"When a Man Loves a Woman" is a song recorded by Percy Sledge in 1966 at Norala Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama. It made number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts.

Before the recording session, the song had no title or lyrics. The session proceeded with the expectation that Sledge would produce them for the vocal takes. When it came time to record the vocals, Sledge improvised the lyrics with minimal pre-planning. Using the melody as a guide for rhythm and phrasing. The performance was so convincing that others working on the session assumed Sledge had the lyrics written down.

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When a man loves a woman, he can't keep his mind on nothing else
He'll trade the world for the good thing he's found
If she is bad, he can't see it, she can do no wrong
Turn his back on his best friend if he put her down

When a man loves a woman, spend his very last dime
Tryin' to hold on to what he needs
He'd give up all his comforts, sleep out in the rain
If she said that's the way it ought to be

Well, this man loves a woman
I gave you everything I had
Tryin' to hold on to your precious love
Baby, please don't treat me bad

When a man loves a woman, down deep in his soul
She can bring him such misery
If she played him for a fool, he's the last one to know
Lovin' eyes can't ever see

When a man loves a woman, he can do her no wrong
He can never own some other girl
Yes, when a man loves a woman I know exactly how he feels
'Cause baby, baby, baby, you're my world

When a man loves a woman I know exactly how he feels