She's a Woman
Encyclopedia
"She's a Woman" is a song by The Beatles
. 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.
(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. John Lennon
was quoted as saying, "We were so excited to say 'turn me on' --you know, about marijuana and all that... using it as an expression."
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. During the first verse, the piano also plays chords on the upbeats. George Harrison
plays a bright guitar solo during the middle eight.
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. 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 in the cavern 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 Beatles started including the song in their live shows in 1965. It is characterized 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 album, Live At the Hollywood Bowl
, while a version from the first of two shows at Nippon Budokan
in Tokyo in 1966 appears on Anthology 2
.
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.
s include Jeff Beck
's instrumental jazz fusion
version featuring a talk box
from his 1975 album Blow by Blow
, which achieved substantial album oriented rock radio airplay in the US. Also, a latin jazz
version was recorded by Joe DeRenzo
from his Core Beliefs album, and a version by ESC on their Beatles compilation Step Inside LOVE. Also, a pop-reggae reading by Scritti Politti
featuring Shabba Ranks
was recorded. José Feliciano
also recorded a cover version of this song, and Chet Atkins
an instrumental version. Other artists who have covered the song include The Churchills
and Jess & James. The song was also covered by Chikezie
during Season 7 (2008) of American Idol
.
McCartney performed the song on Unplugged
in 1991.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. It was released as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
to "I Feel Fine
I Feel Fine
"I Feel Fine" is a riff-driven rock song written by John Lennon and released in 1964 by The Beatles as the A-side of their eighth British single. The song is notable for the use of feedback on a recording for the first time by any musician...
" in 1964, their last single release that year. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
from frequent airplay.
Composition
The song, penned by Paul McCartneyPaul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
(though credited to Lennon/McCartney
Lennon/McCartney
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history...
), was his attempt at imitating the vocal style of Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
. This is why the song is in such a high register, even for McCartney's tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
range. Some takes of the song (especially recordings of live concerts) feature an extended outro. John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
was quoted as saying, "We were so excited to say 'turn me on' --you know, about marijuana and all that... using it as an expression."
The structure of the song is fairly simple, with the melody carried mostly by McCartney's voice. His bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and a backing piano produce a countermelody, with Lennon's guitar playing chords on the backbeat. During the first verse, the piano also plays chords on the upbeats. George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
plays a bright guitar solo during the middle eight.
Releases
In the United States, the song was released on the CapitolCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
album Beatles '65
Beatles '65
Beatles '65 is The Beatles' fifth Capitol release, but seventh American album. It was released in mono and stereo versions. The album was also issued in Germany on the Odeon label....
, and is presented in a duophonic
Duophonic
*In synthesizers, capable of sounding two voices, or notes, at a time. Compare: monophonic, polyphonic.*Duophonic is also a term used to refer to a sound process by which a monaural recording is turned into a kind of "fake stereo" by splitting the signal into two channels, delaying the left and the...
mix featuring a layer of reverb added by executive Dave Dexter, Jr. A true stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
version of the song can be found on the Past Masters, Volume 1 CD. 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 in the cavern scene in the movie Help!
Help! (film)
Help! is a 1965 film directed by Richard Lester, starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—and featuring Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal, Roy Kinnear and Patrick Cargill. Help! was the second feature film made by the Beatles and is a...
. In the UK, the first album release was on the 1978 compilation LP Rarities in mono in the box set The Beatles Collection
The Beatles Collection
The Beatles Collection is a box set of vinyl albums released in the United States in November 1978 and the following month in the United Kingdom containing the official catalogue of The Beatles in stereo, and a new compilation called Rarities...
and later released separately.
The Beatles started including the song in their live shows in 1965. It is characterized 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 album, Live At the Hollywood Bowl
The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl
The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl is a live album released in May 1977 featuring songs by The Beatles compiled from two live performances at the Hollywood Bowl during August 1964 and August 1965...
, while a version from the first of two shows at Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
in Tokyo in 1966 appears on Anthology 2
Anthology 2
Anthology 2 is a compilation album by The Beatles, released by Apple Records in March 1996. It is the second of the three-volume Anthology collection, all of which tie-in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology. The opening track is "Real Love", the second of the two recordings that...
.
Personnel
- Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
– vocalLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
– rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure... - Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, chocalhoChocalhoChocalho is the generic name for “shaker” in Portuguese. There are various types of idiophones using this name in Portuguese, not always being the same instrument:*a shaker;*a kind of jingle stick used to play samba music;*a cowbell;... - George MartinGeorge MartinSir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Norman Smith – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Personnel per Ian MacDonaldIan MacDonaldIan MacCormick was a British music critic and author, best known for Revolution in the Head, his forensic history of The Beatles which borrowed techniques from art historians, and The New Shostakovich, a controversial study of the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich...
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.
Cover versions
Cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s include Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
's instrumental jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
version featuring a talk box
Talk box
A talk box is an effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by lip syncing, or by changing the shape of the mouth...
from his 1975 album Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow
Blow by Blow is the seventh album by British guitarist Jeff Beck, released on Epic Records in 1975, and recorded in October 1974. It is the first under his name alone...
, which achieved substantial album oriented rock radio airplay in the US. Also, a latin jazz
Latin jazz
Latin jazz is the general term given to jazz with Latin American rhythms.The three main categories of Latin Jazz are Brazilian, Cuban and Puerto Rican:# Brazilian Latin Jazz includes bossa nova...
version was recorded by Joe DeRenzo
Joe DeRenzo
Joseph Peter DeRenzo is an American jazz drummer, composer and producer currently living and working in New York City...
from his Core Beliefs album, and a version by ESC on their Beatles compilation Step Inside LOVE. Also, a pop-reggae reading by Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti are a British band, originally formed in 1977 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Although there have been various changes to the line-up, Cardiff-born singer-songwriter Green Gartside was the founding member of the band and the only member to have remained throughout the group's...
featuring Shabba Ranks
Shabba Ranks
Shabba Ranks is a Jamaican dancehall musician.He was one of the most popular dancehall artists of his generation. He was also one of the first Jamaican deejays to gain worldwide acceptance, and recognition for his 'slack' lyrical expressions and content, when "ridin' di riddim"...
was recorded. José Feliciano
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
also recorded a cover version of this song, and Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
an instrumental version. Other artists who have covered the song include The Churchills
The Churchills
The Churchills was an Israeli band founded in 1965, active until the mid-1970s. It was a part of the rhythm bands scene that were active in Israel in the 1970s, especially in Ramla. The band played rock music in English, from psychedelic rock to hard rock...
and Jess & James. The song was also covered by Chikezie
Chikezie
Chikezie Ndubuisi Eze is an American singer and the tenth place finalist on the seventh season of the television series American Idol.-Early life:...
during Season 7 (2008) of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
.
McCartney performed the song on Unplugged
Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)
- Personnel :*Paul McCartney: Acoustic guitar, drums, vocals.*Linda McCartney: Piano, Indian harmonium, percussion, vocals.*Hamish Stuart: Acoustic bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals.*Robbie McIntosh: Acoustic guitars, piano, dobro, vocals....
in 1991.