Songfacts®:

• Millie Jackson has written many songs about the complexities of love, and this one takes on a relationship with a significant age difference. She told Songfacts: "One of the guys that drove the bus for me had a good voice, and I wanted to put him on my next album. But he was young. And I'm going, 'What in the world can I sing with this young guy?' I don't want to sound like a pervert. (laughing) So it was a matter of finding the right combination to make the song work. It couldn't be, 'I love you and you love me,' so it had to be something respectful."
• Did Jackson anticipate the "Cougar" trend with this song? Not exactly. She says, "'Young Man, Older Woman' says 'we're denying feelings and emotions, but still we're falling in love.' That's not a cougar. A cougar is someone just looking for a young man to have sex with, goodnight, and see you tomorrow, maybe if I get hot again.' And that's not what 'Young Man, Older Woman' is about. 'Young Man, Older Woman' is about these two people seeing each other every day and denying they feel it. She's denying that she's feeling something for you, and vice versa. But still they're falling in love."
• Jackson created and starred in a play based on this song. In addition to singing, Jackson has hosted a radio show on KKDA in Dallas and appeared on the TV show Martin.
• Jolyon Skinner wrote the music for this song. Jackson writes lyrics, but usually has producers or other collaborators put together the music.