Woman (John Lennon song)

"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 murder on 8 December 1980.[1] The B-side of the single is Ono's song "Beautiful Boys".[1]

"Woman"
Single by John Lennon
from the album Double Fantasy
B-side"Beautiful Boys" (Yoko Ono)
Released12 January 1981
Recorded5 August, 27 August, 8 September, 22 September 1980
GenreSoft rock
Length3:32
LabelGeffen
Songwriter(s)John Lennon
Producer(s)John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Jack Douglas
John Lennon singles chronology
"(Just Like) Starting Over"
(1980)		 "Woman"
(1981)		 "Watching the Wheels"
(1981)
Double Fantasy track listing
14 tracks
Side one
  1. "(Just Like) Starting Over"
  2. "Kiss Kiss Kiss"
  3. "Cleanup Time"
  4. "Give Me Something"
  5. "I'm Losing You"
  6. "I'm Moving On"
  7. "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)"
Side two
  1. "Watching the Wheels"
  2. "Yes, I'm Your Angel"
  3. "Woman"
  4. "Beautiful Boys"
  5. "Dear Yoko"
  6. "Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him"
  7. "Hard Times Are Over"

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, 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.

Chart performance

The single debuted at number 3 in Lennon's native 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 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 1 on the Cashbox Top 100.[5]

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[18] Gold 10,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

See also

References
  1. Blaney, John (2005). John Lennon: Listen to This Book (illustrated ed.). [S.l.]: Paper Jukebox. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-9544528-1-0.
  2. Playboy Interview, Sheff, 1980
  3. "1980 Rolling Stone Interview with John Lennon by Jonathan Cott". John-lennon.com. Retrieved 27 October 2006.
  4. Woman - John Lennon (official music video HD)
  5. Blaney, John (2005). John Lennon: Listen to This Book (illustrated ed.). [S.l.]: Paper Jukebox. p. 326. ISBN 978-0-9544528-1-0.
  6. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Woman". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  7. "SA Charts 1965 – March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  9. "John Lennon Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. "Adult Contemporary Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  11. "Cash Box Top 100 3/21/81". Cashboxmagazine.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  12. Kimberley, Christopher. Zimbabwe Singles Chart Book: 1965–1996.
  13. "Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  14. "Top Annuali Single 1981". Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  15. "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Nztop40.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  16. "Pop Singles", Billboard, 26 December 1981, p. YE-9.
  17. "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  18. "New Zealand single certifications – John Lennon – Woman". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
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