Woman (John Lennon song)
| "Woman" | ||||||||||||
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| Single by John Lennon | ||||||||||||
| from the album Double Fantasy | ||||||||||||
| B-side | "Beautiful Boys" (Yoko Ono) | |||||||||||
| Released | 12 January 1981 (US) 16 January 1981 (UK) |
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| Format | 7", Cassette | |||||||||||
| Recorded | 5 August, 27 August, 8 September, 22 September 1980 | |||||||||||
| Genre | Rock | |||||||||||
| Length | 3:32 | |||||||||||
| Label | Geffen | |||||||||||
| Writer(s) | John Lennon | |||||||||||
| Producer | John Lennon, Yoko Ono & Jack Douglas | |||||||||||
| John Lennon singles chronology | ||||||||||||
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"Woman" is a song written and performed by John Lennon from his 1980 album Double Fantasy. Lennon wrote it as an ode to his wife Yoko Ono, and to all women.[1] The track begins with Lennon whispering, "For the other half of the sky ...", a paraphrase of a Chinese proverb, once used by Mao Zedong.
In an interview for Rolling Stone magazine on 5 December 1980, Lennon said that "Woman" was a "grown-up version" of his song "Girl".[2] 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.
"Woman" was the second single released from the Double Fantasy album, and the first Lennon single issued after his death on 8 December 1980. The B-side of the single is Ono's song "Beautiful Boys". The single debuted at #3 in the UK, then moving to #2 and finally reaching #1, where it spent two weeks, knocking off the top spot his own re-released "Imagine". In the US the single spent three consecutive weeks at #2. After its first week at #2, "Woman" appeared ready to rise to number one for the week ending March 28, 1981; however, Rapture by Blondie unexpectedly leaped from #6 to #1 that week preventing Lennon from having his second chart topper from Double Fantasy. The single was also a commercial success in New Zealand where it spent five weeks at #1.
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[edit] 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 compilation album.
In 2007, Ben Jelen's version appeared on Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur as an iTunes exclusive bonus track.
[edit] In popular culture
The 2008 video game by Nintendo Wii Music features this song as playable song.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Playboy Interview, Sheff, 1980
- ^ "1980 Rolling Stone Interview with John Lennon by Jonathan Cott". http://www.john-lennon.com/1980rollingstoneinterview.htm. Retrieved October 27, 2006.
| Preceded by "Imagine" by John Lennon |
UK number one single 7 February 1981 - 14 February 1981 |
Succeeded by "Shaddap You Face" by Joe Dolce Music Theatre |
| Preceded by "The Tide Is High" by Blondie |
RIANZ (New Zealand) number one single 27 February 1981 - 3 April 1981 |
Succeeded by "Bridge" by Dean Warentini |
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