2         = 3:04
| title3          = [[Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (song)|Sabbath Bloody Sabbath]]
| note3           = [[Black Sabbath]] cover
| writer3         = [[Ozzy Osbourne]], [[Tony Iommi]], [[Geezer Butler]], [[Bill Ward (musician)|Bill Ward]]
| length3         = 5:48
| title4          = I'm the Man
| note4           = Live
| writer4         = Belladonna, Spitz, Ian, Bello, Benante, Rooney
| length4         = 4:39
| title5          = Caught in a Mosh
| note5           = Live
| writer5         = [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]]
| length5         = 5:34
| title6          = [[I Am the Law (song)|I Am the Law]]
| note6           = Live
| writer6         = Anthrax, [[Danny Lilker]]
| length6         = 5:48
| total_length    = 27:56
}}

==Personnel==
*[[Joey Belladonna]] – lead vocals, drums
*[[Frank Bello]] – bass, vocals
*[[Charlie Benante]] – drums, vocals
*[[Scott Ian]] – rhythm guitar, vocals
*[[Dan Spitz]] – lead guitar, rhythm guitar

===Additional personnel===
*[[Mark Weiss]] – photographer, album photography

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
;EP
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" |Chart (1987)
! scope="col" |Peak
position
|-
! scope="row"| Finnish Albums ([[The Official Finnish Charts]])<ref name=FINI>{{cite book|last=Pennanen|first=Timo|title=Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972|edition=1st|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava|location=Helsinki|year=2006|isbn=978-951-1-21053-5 | language= fi}}</ref>
| align="center"| 4
|-
{{album chart|Sweden|42|artist=Anthrax|album=I'm the Man|rowheader=true|access-date=May 29, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|53|artist=Anthrax|rowheader=true|access-date=May 29, 2021}}
|}

{{col-2}}
;Song
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (1987)
!scope="col"|Peak<br>position
|-
!scope="row"|New Zealand ([[Official New Zealand Music Chart|RMNZ]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Anthrax&titel=I%27m+The+Man&cat=s|title=Anthrax - I'm The Man|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=October 24, 2021|archive-date=June 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602223422/https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Anthrax&titel=I%27m+The+Man&cat=s|url-status=live}}</ref>
|align="center"|21
|-
!scope="row"|[[UK Singles Chart|UK]] ([[Official Charts Company|OCC]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/23975/anthrax/|title=Anthrax {{!}} full Official Chart History|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=October 24, 2021|archive-date=October 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006234153/https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/23975/anthrax/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|align="center"|20
|}
{{col-end}}

==Certifications==
{{certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Anthrax|title=I'm the Man|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=1990}}
{{certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Anthrax|title=I'm the Man|award=Platinum|relyear=1987|certyear=1993}}
{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Anthrax}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1987 EPs]]
[[Category:Comedy songs]]
[[Category:Anthrax (American band) EPs]]
[[Category:Island Records EPs]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Eddie Kramer]]
[[Category:Rap metal EPs]]