“It’s overblown, but it’s great,” Young said of this song (A Man Needs a Maid). Featuring a dramatic Jack Nitzsche arrangement, “Maid” transcends its air of dated chauvinism to reveal a deeper core. Written for Young’s girlfriend Carrie Snodgress (who inspired the line “I fell in love with an actress”), it hangs on the fragile line “When will I see you again?” and remains a moving union of grandeur and vulnerability.
– The 100 Greatest Neil Young Songs – Rolling Stone Australia
Man, Neil Young must have some pretty great songs if A Man Needs a Maid only managed to reach No. 65 on Rolling Stone Australia’s list of his hundred greatest. I remember it being the very first Neil Young song I truly adored – even before I heard Helpless in The Last Waltz, which completely blew me away. Later, I went on a binge, devouring tracks from Prairie Wind (2005)- as showcased in Jonathan Demme’s Heart of Gold documentary. And yet, despite all that, I still feel like I’m only scratching the surface of Neil’s vast discography.
As RT’s synopsis notes, A Man Needs a Maid carries a dated chauvinism, and is not unlike Bob Dylan’s Is Your Love in Vain, released six years later. Both songs, which I hold dear, have long divided even their own fan bases, often criticized for alleged misogyny. Yet I’ve always felt that what comes through most strongly is not contempt, but vulnerability. These songs read less as exercises in dominance than as confessions of insecurity – unguarded attempts at connection. They feel raw, unprocessed, and disarmingly candid, capturing the narrator’s yearning for stability, routine, and the reassurance of being truly loved.
A Man Needs a Maid is from Neil Young’s 1972 album Harvest. It’s one of the two tracks on the LP where he’s joined by the London Symphony Orchestra. He recorded it with them at Barking Town Hall in London.
Young knew he’d be criticized early on because during a performance at the Boston Music Hall on January 21, 1971 which was a year before its release, Young introduced the song by saying:
“This is another new song. It’s called “A Man Needs a Maid.” It’s kind of a . . . it doesn’t really mean what it says. It’s just the idea that anyone would think enough to say something like that would show that something else was happening. [short laugh] So don’t take it personally when I say it. I don’t really want a maid.”
[Verse 1]
My life is changing in so many ways
I don’t know who to trust anymore
There’s a shadow running through my days
Like a beggar goin’ from door to door
I was thinkin’ that maybe I’d get a maid
Find a place nearby for her to stay
Just someone to keep my house clean
Fix my meals and go away
[Chorus]
A maid
A man needs a maid
A maid
[Post-Chorus]
It’s hard to make that change
When life and love turns strange
And cold
[Verse 2]
To give a love
You gotta live a love
To live a love
You gotta be part of
When will I see you again?
[Verse 3]
A while ago somewhere I don’t know when
I was watchin’ a movie with a friend
I fell in love with the actress
She was playin’ a part that I could understand
References:
1. The Story Behind ‘A Man Needs A Maid’ By Neil Young – Society of Rock
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
You picked a song from my favorite Neil Young album, and while there are other tracks on «Harvest» I prefer, «A Man Needs a Maid» is a decent song. It’s nice to hear Neil on piano. My favorite by Neil in the piano department I can think of now is «After the Gold Rush.»
I’m surprised you don’t have it right up there. I can see the appeal of ‘After the Gold Rush’ – it sure is lovely and stays with you. I think I prefer ‘It’s a Dream’ and ‘Philadelphia’ as far as his piano led ballads, but it is really excellent and an instant add to my collection. Nice one Christian
one of his best!
It’s certainly up there for me and I’m surprised it was so low on RT’s list.