John Lennon – „Woman”

„Woman” is a song written and performed by John Lennon from his 1980 album Double Fantasy. Written by Lennon, it is 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.

In an interview for Rolling Stone magazine on 5 December 1980, Lennon said that „Woman” was a „grown-up version” of the song „Girl”. 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.

John Lennon – Woman lyrics

Woman I can hardly express,
My mixed emotion at my thoughtlessness,
After all I’m forever in your debt,
And woman I will try express,
My inner feelings and thankfullness,
For showing me the meaning of succsess,
oooh well, well,
oooh well, well,

Woman I know you understand
The little child inside the man,
Please remember my life is in your hands,
And woman hold me close to your heart,
However, distant don’t keep us apart,
After all it is written in the stars,
oooh well, well,
oooh well, well,

Woman please let me explain,
I never mean(t) to cause you sorrow or pain,
So let me tell you again and again and again,
I love you (yeah, yeah) now and forever,
I love you (yeah, yeah) now and forever,
I love you (yeah, yeah) now and forever,
I love you (yeah, yeah)…