What's a Woman?

This article is about the song. For the documentary, see What Is a Woman?

"What's a Woman?"
Single by Vaya Con Dios
from the album Night Owls
B-side	"Far Gone Now"
Released	30 October 1990
Recorded	1989
Genre	Pop soul, soul blues
Length	3:56
Label	Ariola
Songwriters	Dani Klein, Jean-Michel Gielen, Dirk Schoufs
Producers	Dani Klein, Dirk Schoufs
Vaya Con Dios singles chronology
"Nah neh nah" (1990) "What's a Woman?" (1990) "Night Owls" (1990)

"What's a Woman?" is a 1990 pop-rock song recorded by Belgian band Vaya Con Dios. It was the second single from band's second studio album, Night Owls (1990). It achieved success in many European countries, topping the chart in the Netherlands, and becoming a top-five hit for three weeks in France. To date, it is Vaya Con Dios' most successful song.

In 2006, the band re-recorded the song as a duet with Aaron Neville, available on its best-of The Ultimate Collection. ^[1] About this version by Neville, Dani Klein said in an interview : "We were discussing the whole project at Sony BMG and they asked me "Who would you like to do a duet with?" The first person that came into my mind was Aaron Neville, because I'd seen him a few months ago here in Brussels and I was just amazed at his voice! This man has a unique voice... his voice is incomparable. The song goes "What's a woman if a man doesn't treat her right?" And the fact that a man sings that gives it another dimension. I thought that was interesting." ^[2]

The song is featured in the Swedish movie Vingar av Glas (Wings of Glass), starring Alexander Skarsgård.

Critical reception

A review in pan-European magazine Music & Media elected "What's a Woman?" "Single of the week", stated that it "confirms that this duo are world class roots revivalists", adding that it "recalls late 60s Fax and Motown. A slow, blues rhythm, a big, fat brass sound and a vocal performance per excellence by Dani Klein add up to what should be one of the major hits of this summer". ^[3]

Track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "What's a Woman?". ^[4]

• 7" single

1. "What's a Woman?" – 3:56
2. "Far Gone Now" – 3:08

• CD maxi

1. "What's A Woman?" – 3:56
2. "Far Gone Now" – 3:08
3. "I Sold My Soul" – 4:56

Credits

• Written by Dani Klein, Dirk Schoufs and Jean-Michel Gielen
• Arranged by Dirk Schoufs and Jean-Michel Gielen
• Artwork by Label & Labeat
• Photography by Roger Dijckmans
• Produced by Dani Klein and Dirk Schoufs

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "What's a Woman?" Chart (1990) Peak position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [5] 7 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [6] 1 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [7] 28 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [8] 14 France (SNEP) [9] 5 Germany (GfK) [10] 11 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [11] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [12] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [13] 6

Year-end charts 1990 year-end chart performance for "What's a Woman?" Chart (1990) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [14] 8 Belgium (Ultratop) [15] 1 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [16] 47 Germany (Media Control) [17] 55 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [18] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [19] 7 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [20] 7 Decade-end charts Decade-end chart performance for "What's a Woman?" Chart (1990–1999) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [21] 32 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [22] 23

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "What's a Woman?"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria) [23]	Gold	25,000*
Netherlands (NVPI) [24]	Gold	75,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. The Ultimate Collection, track listing and chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 11, 2009)
2. Vaya Con Dios' official site, section "interview" Vayacondios.info Archived 2009-04-20 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved April 11, 2009)
3. "Previews – Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 7, no. 15. Amsterdam. 14 April 1990. p. 21. Retrieved 17 November 2025– via worldradiohistory.com.
4. "Vaya Con Dios — "What's a Woman?"". Discogs. 1990. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
5. "Vaya Con Dios – What's a Woman?" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
6. "Vaya Con Dios – What's a Woman?" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
7. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . 30 June 1990. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
8. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Vaya Con Dios". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 273. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
9. "Vaya Con Dios – What's a Woman?" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
10. "Vaya Con Dios – What's a Woman?" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 25, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
12. "Vaya Con Dios – What's a Woman?" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
13. "Vaya Con Dios – What's a Woman?". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
14. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1990". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 9 March 2021.
15. "Jaaroverzichten 1990" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
16. "Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 7, no. 51. 22 December 1990. p. 60. OCLC   29800226 . Retrieved 15 January 2020– via World Radio History.
17. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1990" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved 9 March 2021.
18. "Single top 100 over 1990" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
19. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 March 2021.
20. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1990". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 9 March 2021.
21. "Bestenlisten – Singles 1990er". Hung Medien Austrian Charts Portal (in German). Retrieved 14 May 2019.
22. "Ultratop Nineties 500: 1-50" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
23. "Austrian single certifications – Vaya Con Dios – What's A Woman" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
24. "Dutch single certifications – Vaya Con Dios – What's A Woman" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers . Retrieved September 29, 2020.Enter What's A Woman in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1990 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".