"Woman Is the Nigger of the World" | |
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Single by John Lennon and Yoko Ono as Plastic Ono Band | |
from the album Some Time in New York City | |
B-side | "Sisters, O Sisters" (Yoko Ono) |
Released | 24 April 1972 |
Recorded | November 1971 – March 1972 |
Studio | Record Plant East, New York City |
Genre | |
Length | 5:15 |
Label | Apple |
Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) |
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Some Time in New York City track listing | |
16 tracks
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"Woman Is the Nigger of the World" is a song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono with Elephant's Memory from their 1972 album Some Time in New York City . The song was produced by Lennon, Ono and Phil Spector. Released as the only single from the album in the United States, the song sparked controversy at the time due to the use of the word nigger in the title, and many radio stations refused to play the song as a result.
The phrase "woman is the nigger of the world" was coined by Yoko Ono in an interview on December 12, 1968, then released on Nova magazine in 1969 and quoted on the magazine's cover, with Ono making the claim that women were the most oppressed group in the world. [3] Literary analysts note that the phrase owes much to Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God , [4] in which the protagonist Janie Crawford's grandmother says "De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see." [5] [6] John and Yoko wrote the song in the summer of 1969. Lennon was originally against the statement Yoko made, but when he saw the cover of Nova, it changed his mind. [7] Recording for the song began on February 13, 1972, and ended on March 8 of that year. [8]
In a summer 1972 interview on The Dick Cavett Show , Lennon said that Irish revolutionary James Connolly was an inspiration for the song. Lennon cited Connolly's statement that "the female worker is the slave of the slave" in explaining the pro-feminist inspiration behind the song. [9]
So I said, "Come on Yoko, this is it. I agree with you now. (...) That's what Connolly said. (...) And so we sat down together, and we tried to write the song together as best as we could in a three or four minute song. And it's called Woman Is the Nigger of the World.
Due to its use of the racial epithet nigger and what was criticized as an inappropriate comparison of sexism to racism against black Americans, most radio stations in the United States declined to play the record. [10] [11] It was released in the U.S. on 24 April 1972 [12] and peaked at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100, based primarily on sales, making it Lennon's lowest-charting U.S. single in his lifetime. [13] The song also charted at number 93 on the Cash Box Top 100. [14]
The National Organization for Women (NOW) awarded Lennon and Ono a "Positive Image of Women" citation for the song's "strong pro-feminist statement" in August 1972. [15] [3] Cash Box described the song as the "most powerful epic to come out of the women's movement so far." [16]
In the 1 June 1972 issue of Jet magazine, Apple Records ran an ad for the song with a purported quote from Congressman Ron Dellums, a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, claiming that he "agreed" with Lennon and Ono that "women are the niggers of the world." [17] In the 15 June issue, Dellums wrote a letter in response rejecting that he had "agreed" with Lennon and Ono. He clarified that "In a white male-dominated society that sees the role of women as bed-partners, broom pushers, bottle washers, typists and cooks, women are niggers in THIS society." [18]
Record World said that "with hard rock backing and expert guitar work from Elephant's Memory, John and Yoko deliver the message suggested by the title" and called it "strong stuff, musically and lyrically." [19] The A.V. Club praised the messaging of the song, stating that it "makes a valid point, and one that’s revolutionary for the time". [20] Classic Rock critic Rob Hughes rated it as Lennon's 9th best political song, [21] and Rolling Stone listed the song as one of Lennon's 20 most underrated songs. [1] Conversely, however, Todd Mealy, an author, critiqued the song, and Lennon's defence of the song, as demonstrating "a lack of nuanced and empathetic knowledge" about the past oppression of African descended people. [22] Ta-Nehisi Coates used the song in a more broader context of race relations, questioning whether Lennon and Ono "really had an understanding of what it meant to be a nigger". [23] Far Out Magazine opined that the song was "blunt, unambiguous, and not memorable enough to truly mean anything". [24]
Through radio and television interviews, Lennon described his use of the term nigger as referring to any oppressed person. [9] Apple Records placed an advertisement for the single in the 6 May issue of Billboard magazine featuring a recent statement, unrelated to the song, by prominent black Congressman Ron Dellums to demonstrate the broader use of the term. Lennon also referred to Dellums's statement during an appearance on The Dick Cavett Show, where he and Ono performed the song with the band Elephant's Memory. Because of the controversial title, ABC asked Cavett to apologise to the audience in advance for the song's content; otherwise the performance would not have been shown. [9] [12] Cavett disliked giving the statement, saying in the 2010 documentary LENNONYC :
I had John and Yoko on, and the suits said: "We're gonna write a little insert just before the song for you to say." I said, "You are going to censor my guests after I get them on the show? This is ludicrous." So they wrote this thing, and I went in and taped it in order to retain the song. About 600 protests did come in. None of them about the song! All of them about, quote: "that mealy-mouthed statement you forced Dick to say before the show. Don't you believe we're grown up..." Oh, God. It was wonderful in that sense; it gave me hope for the republic. [25]
Lennon also visited the offices of Ebony and Jet magazines with comedian/activist Dick Gregory and appeared in a cover story, "Ex-Beatle Tells How Black Stars Changed His Life", in the 26 October 1972 issue of Jet. [26]
Lennon defended the song, stating: "I know it was political with a capital P, but that was what I had in my bag at the time, and I wasn't just going to throw them away because they were political," before going on to say he still liked the song. [27]
John and Yoko would continue to defend the song in multiple 1980 interviews including John Lennon's last interview on December 8, 1980. [28] Yoko would continue expressing support for the song, admitting its controversial nature in a 2015 interview. [29]
An edited version of the song was included on the 1975 compilation album Shaved Fish . The song was reissued as the B-side to "Stand by Me" on 4 April 1977. [30] The song is absent from the Gimme Some Truth. The Ultimate Mixes box set, [31] but does appear on the John Lennon Signature Box. [32]
An episode of the television series Better Things , written by Pamela Adlon and Louis C.K., named "Woman is the Something of the Something", features characters discussing the saying "woman is the nigger of the world". [33]
Chart (1972) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [34] | 20 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [35] | 45 |
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [36] | 73 |
Denmark (IFPI) [37] | 9 |
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [38] | 12 |
Japan (Oricon Singles Chart) [39] | 38 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [40] | 24 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [41] | 21 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [42] | 57 |
US Cash Box Top 100 [43] | 93 |
Personnel on the single and Some Time in New York City recording are: [44] [45] [46]
John Winston Ono Lennon was an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame as the founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. His work included music, writing, drawings and film. His songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney remains the most successful in history.
Yoko Ono is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking.
Some Time in New York City is a part-studio, part-live double album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono as Plastic Ono Band that included backing by the American rock band Elephant's Memory. Released in June 1972 in the US and in September 1972 in the UK on Apple Records, it is Lennon's sixth album to be released under his own name, and his fourth with Ono. Like Lennon's previous solo albums, it was co-produced by Lennon, Ono and Phil Spector. The album's agitprop lyrics are politically charged compared to its predecessors, addressing political and social issues and topics such as sexism, incarceration, colonialism, and racism.
Live in New York City is a posthumous live album by English rock musician John Lennon with the Plastic Ono Elephant's Memory Band. It was prepared under the supervision of his widow, Yoko Ono, and released in 1986 as his second official live album, the first being Live Peace in Toronto 1969.
Elephant's Memory was an American rock band formed in New York City in the late 1960s, known primarily for backing John Lennon and Yoko Ono from late 1971 to 1973. For live performances with Lennon and Ono, the band was known as the Plastic Ono Elephant's Memory Band.
The Plastic Ono Band was a rock band formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 for their collaborative and solo projects based on their 1968 Fluxus conceptual art project of the same name.
Approximately Infinite Universe is the third solo album by Yoko Ono, released in early 1973 on Apple Records. A double album, it represents a departure from the experimental avant garde rock of her first two albums towards a more conventional pop/rock sound, while also dabbling in feminist rock. It peaked at number 193 in the United States. The 1997 CD reissue on Rykodisc added two acoustic demos of songs from this era, that were later released on 1981's Season of Glass. It was released again by Rykodisc in 2007.
"Nobody Told Me" is a song by John Lennon. The B-side features Yoko Ono's "O' Sanity"; both are on the Milk and Honey album. The promo video for the single was made up of clips of footage from Lennon's other videos, as are most posthumous Lennon videos.
Instant Karma: All-Time Greatest Hits, a three-disc compilation album of music recorded by John Lennon, is a budget release targeted for sale at warehouse-type stores such as Sam's Club and Costco. The album was released in 2002 by Timeless/Traditions Alive Music under license from Capitol/EMI Special Projects.
"Mrs. Lennon" is Yoko Ono's first single from her second studio album Fly, released in 1971. It was written and performed by Ono, and produced by Ono and her husband John Lennon. It includes the B-side "Midsummer New York". "Mrs. Lennon" was featured in the 1972 film Imagine.
"Sisters, O Sisters", also known as "Sisters O Sisters", is a song written by Yoko Ono that first appeared on John Lennon's and Yoko Ono's 1972 Plastic Ono Band album Some Time in New York City, backed by Elephant's Memory. It was also released as the b-side to the couple's "Woman Is the Nigger of the World" single. It has been covered by a number of artists, including Le Tigre and Tater Totz.
"The Luck of the Irish" is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono that was first released on the couple's 1972 Plastic Ono Band album with Elephant's Memory, Some Time in New York City. It was written in late 1971 and was performed by Lennon and Ono live at several protest rallies and television appearances before being released on the album. It had been slated to be the first single from Some Time in New York City backed by "Attica State" but the release was shelved in favor of "Woman Is the Nigger of the World". A live acoustic performance was released on several John Lennon compilation albums.
"New York City" is a song written by John Lennon that was first released on Lennon's and Yoko Ono's 1972 Plastic Ono Band album Some Time in New York City.
"We're All Water" is a song written by Yoko Ono that was first released on the 1972 John Lennon and Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band album Some Time in New York City. It was the last song on the first record of the album, and the last song on the album that was recorded in the studio.
"Midsummer New York" is a song written by Yoko Ono that was released as the opening song of her 1971 album Fly and also as the b-side of the single "Mrs. Lennon."
"Don't Worry Kyoko (Mummy's Only Looking for A Hand in the Snow)" is a song by Yoko Ono that was originally released by Plastic Ono Band in October 1969 as the B-side of the "Cold Turkey" single, and was later released on Ono's 1971 album Fly. Several live versions have been released, including on Plastic Ono Band's Live Peace in Toronto 1969 and the John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band With Elephant's Memory album Some Time in New York City in 1972. An early version was titled "Mum's Only Looking for Her Hand in the Snow". It has been covered by several other artists.
"Death of Samantha" is a song written by Yoko Ono and first released on her 1973 album Approximately Infinite Universe. It was also released as a single, backed by "Yang Yang". It has also been covered by a number of artists, including Boy George, Hermine Demoriane and Porcupine Tree.
"Now or Never" is a song written by Yoko Ono that was first released on her 1973 album Approximately Infinite Universe. It was also the lead single off the album, backed by "Move on Fast." A remixed version of "Move on Fast" was later released as a single and reached #1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.
LennoNYC is a 2010 documentary film written and directed by Michael Epstein about the life of John Lennon in New York City, after the breakup of the Beatles. The film premiered at the New York Film Festival and was shown at a free public screening in Central Park on October 9, which would have been Lennon's 70th birthday. It first aired on the PBS series American Masters on November 22 and received a Peabody Award in 2010.
Erection is a 1971 short film by John Lennon with music by Yoko Ono.
Lennon set his soapbox vocal and underground-wire-service lyrics to a hearty retro blast of American Fifties R&B.
Lennon's feminist anthem was inspired by something she [Ono] said in a Nova magazine interview in 1969.
Did Yoko Ono and John Lennon really have a deep understanding of what it meant to a "nigger?" Were they even interested? Or were they just looking to wedge an entire people into their need for a symbol?
I'm more feminist now than I was when I sang 'Woman Is the Nigger of the World,'" he said. "Isn't it time we destroyed the macho ethic?… Where has it gotten us all of these thousands of years?
Oh yeah, that was very controversial. What John and I were really trying to say was, "Okay, women are not treated well." That's what it meant, you know? And it's a very interesting thing.