- Album This song officially appears on the I Feel Fine / She's A Woman 7" Single.
- Timeline This song has been officially released in 1964
- Sessions This song has been recorded during the following sessions
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Song facts
From Wikipedia:
“She’s a Woman” is a song by the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney, who is the sole vocalist and plays bass guitar and piano on the song. It was released as the B-side to “I Feel Fine” in 1964, their last single release that year. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 from frequent airplay.
Composition
The song, penned by Paul McCartney (though credited to Lennon–McCartney), was his attempt at imitating the vocal style of Little Richard. This is why the song is in such a high register, even for McCartney’s tenor range. Some takes of the song (especially recordings of live concerts) feature an extended outro.
The structure of the song is fairly simple, with the melody carried mostly by McCartney’s voice. His bass and a backing piano produce a countermelody, with Lennon’s guitar playing chords on the backbeat. After the first verse, the piano also plays chords on the upbeats. George Harrison plays a bright guitar solo during the middle eight.
Releases
In the United States, the song was released on the Capitol album Beatles ’65, and is presented in a duophonic mix featuring a layer of reverb added by executive Dave Dexter, Jr. A true stereo version of the song can be found on the Past Masters, Volume 1 CD. Some people say that this stereo version was first released in Australia without asking permission. There is also another stereo version that sounds the same but with McCartney’s count-in which appears on the CD EP box set. The song is heard being played on a tape recorder underground during the Salisbury Plain scene in the movie Help!. In the UK, the first album release was on the 1978 compilation LP Rarities in mono in the box set The Beatles Collection and later released separately.
The band started including the song in their live shows in 1965. It is characterised by the classic percussive “honk” of Lennon’s Rickenbacker 325. One of the versions of the song can also be found on the Beatles’ live albums, Live at the Hollywood Bowl and Live at the BBC, while a version from the first of two shows at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo in 1966 appears on Anthology 2.
On the US charts, the song was the final of 11 top ten hits in the calendar year 1964. This is an all-time record for most top ten hits in a calendar year on the Billboard Hot 100 charts by one artist/group. It was also the twelfth top 10 hit written by Lennon-McCartney, an all-time record for most top 10 hits in a calendar year on the Billboard Hot 100 by a songwriter.
Personnel
Ian MacDonald was not sure whether McCartney or Harrison played the lead guitar solo. He said that “on the basis of sound and style”, it was probably McCartney. However, on Take 6 of “I Feel Fine“, Harrison can be heard running through this solo shortly before the take begins. […]
From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:
- [a] mono 12 Oct 1964.
UK: Parlophone R5200 single 1965, Parlophone PSLP 261 and PCM 1001 Rarities 1978-79.
CD: EMI single 1989.- [b] stereo 12 Oct 1964.
Australia: Parlophone PCSO 7534 Greatest Hits 2 1967.
CD: EMI CDP 7 90043 2 Past Masters 1 1988.- [b1] stereo, untrimmed.
UK: Parlophone SGE 1 (EP) 1981.
CD: EP box set 1991.- [c] mono 21 Oct 1964.
US: Capitol 5327 single 1964, Capitol T 2228 Beatles ’65 1964.- [c1] mock stereo made from [c] 1964, by Capitol.
US: Capitol ST 2228 Beatles ’65 1964.UK mono [a] and stereo [b] have a slightly longer fade, “she’s a woman” 5 times, against 3 on US mono [c]. UK mono [a] has no echo on the vocal, while US mono [c] has echo on everything that was probably added by Capitol. US mono [c] also seems to have less piano than [a] but the echo may just be drowning it. The mock stereo conversion from it [c1] is muddy.
Stereo [b], also without the echo, seems to have gone missing in the vaults for a while after being copied for Australia in 1967, as it was not used for the Parlophone Rarities LP, but it was found for the CD release. [b1] “untrimmed” is the same mix with a countdown at the start, from a master reel.
Paul McCartney performed the song on Unplugged in 1991, and during his 2004 summer tour.
Last updated on March 12, 2016
Lyrics
My love don't give me presents
I know that she's no peasant
Only ever has to give me
Love forever and forever
My love don't give me presents
Turns me on when I get lonely
People tell me that she's only fooling
I know she isn't
She don't give boys the eye
She hates to see me cry
She is happy just to hear me
Say that I will never leave her
She don't give boys the eye
She will never make me jealous
Gives me all her time as well as loving
Don't ask me why
She's a woman who understands
She's a woman who loves her man
My love don't give me presents
I know that she's no peasant
Only ever has to give me
Love forever and forever
My love don't give me presents
Turns me on when I get lonely
People tell me that she's only fooling
I know she isn't, woo
She's a woman who understands
She's a woman who loves her man
My love don't give me presents
I know that she's no peasant
Only ever has to give me
Love forever and forever
My love don't give me presents
Turns me on when I get lonely
People tell me that she's only fooling
I know she isn't
She's a woman
She's a woman
She's a woman
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1964
2:57 • Studio version • C • Mono
- Paul McCartney:
- Bass, Piano, Vocal
- Ringo Starr:
- Chocalho, Drums
- John Lennon:
- Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison:
- Lead guitar
- George Martin:
- Producer
- Norman Smith:
- Engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 08, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 21, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Room 65, Abbey Road
7" Single • Released in 1964
3:02 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney:
- Bass, Piano, Vocal
- Ringo Starr:
- Chocalho, Drums
- John Lennon:
- Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison:
- Lead guitar
- George Martin:
- Producer
- Norman Smith:
- Engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 08, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 12, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1964
2:57 • Studio version • C1 • Stereo • Mock stereo made from [C] by Capitol
- Paul McCartney:
- Bass, Piano, Vocal
- Ringo Starr:
- Chocalho, Drums
- John Lennon:
- Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison:
- Lead guitar
- George Martin:
- Producer
- Norman Smith:
- Engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 08, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 21, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Room 65, Abbey Road
The Beatles At The Hollywood Bowl
Official live • Released in 1977
2:53 • Live • L1
- George Martin:
- Producer
- Geoff Emerick:
- Mastering, Remix engineer
- Voyle Gilmore:
- Producer
- Wally Traugott:
- Mastering
Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Aug 30, 1965
- Session Mixing:
- January 1977
- Studio:
- AIR Studios, London, UK
EP • Released in 1981
3:06 • Studio version • B
- Paul McCartney:
- Bass, Piano, Vocal
- Ringo Starr:
- Chocalho, Drums
- John Lennon:
- Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison:
- Lead guitar
- George Martin:
- Producer
- Norman Smith:
- Engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 08, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 12, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1988
3:03 • Studio version • B
- Paul McCartney:
- Bass, Piano, Vocal
- Ringo Starr:
- Chocalho, Drums
- John Lennon:
- Rhythm guitar
- George Harrison:
- Lead guitar
- George Martin:
- Producer
- Norman Smith:
- Engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 08, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 12, 1964
- Studio:
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)
Official live • Released in 1991
3:41 • Live • L2
Concert From "MTV Unplugged" in Wembley, United Kingdom on Jan 25, 1991
Official live • Released in 1994
3:15 • Radio show • L2 • The flipside of their Christmas 1964 single ‘I Feel Fine’. During Top Gear, John and Paul described how they completed writing ‘She’s A Woman’ on the morning of the EMI session. John explained they had ‘about one verse and we had to finish it off rather quickly’.
Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Nov 26, 1964
Official album • Released in 1996
2:55 • Live • L3
Concert From the concert in Tokyo, Japan on Jun 30, 1966
Official album • Released in 2016
2:53 • Live • L1.2016 • 2016 remix
- Giles Martin:
- Producer
- Voyle Gilmore:
- Producer
- Sam Okell:
- Mixing engineer
- Alex Wharton:
- Mastering
- Matt Mysko:
- Assistant mixing engineer
- James Clark:
- Audio restoration
Concert From the concert in Los Angeles, USA on Aug 30, 1965
Bootlegs
Unofficial live
4:01 • Live
Concert From the concert in Westcliff-on-Sea, United Kingdom on Jul 19, 1991
Live performances
“She's A Woman” has been played in 145 concerts.
Latest concerts where “She's A Woman” has been played
Jun 26, 2004 • Part of 2004 Summer Tour
Jun 24, 2004 • Part of 2004 Summer Tour
St. Petersburg • Palace Square
Jun 20, 2004 • Part of 2004 Summer Tour
Jun 17, 2004 • Part of 2004 Summer Tour
Jun 14, 2004 • Part of 2004 Summer Tour
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