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Woman in Love

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Not to be confused with A Woman in Love, Woman in Love (It's Not Me), or Women in Love.
"Woman in Love"
Song
B-side"Run Wild"

"Woman in Love" is a song performed by Barbra Streisand and taken from her 1980 album, Guilty. The song was written by Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, who received the 1980 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.[2]

After the success enjoyed by the Bee Gees in the late 1970s, the band was asked to participate in musical endeavors for other artists, and Streisand asked Barry Gibb to write an album for her.[3] This album ultimately became Guilty. "Woman in Love", as the lead single, became one of the most successful songs of Streisand's music career. It spent a total of three weeks at the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Streisand's fifth (and last to date) number one on this chart. It also spent five weeks atop the adult contemporary chart, her sixth number one on that tally.[4] The song also proved very popular internationally, reaching number one in many countries, including in the UK Singles Chart.[5] The song sold more than 10 million to date.

About midway through the song, Streisand holds a note for about 10 seconds while singing the line: I stumble and fall / But I give you it all (the word "all" is the one held for that duration). During the chart run of "Woman In Love", Casey Kasem claimed in an edition of the radio program American Top 40 that this was the longest unaltered note held by a soloist in a number-one song[citation needed]. However, this was corrected a few weeks later as at the time, Lovely Day by Bill Withers, All Out Of Love by Air Supply and Dim All The Lights by Donna Summer had longer notes held. Streisand has openly stated that she doesn't like the song because she doesn't believe in the meaning of the lyrics. She has rarely performed the song live but she did however sing it on a couple of dates on her 2013 European tour.

Music video

The music video for the song was taken from various movies.

Track listing

Side Title Length
A "Woman in Love" 3:48
B "Run Wild" 4:05

Charts and sales

Personnel

Barbra Streisand Lead vocals
Barry Gibb acoustic guitar, arrangement
Pete Carr Lead Guitar
Richard Tee Keyboards, electric piano
Harold Cowart Bass guitar
Steve Gadd Drums
Joe Lala Shaker
Denise Maynelli Background vocals
Myrna Mathews Background vocals
Marti McCall Background vocals
Jerry Peel French horn

Barry Gibb's version

"Woman in Love"
Song

"Woman in Love" is the first demo Barry Gibb recorded for Barbra Streisand's album Guilty. This composition by the Gibb brothers Barry and Robin would become the album's very successful first single.[18] And it was due to this demo that Barry Gibb became the first male artist to sing the song, though it was originally recorded for Streisand alone in order for her to sing the song for her album.

Personnel

Other versions

The Greek singer Anna Vissi recorded a Greek version of the song ("Το Ξέρω Θα 'Ρθεις Ξανά") for her album Ναι ("Yes") in 1980. Legendary French singer Mireille Mathieu recorded a French version ("Une Femme Amoureuse") in 1980. Danish songstress Gitte Hænning recorded a German version titled "Die Frau, die dich liebt". Eleni Tzoka, a Polish singer of Greek descent, recorded a Polish cover of the song titled "Zrobię ten błąd" (I'll Make that Mistake). The lyrical idea is completely different from the original version. Turkish pop star Nilüfer recorded a Turkish version of the song called "Ben Seni Seven Kadin"(I am the woman who loves you) in 1981. In 1982 the Hungarian singer Kati Kovács sang it in English on Top 12 album.

Czech singer Helena Vondráčková made minor hit in 1980 with her cover "To je štěstí (This Is Happiness)"

Slovenian singer Ditka Haberl recorded a version of the song called Ko sem zaljubljena (When I'm in Love). It was released on her 2006 compilation album Vse je igra (Everything is a Game).

British vocalist Rebekah Ryan released a version of the track as a single in 1997, on MCA records.

Jamaican singer Echo Minott did a 1982 version called 'Man In Love' which provided the rhythm for Dillinger's 'Five Man Army', and for the Massive Attack song of the same name.

In 1991, Italian singer Dora Carofiglio, known as the lead singer of Novecento and voice of Valerie Dore, covered "Woman in Love" under the moniker "Sissy Taylor".

A Finnish-language version of the song, "Rakastunut Nainen", was recorded by Arja Koriseva in 1995. The same title had previously been used in Finland for A Woman in Love by Frank Loesser.

"Woman in Love" was covered by CoCo Lee in 1995, Dana International in 1999,[19] S.H.E in 2002 and Young Divas in 2006.

British band, The Bluetones, covered the song on the B-side of their 2002 single, "After Hours". It was included on the band's 2006 compilation A Rough Outline: The Singles & B-Sides 95 - 03.

In 2006, the Italian singer Filippa Giordano recorded a Spanish version of "Women in Love" called "Me he enamorado de ti". It was released in Mexico on her album, Primadonna.

On February 13, 2006, Liz McClarnon from Atomic Kitten, released a cover of "Woman in Love" as her first solo single. The track was produced by Robin Gibb who co-authored the song. McClarnon's version peaked at number five in the UK Top 40.

In 2011, the famous Moroccan singer Sofia Marikh recorded an Arabic version of the song تهواك Tahwak (she adores you).[20]

In March 2012, former Pussycat Dolls member Kaya Jones released her own version of the song featuring Captain G.Q. and it was eventually included in her debut album Kaya released a month after.

In October 2012, the all-male vocal quartet The Tenors (formerly The Canadian Tenors) released a version in Spanish ("Me he enamorado de ti") on their album "Lead With Your Heart".

In April 2013, Mando sang this song, as Barbra Streisand on the Greek reality show Your Face Sounds Familiar.

See also

References

  1. ^ Gibb Songs: Guilty (1980) (Accessed: Aug 9, 2006)
  2. ^ Lister, David, Pop ballads bite back in lyrical fashion, The Independent, 28 May 1994
  3. ^ Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, 500 nr.1 hits uit de Top 40, 9023009444 (Book in Dutch)
  4. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  5. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 208–9. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. ^ Dutch Top 40 Week 42 in 1980 (Accessed 18 June 2014)
  7. ^ Infinity charts West German Top 20 - The Chart of December 1980 (Accessed November 2, 2006)
  8. ^ IrishCharts.ie Irish chart search (Accessed November 2, 2006)
  9. ^ Norwegian Charts "Woman in Love" page (Accessed October 29, 2006)
  10. ^ SwedishCharts.com "Woman in Love" page (Accessed October 29, 2006)
  11. ^ Official Swiss Charts (Accessed August 12, 2006)
  12. ^ Official Austrian Charts "Woman in Love" page. Note: This is a biweekly chart (Accessed October 29, 2006)
  13. ^ "Les Singles de Platine" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 13 April 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ "French single certifications – Barbra Streisand – Woman in Love" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  15. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Barbra Streisand; 'Woman in Love')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  16. ^ "British single certifications – Barbra Streisand – Woman in Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 13 April 2012. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Woman in Love in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  17. ^ "American single certifications – Barbra Streisand – Woman in Love". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  18. ^ "Gibb Songs : 1979". Columbia.edu. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  19. ^ "Dana International :: International singles". Phreak.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
  20. ^ "Tahwak Clip Officiel - Sofia Marikh | تهواك - صوفيا مريخ". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
Preceded by Billboard number one single
25 October 1980 – 8 November 1980 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Canadian RPM 100 number-one single
22 November 1980 – 29 November 1980 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UK number-one single
25 October 1980
(for three weeks) 		Succeeded by
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