"For the other half of the sky."
That’s how it starts. Just a whisper. If you’ve ever listened to Woman on a decent pair of headphones, you can practically feel John Lennon’s breath on the microphone. It’s intimate. Almost uncomfortably so.
Honestly, most people think this is just another gooey, late-era Lennon ballad. A soft-rock staple for "Double Fantasy." But if you actually dig into the lyrics, it’s much heavier than that. It’s an apology. It’s a confession.
The Bermuda Breakthrough
Lennon wrote the woman john lennon song during his 1980 summer stay in Bermuda. He was finally coming out of his "Househusband" phase. Five years of baking bread and raising Sean had changed him. He wasn’t the cynical, sharp-tongued Beatle anymore.
He was forty.
One afternoon, while the sun was hitting the islands, it just clicked for him. He realized how much he’d taken for granted. Not just Yoko, but women in general. He told Rolling Stone—literally three days before he was killed—that the song was a "grown-up version" of his Beatles track "Girl."
But while "Girl" was full of adolescent sighing and frustration, Woman is about a man who knows he’s messed up. He talks about his "thoughtlessness" and "mixed emotions." He’s basically saying, "I’m sorry I was a jerk for twenty years."
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The Lyrics: More Than Just "I Love You"
You’ve got to look at that first verse.
"Woman, I can hardly express / My mixed emotions at my thoughtlessness..."
That isn't just fluffy pop songwriting. Lennon had a history. He was the first to admit he’d been cruel to women in his past. He once told Playboy that he used to be a "hitter." He couldn't express himself, so he lashed out.
When he sings Woman, he’s trying to bridge that gap. He calls himself the "little child inside the man." It’s a bit of a cliché now, sure. But in 1980? For a rock star of his stature to admit he was basically a needy kid relying on the strength of the women around him? That was a massive shift.
The phrase "the other half of the sky" is actually a paraphrase of a Chinese proverb famously used by Mao Zedong. Lennon loved a good political nod, even in a love song.
Production and the "Beatlesque" Sound
Recording happened at the Power Station in New York. Jack Douglas, the producer, wanted that classic Lennon vocal.
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They used a lot of "slapback" echo. It gives the song that shimmering, dreamlike quality. Lennon himself called it his most "Beatlesque" track on the Double Fantasy album. You can hear it in the harmonies. They have that 1965 Rubber Soul vibe, but polished for the 80s.
The musicians on the track were world-class:
- Tony Levin on bass (the guy who played with Peter Gabriel and King Crimson).
- Earl Slick and Hugh McCracken on guitars.
- Andy Newmark on drums.
They kept it simple. No flashy solos. Just a steady, heartbeat-like rhythm that lets the vocal sit right in your ear.
The Tragedy of the Release
Here is the part that still feels like a gut punch.
Woman was chosen by John to be the second single from the album. He was excited about it. He thought it was the best thing he’d written in years.
He never saw it hit the charts.
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Lennon was murdered on December 8, 1980. The single was released about a month later, in January 1981. It felt like the whole world was mourning through that song. In the UK, it did something almost impossible: it replaced "Imagine" at number one.
Think about that. A dead artist replacing himself at the top of the charts with two different songs.
The music video, put together by Yoko Ono in early 1981, mostly features footage of the two of them walking through Central Park. It was filmed by Ethan Russell just days before the shooting. They look happy. They look like they have thirty years left.
Why It Still Matters Today
Some critics think the song is a bit too "soft." They prefer the screaming, raw Lennon of the Plastic Ono Band era. And yeah, Woman is definitely a "pop" record.
But there’s a maturity here that you don't find in his earlier work. It’s the sound of a man who has finally stopped fighting everyone and started looking in the mirror. It’s about the "gratitude" he felt for the women who kept him sane.
It’s also surprisingly universal. It’s played at weddings, funerals, and Mother’s Day brunches. It’s one of those rare songs that manages to be about one specific person (Yoko) while feeling like it’s about everyone’s mother, wife, or daughter.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you want to experience the woman john lennon song beyond the radio edit, here are a couple of things you should do:
- Listen to the "Stripped Down" Version: In 2010, the Double Fantasy album was re-released with a "Stripped" mix. It removes a lot of the 80s gloss and echo. Lennon’s voice is even more prominent. It feels like he’s in the room with you.
- Watch the Ethan Russell Footage: Find the original footage of them in Central Park. It provides a haunting context to the lyrics about being "forever in your debt."
- Read the 1980 Interviews: Check out the final interviews with David Sheff (Playboy) or Jonathan Cott (Rolling Stone). Hearing Lennon talk about his "mixed emotions" makes the song hit ten times harder.
The song isn't just a relic of the 80s. It’s a snapshot of a man who was finally growing up, right before he was gone. That’s why it still resonates. It’s the sound of a second chance that was cut short.