"Any Man of Mine" is a perfect example of how to write crowd-pleasing, danceable, and catchy country songs without making them novelty tunes (e.g., "Achy Breaky Heart") or crossover fluff. Its harmonics, hooks, and staccato drums STILL make people move after nearly a decade but it maintains an authentic, even flagrant, country style.

The ballads are touching, the light-hearted tunes (especially "No One Needs to Know") actually lighten the heart, and the [fast] songs really kick. And "God Bless the Child" is a haunting autobiographical coda.

The reason TWIM remains Shania's best is that it picks one style per song and sticks with it. Much of her later efforts try to graft incongruent genres into single songs ("Honey I'm Home" has pop verses and country choruses, for example) to schizophrenic effect. It makes it easier to re-mix for each market but hurts the music.

If you must own a Shania CD, make it this one.

9 of 9 found the following review helpful:


Brilliant contemporary country album  Jan 03, 2004 By Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan"
Following the failure of her major label debut album, Shania opted for a different sound for this follow-up album. Matt Lange became her producer. They each wrote one song alone and co-wrote the others together. The album has a sound that appeals to a lot of people who don't normally like country music, yet this is still a country album at heart and there are at least a couple of songs here that would sit comfortably on a traditional country album, as I will explain.

There are several high quality ballads, particularly Home ain't where his heart is anymore (the story of love gone sour after several happy years) and the heartfelt title track. Nevertheless, the tracks that I like best are the two up-tempo songs that set Shania on the road to superstardom - Any man of mine (in which Shania explains exactly what she expects of her man, but she sings it in a fun way so you know she's not quite as demanding as she at first seems) and Who's bed have your boots been under (another fun song, this time questioning the faithfulness of her man), both of which remind me of the kind of song that Loretta Lynn was so good at in the late sixties and early seventies. Indeed, the song that follows those two, If you're not in it for love I'm outta here (doubting the motives of a potential suitor), would also have suited Loretta in her prime.

There are, of course, many other fine songs on this album, which sold well over ten million copies in America. It was also my first Shania album although the British public generally didn't take much notice of her until the release of Come on over - and even then, after it had been remixed for the European market.

My favorite Shania album is her flop (untitled) debut album, but this one and Come on over are both masterpieces in their own ways. These three albums are very different from each other and you certainly need eclectic musical tastes to enjoy all three.

9 of 9 found the following review helpful:


Extraordinary Album-But Not Revolutionary  Feb 03, 2001 By Matt Coker
Shania Twain rocketed into superstardom with THE WOMAN IN ME and it isn't hard to understand why. This is an exceptional CD the twelve songs are rock-solid packed with personality and character as well as fantastic singing. The mistake that most reviewers make is that this is not a revolutionary album. The experiments and new flavored-country sound had been toyed with as early as the 1973 on Gram Parsons' GP album. Several women of Country music had been merging and developing the same sound over the course of two decades. Emmylou Harris' QUARTER MOON IN A TEN CENT TOWN (1978) matched contemporary pop/country songs with Country-flavored arrangements. Linda Ronstadt's breakthrough HEART LIKE A WHEEL (1974) was a fascinating blend of Country and Rock influences. Juice Newton's JUICE (1981) blended several different forms of Rock, Country, and Pop. All of Rosanne Cash's albums have a feminist tone, and Cash composed most of her 1985 album RHYTHM & ROMANCE, which blended Rock and Country seamlessly. What Shania Twain did was to take these experiments and craft a flawless CD which suited the 1995 Country and Pop markets perfectly. THE WOMAN IN ME is a very strong CD, and highly enjoyable listening. Twain works with Robert "Mutt" Lange for a set of exceptional tunes including soon-to-be classics "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under" and "Any Man Of Mine". With incredible hooks in each of the songs, this is remarkable listening: start to finish. "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is" is a beautiful ballad which opens the disc. There's some pop accents in this stunning country ballad (a characteristic of the entire album (this is not a bad thing). "Any Man Of Mine" was a huge hit, and inspired a few-comic paradoies. "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under" is a majestic country hit, perfectly crafted for country radio, but very clever. "If You're Not In It For Love" takes a long-going pop/rock theme into country vocabulary; the desire to avoid one-night stands. "The Woman In Me" is another wonderful ballad. "If There's Life After Love" is a beautiful piece of music, with a memorable chorus and inspirational lyrics. "If It Don't Take Two" is packed with character and terrific arrangements. Lange's composition "You Win My Love" rocks, and Twain's vocals fit perfectly. "Raining On Our Love" is a classic styled love song, again with a gorgeous performance. Twain's solo composition "Leaving Is The Only Way Out" is the same type of song, but with a completely different feel. "No One Needs To Know" is my favorite-it's so much fun. With a bouncy, instantly likeable melody, and lyrics anticipating marriage and bliss, this is a winner. What's even more brilliant is the way she ends the album, "God Bless The Child" is simple, sad, and real. I usually don't listen to that song. It's a virtually flawless CD, and it works well for fans of easy-going pop music, since most of country's characteristic darkness is absent. THE WOMAN IN ME is a blockbuster. It's definitely the best mainstream country release of the year. (Though Emmylou Harris' WRECKING BALL runs circles around everything released in 1995). This disc is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Those who claim this is Country in a new vision are speaking fallacy and haven't gotten familiar with the works before. Extraordinary Album.

9 of 9 found the following review helpful:


A Deep Look Into the Woman in Shania Twain  Aug 05, 1998
Following Shania's relatively unsuccessful debut album in 1993, there have been some changes to her management; the more pertinent one being her marriage to rock guru John "Mutt" Lange. Much different than her self-titled debut album, this 1995 release is one that takes mainstream country music and blends it with infectious pop hooks and a down-to-earth rock sensibility.

Opening the album is the woeful track "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)", a beautifully orchestrated ballad with excellent musical accompaniment and saddening lyrics. Following that song is the rather vivacious "Any Man of Mine", a song in which Shania clearly defines what she wants in a man. Is she being the slightest bit pushy and too demanding? Absolutely not. If you listen closely, the qualities she mentions in this song more or less add up to a well-rounded, morally upstanding individual. However, that is not the case is the infamous question "Whose! Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?". Contrary to the title's connotation, this song is not in-your-face and spiteful, but a very serious warning of how dangerous cheating on someone is. Lyrics such as "...and whose heart did you steal I wonder..." sum it up; love is about commitment. The following track once again identifies Shania's strong bond with the power of love. "(If You're Not In It For Love) I'm Outta Here!" is pretty easy to understand if you can shake the really catchy groove that Shania is so good at inserting into her songs. Probably the most musical track on the album is "The Woman In Me (Needs the Man in You)". Opening with a lush piano introduction, the song really takes on a life of its own, and the emotions present make this song a standout on the album. The rest of the album mine as well be highlighted as well as the fiery "You Win My Love", the emotional "Is There Life After Love?", the catchy &quo! t;No One Needs to Know", and the heart-melting "G! od Bless the Child" make this album worthy of its Grammy Award and sales in excess of 12 million worldwide.

"The Woman In Me" is one of the most impressive pieces of introspective writing that Shania has accomplished. Some critics and listeners will write her off as a studio creation. However, that could not be further from the truth. Be sure to take a close look at the woman of Shania Twain. It's a beautiful one--inside and out. Overall Grade: A

8 of 8 found the following review helpful:


Very Good, But not as good as "Come On Over"  Dec 17, 1999 By Mark
This album has a great mix of ballads and country rockers. Take "If You're Not In It For Love", one of her best known songs, has a great beat that has terrific hooks and sticks in your head for a long time after. "No One Needs To Know", a song from the "Twister" soundtrack, is probably the best song on the album with its unique lyrics and sound. This album is excellent but it does have its shortcomings. There is a few filler songs here including "If It Don't Take Two" & "Raining On Our Love". But with most of the songs so good, a few filler can be forgiven. Her newest album, "Come On Over", is filler free as every song could be a hit. Get that album first and then this.

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