
Woman
John Lennon
Double Fantasy (1980)
John Lennon
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Summary
"Woman" is a beautifully crafted soft rock ballad from John Lennon's final album Double Fantasy (1981). Built on warm, flowing chord progressions in Eb major and Lennon's heartfelt vocal delivery, the song stands as one of his most emotionally direct solo works—a mature love letter that became a posthumous worldwide hit after his assassination in December 1980.
Musical Analysis
The harmony of 'Woman' is elegant in its simplicity. Built on classic diatonic progressions in Eb major, the song uses the time-tested I–vi–ii–V circle in the verse to create warmth and forward momentum. The shift to IV-based harmony in the chorus provides an…
Chords
History
John Lennon wrote 'Woman' during his five-year hiatus from music, a period spent as a house husband raising his son Sean in the Dakota apartment building in New York City. The song emerged as part of a burst of creativity in 1980 when Lennon returned to songwr…
“The whispered words at the beginning of the song are Lennon saying 'For the other half of the sky'”
Full Musical Analysis
The harmony of 'Woman' is elegant in its simplicity. Built on classic diatonic progressions in Eb major, the song uses the time-tested I–vi–ii–V circle in the verse to create warmth and forward momentum. The shift to IV-based harmony in the chorus provides an emotional lift without introducing unnecessary complexity. This restraint allows Lennon's vocal performance and lyrical sincerity to remain the focal point—a hallmark of his mature songwriting style that prioritized emotional communication over harmonic sophistication.
John Lennon wrote 'Woman' during his five-year hiatus from music, a period spent as a house husband raising his son Sean in the Dakota apartment building in New York City. The song emerged as part of a burst of creativity in 1980 when Lennon returned to songwriting for what would become the Double Fantasy album. He conceived it as a mature declaration of love and gratitude to Yoko Ono and, by extension, to all women.
"Woman" is a beautifully crafted soft rock ballad from John Lennon's final album Double Fantasy (1981). Built on warm, flowing chord progressions in Eb major and Lennon's heartfelt vocal delivery, the song stands as one of his most emotionally direct solo works—a mature love letter that became a posthumous worldwide hit after his assassination in December 1980.
Deep Analysis Available
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Song DNA
Genre
Pop
Era
80s
Mood
Peaceful
Tempo
Mid-tempo
Key
Major
Texture
Full Band
Sound
Piano-led
Feel
Straight
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Statistics
1.8M
Plays
445K
Listeners
213K
Genius Views
8
Annotations
100%
Popularity
3:31
Duration
4/4
Time
Credits
Written by
Produced by
Chord Sheet
Chords Used
Progression by Section
Chorus
Verse