Format 7", Cassette Length 3:32 | Genre Soft rock | |
B-side "Beautiful Boys" (Yoko Ono) Released 12 January 1981 (US)
16 January 1981 (UK) Recorded 5 August, 27 August, 8 September, 22 September 1980 | ||
"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. The B-side of the single is Ono's song "Beautiful Boys".
Contents
Lennon wrote "Woman" as an ode to his wife Yoko Ono, and to all women. 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". 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".
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 REO Speedwagon's hit "Keep On Loving You" and Blondie's hit "Rapture") while reaching number 1 on the Cashbox Top 100.
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.