Woman (John Lennon song)
1981 single by John Lennon
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"Woman" is a song written and performed by English singer 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 murder on 8 December 1980.[1] The B-side of the single is Yoko Ono's song "Beautiful Boys".[1]
| "Woman" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by John Lennon | ||||
| from the album Double Fantasy | ||||
| B-side | "Beautiful Boys" (Yoko Ono) | |||
| Released | 12 January 1981 | |||
| Recorded | 5 August, 27 August, 8 September, 22 September 1980 | |||
| Genre | Soft rock | |||
| Length | 3:32 | |||
| Label | Geffen | |||
| Songwriter | John Lennon | |||
| Producers |
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| John Lennon singles chronology | ||||
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| Double Fantasy track listing | ||||
14 tracks
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| Music video | ||||
| "Woman" on YouTube | ||||
Lennon wrote "Woman" as an ode to 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, three days before his murder, John Lennon said that the song "came about because, one sunny afternoon in Bermuda, it suddenly hit me what women do for us. Not just what my Yoko does for me, although I was thinking in those personal terms ... but any truth is universal. What dawned on me was everything I was taking for granted. Women really are the other half of the sky, as I whisper at the beginning of the song. It's a 'we' or it ain't anything." In that same interview, Lennon said that "Woman" was his most Beatlesque song on Double Fantasy and that the track is a "grown-up version" of his Beatles 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 the United Kingdom, "Woman" replaced Lennon's 1971 track "Imagine" at number 1.
A promotional film for the song was created by Yoko Ono in January 1981. Throughout most of the video, Lennon and Ono are seen walking through Central Park near what would become Strawberry Fields across from The Dakota. This footage was directed by photographer Ethan Russell on 26 November 1980.[4] Other footage of Ono alone, along with photos and newspaper coverage of Lennon's murder, were also included.
Reception
Record World described it as a "simple, introspective love song" and said that the power its last line − "I love you now and forever" − magnifies the song's impact.[5]
Ultimate Classic Rock critic Stephen Lewis rated it as Lennon's greatest solo love song.[6]
Chart performance
The single debuted at number three in Lennon's native UK, then moving to number two and finally reaching number one, where it spent two weeks, knocking off the top spot his own re-released "Imagine". In the US the single peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 (kept out of the top spot by REO Speedwagon's hit "Keep On Loving You" and Blondie's hit "Rapture") while reaching number one on the Cashbox Top 100.[7]
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
All-time charts
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Certifications
Personnel
- John Lennon – vocals, acoustic guitar
- Earl Slick, Hugh McCracken – lead guitar
- Tony Levin – bass guitar
- George Small – piano, Rhodes piano, Prophet-5 synthesizer
- Andy Newmark – drums
- Arthur Jenkins – percussion
- Michelle Simpson, Cassandra Wooten, Cheryl Mason Jacks, Eric Troyer – backing vocals