Gypsy Woman (The Impressions song)

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"Gypsy Woman"
Gypsy woman by the impressions US single side-A.png
Side A of the original US single
Single by The Impressions
from the album The Impressions
B-side "As Long as You Love Me"
ReleasedOctober 1961
Studio Universal Recording (Chicago) [1]
Genre Rhythm and blues [2]
Length2:20
Label ABC-Paramount
Songwriter(s) Curtis Mayfield [3]
The Impressions singles chronology
"For Your Precious Love"
(1958)
"Gypsy Woman"
(1961)
"Grow Closer Together"
(1962)

"Gypsy Woman" is a 1961 rhythm and blues song written by Curtis Mayfield and recorded by his group the Impressions. The group's first single following the departure of lead singer Jerry Butler, it reached No. 2 on the US Billboard R&B chart, No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 [4] and number 17 on the Cash Box chart. It also appeared on the group's 1963 eponymous debut album. Joe Bataan (1967), Brian Hyland (1970), Bobby Womack (1985), Steve Marriott (1989), and Santana (1990) covered this song.

Contents

According to a 1995 British interview, Mayfield wrote "Gypsy Woman" when he was 12 years old. [5]

Brian Hyland version

"Gypsy Woman"
Gypsy woman by brian hyland US single side-A variant A.png
One of side-A labels of the US single
Single by Brian Hyland
from the album "Brian Hyland"
B-side "You and Me (#2)"
Released10 June 1970
Length2:32
Label Uni
Songwriter(s) Curtis Mayfield
Producer(s) Del Shannon
Brian Hyland singles chronology
"Stay and Love Me All Summer"
(1969)
"Gypsy Woman"
(1970)
"Lonely Teardrops"
(1971)

In 1970, Brian Hyland recorded his version of the song, produced by Del Shannon and featuring Max Crook on keyboards which went up to Number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and in Canada, [6] and number 4 in South Africa. [7]

Hyland's version became a gold record. In that same year 1970, Major Lance also recorded the song. [8]

Santana version

Santana covered "Gypsy Woman" in 1990, from the album Spirits Dancing in the Flesh . It was released as a single and charted on both Adult Contemporary charts of the US and Canada, at numbers 31 and 29 respectively.

Charts

The Impressions

Chart (1961-1962)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [9] 20
US Billboard R&B 2
US Cash Box Top 100 [10] 17

Brian Hyland

Weekly Charts

Santana

Chart (1990)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [23] 40
Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [24] 29
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [25] 31

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