Rock and roll has always been about pushing buttons. Honestly, if you aren't making someone uncomfortable, are you even doing it right? Back in 1975, the German hard rock band Scorpions decided to test exactly how much the public could stomach with the release of their fourth studio album, In Trance. But it wasn't just the music that got people talking. It was the song Scorpions He's a Woman She's a Man—and more specifically, the wild, gender-bending aesthetic that came with it.
It was a weird time. The mid-70s were a bridge between the hippie leftovers and the incoming glitter of glam rock. You had bands like the New York Dolls already messing with gender norms, but Scorpions were coming from a different place. They were Germans trying to break into a global market that still viewed them with a bit of skepticism. They needed a hook. They needed something loud.
The Gritty Reality of the 1977 Recording Sessions
When the band hit the studio for the Taken by Force album, which actually featured the track "He's a Woman – She's a Man," the energy was frantic. Klaus Meine's vocals were reaching these piercing, almost operatic heights. Meanwhile, Rudolf Schenker and Uli Jon Roth were engaged in a guitar tug-of-war that defined the band's early sound. Uli was the Hendrix-obsessed virtuoso, while Rudolf was the riff-machine.
The song itself is a fast-paced, proto-thrash piece of heavy metal. It’s got this nervous, driving energy. Basically, it’s about an encounter with a person where the narrator is confused by their gender identity. By today's standards, the lyrics might seem a bit dated or blunt, but in 1977, it was a direct reflection of the "anything goes" atmosphere of the red-light districts in cities like Hamburg or Paris where the band often hung out.
I think people forget how heavy Scorpions were before "Wind of Change." They weren't always the ballad kings. They were aggressive. This track is proof of that. It’s got a jagged edge. It’s sweaty. It’s uncomfortable.
Why the Artwork Caused a Massive Stir
If you look at the history of Scorpions, they’ve had more banned album covers than almost any other mainstream rock band. Seriously. From Virgin Killer to Lovedrive, they were constantly in hot water with censors. While Scorpions He's a Woman She's a Man is a song title, the visual identity of that era was defined by the band’s willingness to engage with transgressive themes.
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The lyrics describe a moment of shock. "I saw her face, another way / I thought I'd die." It’s visceral. The song doesn't really offer a moral judgment; it just captures that split-second of internal "wait, what?" that happened in a pre-internet world where gender presentation was much more rigid.
Uli Jon Roth has mentioned in various interviews over the decades that he wasn't always a fan of the "shock" direction the band took. He was more into the spiritual, melodic side of things. But the label, RCA, knew that controversy sold records. You’ve got to remember that in 1977, punk was exploding. Hard rock bands had to get tougher and weirder just to stay relevant in the music press.
The Lyrics: A Product of Their Time
Let’s look at the actual words for a second. The chorus is repetitive, almost like a chant.
"He's a woman, she's a man."
It’s a simple reversal. It plays on the binary.
- The Verse Structure: Short, punchy lines.
- The Rhythm: A galloping beat that mirrors a racing heartbeat.
- The Vocal Delivery: Klaus Meine sounds genuinely startled.
Herman Rarebell, the band's longtime drummer, actually co-wrote the lyrics. Herman was always the one pushing for "sexier" or more "rock and roll" themes. He understood the marketing. He knew that if a kid in a record store saw a song title like that, they were going to pick up the vinyl. It’s a classic bait-and-switch. You come for the scandal, you stay for the incredible twin-guitar harmonies.
The 1970s Cultural Context
You can’t talk about this song without talking about the "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" or David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust. The lines were blurring. However, Scorpions weren't exactly "glam." They were leather-clad rockers from Hannover. Their take on the "He's a woman, she's a man" concept was less about artistic expression and more about the gritty, nocturnal underground.
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It's sorta fascinating how the song has aged. Some fans see it as an early, clumsy attempt at acknowledging non-binary people. Others see it as just a classic "shocker" track meant to get a rise out of parents. Honestly, it’s probably a bit of both. The 70s were messy. People were trying to find the vocabulary for things they were seeing in the real world for the first time.
Technical Brilliance Amidst the Controversy
Despite the lyrical content that kept the censors busy, the musicianship on the track is undeniable. This was the peak of the Uli Jon Roth era. If you listen to the solo in "He's a Woman – She's a Man," it’s technical genius. He wasn't just playing scales; he was painting with sound.
- The Main Riff: A palm-muted chug that feels like a precursor to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
- The Bridge: A sudden shift in tempo that keeps the listener off-balance.
- The Production: Dieter Dierks, the legendary producer, gave it a dry, punchy sound that still holds up. No reverb-drenched 80s gloss here. Just raw power.
Dierks was like a sixth member of the band. He pushed them. He made them record takes until their fingers bled. He was the one who insisted that the Scorpions sound "international" rather than just "German." That meant taking risks with songs like this one.
The Legacy of the Song Today
You still hear this track at Scorpions shows occasionally, though it has been overshadowed by the hits like "Rock You Like a Hurricane." But for the die-hard fans, the "He's a Woman – She's a Man" era represents the band's most creative and fearless period. It was when they were hungry. They were willing to be the villains if it meant getting their music heard.
Interestingly, several metal bands have covered the song over the years. Helloween did a version, and so did Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe. Why? Because it’s a perfect rock song. It’s got the hook, the speed, and that bit of "danger" that makes rock and roll fun.
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How to Experience This Era of Scorpions
If you're just getting into the band, don't start with the power ballads. Go back to the mid-70s.
Look for the album Taken by Force. It's the swan song for Uli Jon Roth. It’s the moment where the band perfected their heavy sound before transitioning into the more commercial 80s era. When you listen to the track, try to put yourself in 1977. No social media. No easy way to see the world outside your town. Then you hear this frantic song about a gender-bending encounter in a dark city. It must have felt like a transmission from another planet.
The track is a reminder that rock music has always been a space for the "other." Even if the language used back then was simplified or "sorta" shocked, the fact that a mainstream band was even talking about these themes is significant. It’s a piece of history. It’s a bit of leather-clad chaos caught on tape.
Actionable Insights for Rock Historians and Fans
If you want to truly understand the impact of this track and the era it came from, here is how you should dive deeper:
- Listen to the "Tokyo Tapes" version: This live recording from 1978 captures the song at its most kinetic. The energy of the Japanese crowd adds a layer of intensity you don't get on the studio record.
- Compare the Uli Jon Roth vs. Matthias Jabs eras: Listen to "He's a Woman – She's a Man" and then listen to something from Blackout. Notice how the guitar philosophy shifted from Hendrix-style blues-shred to a more precise, rhythmic metal approach.
- Research the 1970s German "Krautrock" scene: Understanding where the Scorpions came from—and what they were trying to escape—gives context to why they pushed so hard into aggressive, international hard rock.
- Check out the cover art history: Look up the various versions of their 70s albums. You’ll see a pattern of the band and their label using provocative imagery to bypass the traditional gatekeepers of the music industry.
- Focus on the lyrics of Herman Rarebell: Look at other tracks he wrote. You’ll start to see the DNA of the Scorpions' "bad boy" image that defined their global success in the following decade.