Written by John Mellencamp

Martha say she don't need no stinking man making no decisions for her.
She don't need his money, she don't need him between the sheets,
She ain't gonna sleep on the edge of the bed for no stinking man.

And that's the way she lives 'cause I saw her last night
Pouring water on a drowning man in the moonlight, saying:

Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother,
Hi-de-hi-de-hey now, Martha.
Hi-de-hi-de-hi, sister.
Say what, hey you, look out, Martha.

Martha say she don't need no revolver to shoot some idiot down.
She can do it with her eyes, she can do it with her smile,
She can do it with a conversation just walking down the hall.
Man, now ain't that the truth 'cause i saw her take a bite out of
Some macho dude laying some corn ball line on her last night, saying:

Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother,
Hi-de-hi-de-hey now, Martha.
Hi-de-hi-de-hi, sister.
Say what, hey you, look out, Martha.

Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother. (Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother.)
Hi-de-hi-de-ho, sister. (Hi-de-hi-de-hi, yeah.)
Hi-de-hi-de-hi. (Hi-de-hi-de-ho, yeah.)
Hi-de-hi-de-hi, Martha.
Say what, look out, shake it up Martha.

Martha say say she ain't changin', no nothin' for nobody for
no damn good reason.
It's the way that she wants it, it's the way that she gets it.
Well, the girl loves playing hardball, it leaves me in a
no win situation saying:

Hi-de-hi-de-hi, brother,
Hi-de-hi-de-hey now, Martha.
Hi-de-hi-de-hi, sister.
Say what, hey you, look out, Martha.

Repeat

Martha say she don't need no stinking man making no decisions for her.