What Kind of Man (Florence and the Machine song)

"What Kind of Man"
12" single cover
Single by Florence and the Machine
from the album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
B-side	"As Far as I Could Get"
Released	12 February 2015 (2015-02-12)
Format	Digital download 12" single
Recorded	The Pool (London, England)
Genre	Garage rock pop
Length	3:36
Label	Island
Writer(s)	Florence Welch Tom Hull John Hill
Producer(s)	Markus Dravs John Hill
Florence and the Machine singles chronology
"Lover to Lover" (2012) "What Kind of Man" (2015) "Ship to Wreck" (2015)

"Ship to Wreck" is a song by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine from their third studio album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (2015). It was written by Florence Welch, Kid Harpoon and John Hill, produced by Markus Dravs and co-produced by Hill. The song was released on 12 February 2015 as the album's lead single. "What Kind of Man" received Grammy Award nominations for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song.

Composition

According to lead vocalist Florence Welch, the song represents a new guitar-driven sonic direction for the band. "It's got very loud guitars and that was very fun to record actually", she said in an interview. "Trying to get exactly the right tone of guitar—I never realised how complicated that is. It took us forever.... Every day there'd be a different guitar sound. We ended up layering with three different guitar sounds, one on top of the other, in order to create this one song."

The song builds slowly and breaks into a heavy beat with tambourine and bass drum, and then becomes a textured pop song with heavy brass arrangements. The song lyrically focuses on an indecisive man who wronged Welch.

Critical reception

"What Kind of Man" received acclaim from music critics. Al Horner of the NME wrote, "Musically, it's big. Wagnerian backing vocals and horn blasts turn 'What Kind Of Man' into a spectacle worthy of [Welch's] new festival headliner status". Dee Lockett of Vulture dubbed it a "fiery rocker". Andrew Unterberger of Spin opined that the song "starts off a letdown, but quickly proves to be ['Ship to Wreck''s] roaring equal, with the unexpected arrival of a thick guitar chop and regal horn salute that gives Florence the instrumental support she deserves as she excoriates an uncommitted significant other".

Commercial performance

"What Kind of Man" debuted at number 57 on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 37 the following week. In the United States, the song reached number eight on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, tying with the band's 2010 single "Dog Days Are Over" and subsequent single "Ship to Wreck" as their highest-peaking single on that chart.

Music video

The music video for "What Kind of Man" was directed by Vincent Haycock and choreographed by Ryan Heffington. It premiered on 12 February 2015. The video is a short film that includes dialogue about the unifying power of tragedy in a relationship between a couple as they drive down a country road. Scenes of the couple driving at various points in their relationship are interspersed with examples of the woman and her relationships with different men, often taking on a smothering quality. The woman later is the centre of religious rituals that involve her being lifted by several men, including her love interest, speaking in tongues, baptism and exorcism.

Track listings

• Digital download – Nicolas Jaar Remix

1. "What Kind of Man" (Nicolas Jaar Remix) – 12:21

• Limited-edition 12" single (Record Store Day exclusive)

A. "What Kind of Man"

B. "As Far as I Could Get"

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.

Florence and the Machine

• Florence Welch – vocals, backing vocals, songwriting
• Rob Ackroyd – electric guitar
• Chris Hayden – drums, percussion
• Mark Saunders – bass

Additional personnel

• Leo Abrahams – electric guitar
• John Barclay – trumpet
• Mat Bartram – brass recording
• Robin Baynton – engineering
• Iain Berryman – assistant engineering
• Nigel Black – French horn
• Elise Campbell – French horn
• Philip Cobb – trumpet
• Andy Crowley – trumpet
• Markus Dravs – percussion, production, synths
• Pip Eastop – French horn
• Richard Edwards – tenor trombone
• John Hill – brass arrangements, brass writing, co-production, synths
• Sam Jacobs – French horn

• Ted Jensen – mastering
• Joe Kearns – additional engineering
• Kid Harpoon – brass arrangements, brass writing
• Oren Marshall – tuba
• Janelle Martin – backing vocals
• Nim Miller – backing vocals
• Baby N'Sola – backing vocals
• Ronan Phelan – assistant brass recording
• Tom Rees-Roberts – trumpet
• Jonathan Sagis – assistant engineering
• Mark 'Spike' Stent – mixing
• Geoff Swan – mixing assistance
• Ed Tarrant – Euphonium
• Andy Wood – Euphonium

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	16
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	52
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	50
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)	37
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)	46
Canada Rock (Billboard)	2
France (SNEP)	74
Ireland (IRMA)	31
Italy (FIMI)	86
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	34
Scotland (Official Charts Company)	25
Spain (PROMUSICAE)	44
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	42
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	37
US Billboard Hot 100	88
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)	1
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)	8
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)	7

Year-end charts

Chart (2015)	Position
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)	17
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)	36
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)	33

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label	Ref.
Canada	12 February 2015	Digital download	Island
United States
United Kingdom	2 March 2015	Contemporary hit radio
Various	11 March 2015	Digital download – Nicolas Jaar Remix
Canada	15 March 2015
United States
United Kingdom	13 April 2015	12" single (Record Store Day exclusive)
United States	18 April 2015		Republic