Woman (John Lennon song)

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"Woman"
Single by John Lennon
from the album Double Fantasy
B-side "Beautiful Boys" (Yoko Ono)
Released 12 January 1981 (US)
16 January 1981 (UK)
Format 7", Cassette
Recorded 5 August, 27 August, 8 September, 22 September 1980
Genre Rock, soft rock
Length 3:32
Label Geffen
Writer(s) John Lennon
Producer(s) John Lennon, Yoko Ono & Jack Douglas
Certification Gold (RIAA)
John Lennon singles chronology
"(Just Like) Starting Over"
(1980)		 "Woman"
(1981)		 "Watching the Wheels"
(1981)
Double Fantasy track listing

"Woman" is a song written and performed by John Lennon from his 1980 album Double Fantasy. The track was chosen by Lennon to be the second single released from the Double Fantasy album, and it was the first Lennon single issued after his death on 8 December 1980.[1] The B-side of the single is Ono's song "Beautiful Boys".[1]

Lennon wrote "Woman" as an ode to his wife Yoko Ono, and to all women.[2] The track begins with Lennon whispering, "For the other half of the sky ...", a paraphrase of a Chinese proverb, once used by Mao Zedong.

Background

In an interview for Rolling Stone magazine on 5 December 1980, Lennon said that "Woman" was a "grown-up version" of his song "Girl".[3] On 5 June 1981, Geffen re-released "Woman" as a single as part of their "Back to Back Hits" series, with the B-side "(Just Like) Starting Over".[1] In 1965, Lennon's then-songwriting partner and fellow Beatle band mate, Paul McCartney, had written a different song entitled "Woman" for Peter & Gordon using a pseudonym. Thus, both Lennon and McCartney have individual credit for writing different charting songs with the same title.

Chart performance

The single debuted at number 3 in the UK, then moving to number 2 and finally reaching number 1, where it spent two weeks, knocking off the top spot his own re-released "Imagine". In the US the single peaked at number 2 on Billboard Hot 100 (kept out of the top spot by Blondie's hit "Rapture") while reaching number 1 on the Cashbox Top 100.[4]

Personnel

Cover versions

The Shadows did an instrumental version as a medley with 'Imagine' in 1981.

Pop group Brotherhood of Man recorded a version in 1981, which was featured on their album 20 Love Songs.

Ozzy Osbourne recorded this song on his 2005 Under Cover album.

In 2007, Ben Jelen's version appeared on Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur as an iTunes exclusive bonus track.

In popular culture

The 2008 video game by Nintendo Wii Music features this song as playable song.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Playboy Interview, Sheff, 1980
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/charts/adult-contemporary/1981-03-21
  6. ↑ http://50.6.195.142/archives/80s_files/19810321.html
  7. ↑ http://australian-charts.com/forum.asp?todo=viewthread&id=40275
  8. ↑ http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/?chart=3870
  9. ↑ http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1981.htm

External links

Preceded by UK number one single
7 February 1981 - 14 February 1981		 Succeeded by
"Shaddap You Face" by Joe Dolce Music Theatre
Preceded by RIANZ (New Zealand) number one single
27 February 1981 - 3 April 1981		 Succeeded by
"The Bridge" by Deane Waretini
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