Women (Foreigner song)

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"Women"
Foreigner - Women b-w The Modern Day (1979).JPG
Single by Foreigner
from the album Head Games
B-side "The Modern Day"
ReleasedFebruary 1980 (US) [1]
Recorded1979
Genre Hard rock
Length3:25
Label Atlantic
Songwriter(s) Mick Jones
Producer(s) Roy Thomas Baker, Mick Jones, Ian McDonald
Foreigner singles chronology
"Love on the Telephone"
(1979)
"Women"
(1980)
"I'll Get Even with You"
(1980)

"Women" is the fourth single taken from the third album, Head Games by the band, Foreigner. It was written by Mick Jones, and released in February 1980. The song's B-side, "The Modern Day" is also sung by its writer, Jones.

Contents

Reception

Billboard praised the "strong vocals and hot guitar licks" but criticized the womanizing lyrics. [2] Cash Box said that "slashing lead guitars...lead the way into the hardcore boogie beat, with Lou Gramm's rough 'n' tumble vocals, for another pop, AOR winner." [3] Record World said that the song "rocks hard with buzzsaw guitar and steamy vocals." [4] Rolling Stone critic David Fricke described it as a "presumably tongue-in-cheek misogynous chant" that is "powered by guitarist-songwriter Mick Jones' jackhammer riffing and Dennis Elliott's ham-fisted drumming" but "free of...pomp-art, heavy-metal flourishes." [5] St. Joseph News-Press critic Conrad Bibens identified "Women" as being a "departure from the band's style" and described the song as "a bluesy track similar to some of Steve Miller's recent works." [6]

Daily Republican Register critic Mike Bishop called "Women" the "dumbest song" on Head Games, highlighting the lyrics "Women behind bars / Women in fast cars / Women in distress / Women in no dress." [7] Livingston County Daily Press and Argus critic Scott Pohl found the lyrics of the song to be chauvinistic and unattractive as a "tale of how awful things can get when you deal with women." [8] On the other hand, Democrat and Chronicle arts editor Jack Garner called "Women" the most interesting song on Head Games, despite its seemingly simple structure. [9] Garner wrote that it:

...consists of a long series of phrases describing a large variety of women ("Women who satisfy. Women you can't buy. Women in magazines. Women in a limousine.") There isn't a completed sentence in the lyric. Such a repeated phrase structure could be dangerous, but [Lou] Gramm brings it the necessary interest and vitality through his well-phrased vocal. [9]

Press-Enterprise critic Kim McNally used a similar verse to illustrate that the song's words have force, and was relieved that, unlike most other songs on Head Games, the lyrics to "Women" are not simply "you-me-ooh-baby-you." [10] She said that the music sounds like the Cars. [10] PopMatters critic Evan Sawdey said that "'Women' had a strut that was absent from past two Foreigner [albums]." [11] But News-Journal critic Ralph Kisiel said that the music "sounds like your baby brother took the needle of your stereo and scraped it across the record." [12]

Responding to criticism of the song's lyrics, lead singer Lou Gramm said that the song uses female stereotypes in a way that "couldn't be more tongue-in-cheek." [13]

Chart performance

"Women" reached No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. [14]

Band reaction

Jones said of the song:

You know, it was supposed to be a fun song, tongue-in-cheek a little bit. But yeah, it’s one of the band’s favorite songs to play. Throughout all of the years, it always comes up, you know, the fans bring it up sometimes. There’s certainly a nice little strut to it. [15]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juke Box Hero</span> 1981 single by Foreigner

"Juke Box Hero" is a song by British-American rock band Foreigner written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones from their 1981 album 4. It first entered the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in July 1981 and eventually reached #3 on that chart. Released as the album's third single in early 1982, it subsequently went to #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waiting for a Girl Like You</span> 1981 single by Foreigner

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot Blooded</span> 1978 single by Foreigner

"Hot Blooded" is a song by the British-American rock band Foreigner, from their second studio album Double Vision. It was released as a single in June 1978 and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that September. The single was also certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It is also the theme song to the truTV scripted series Tacoma FD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cold as Ice (Foreigner song)</span> 1977 single by Foreigner

"Cold as Ice" is a 1977 song written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones that was first released by British-American rock band Foreigner from their eponymous debut album. It became one of the best known songs of the band in the US, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was initially the B-side of some versions of the "Feels Like the First Time" 45 rpm single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feels Like the First Time</span> 1977 single by Foreigner

"Feels Like the First Time" is the debut single by British-American rock band Foreigner. It was written by Mick Jones and released in 1977 from the band's eponymous debut album. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Double Vision (Foreigner song)</span> 1978 single by Foreigner

"Double Vision" is a single by Foreigner from their second album of the same name. The song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in 1978, behind "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer. It became a gold record. The song was also a top 10 hit in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirty White Boy (song)</span> 1979 single by Foreigner

"Dirty White Boy" is a song recorded by British-American rock band Foreigner, written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, and produced by Roy Thomas Baker, Jones, and Ian McDonald. It was the first single taken from the band's third studio album, Head Games (1979). The B-side, "Rev on the Red Line" has also proven to be very popular among fans, but was never released as an A-side. Lou Gramm's trademark scream at the end of the song is missing from this abbreviated version of "Dirty White Boy". The song spent nine weeks in the Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Morning, Blue Day</span> 1978 song by Foreigner

"Blue Morning, Blue Day" is a song written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones that was first released as the third single on Foreigner's second album, Double Vision, reaching #15 on the Hot 100, the band's sixth top 40 single in two years, and #45 in the U.K. The song was backed with the Mick Jones song "I Have Waited So Long". "Blue Morning, Blue Day" is also available as downloadable content for the Rock Band series and was released on clear blue vinyl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long, Long Way from Home</span> 1977 single by Foreigner

"Long, Long Way from Home" is a song written by Mick Jones, Lou Gramm & Ian McDonald that was initially released on Foreigner's debut album. It was the third single taken from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love on the Telephone</span> 1980 single by Foreigner

"Love on the Telephone" was the third single from the third album, Head Games by the band, Foreigner. The song was written by Lou Gramm & Mick Jones, and released as a single in Europe. It reached No. 34 in the Netherlands. The song's b-side, "Women" was chosen as the next single for the American market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Head Games (song)</span> 1979 single by Foreigner

"Head Games" is the title-cut and second single taken from the band Foreigner's third release. It was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, and released primarily in the U.S. in November 1979 while at the same time, "Love On The Telephone" was being released elsewhere. The song's b-side, "Do What You Like" uses multi-layered harmony vocals along the lines of their earlier single, "Cold as Ice."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luanne</span> 1982 single by Foreigner

"Luanne" was the fifth and final single taken from the album 4 by the band Foreigner, and the second to feature a B-side that was not available on one of their albums, a controversial live version of their hit, "Hot Blooded". The song was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones and reached number 75 in the U.S. charts, but was a live staple for years to come. The live version of "Hot Blooded" was later placed on the international release of their retrospective, Records, but in subsequent re-releases has been dropped in favour of the original album version due to a couple of choice words spoken in ad lib during the song's performance by its singer, Lou Gramm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">That Was Yesterday (Foreigner song)</span> 1985 single by Foreigner

"That Was Yesterday" is the second single taken from the album Agent Provocateur by the band Foreigner. This song was available in four versions, as a remixed single, an extended remix, an orchestral version, and the original mix. The song was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, and the B-side "Two Different Worlds" is also of note for being the first solo-written Lou Gramm song to appear on a single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reaction to Action</span> 1985 single by Foreigner

"Reaction to Action" is the third single taken from the album Agent Provocateur by the band Foreigner. It was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Down on Love</span> 1985 single by Foreigner

"Down on Love" is the fourth single taken from the album Agent Provocateur by the band Foreigner, and released in August 1985.

References

  1. "Foreigner singles".
  2. "Top Singles Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. February 9, 1980. p. 62. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  3. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. February 9, 1980. p. 17. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  4. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. February 9, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  5. Fricke, David (November 29, 1979). "Head Games". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-01-08.
  6. Bibens, Conrad (October 13, 1979). "Consistent quality on Foreigner's third". St. Joseph News-Press. p. 14. Retrieved 2022-06-18 via newspapers.com.
  7. Bishop, Mike (November 16, 1979). "Platter Chatter". Daily Republican Register. p. 6. Retrieved 2022-06-18 via newspapers.com.
  8. Pohl, Scott (November 28, 1979). "'Foreigner' LP won't make female friends". Livingston County Daily Press and Argus. p. 5B. Retrieved 2022-06-18 via newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 Garner, Jack (September 19, 1979). "Foreigner has winning formula". Democrat and Chronicle. p. 6C. Retrieved 2022-06-18 via newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 McNally, Kim (September 15, 1979). "Foreigner uninspired". Morning Press. p. C-6. Retrieved 2022-06-18 via newspapers.com.
  11. Sawday, Evan (November 26, 2014). "Foreigner: The Complete Atlantic Studio Albums 1977-1991". PopMatters. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  12. Kisiel, Ralph (October 21, 1979). "Foreigner bogs down in deep rut". News-Journal. p. 7-D. Retrieved 2022-06-18 via newspapers.com.
  13. Ashton, Bill (December 14, 1979). "Foreigner At Home On Charts". Miami Herald. p. 9E. Retrieved 2022-06-18 via newspapers.com.
  14. "Foreigner Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  15. Wardlaw, Matt (September 11, 2015). "Mick Jones Looks Back at 40 Years of Foreigner's 'Head Games'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2022-01-08.