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She's Always a Woman

January 01, 1970

"She's Always a Woman" is a song by Billy Joel from his 1977 album, The Stranger. The single peaked at No. 17 in the U.S. in Oct. 1978, [2] and at No. 53 in the UK in 1986, when it was released as a double A-side with "Just the Way You Are". It re-entered the UK chart in 2010, reaching No. 29.

"She's Always a Woman"
A-side label of U.S. vinyl single
Single by Billy Joel
from the album The Stranger
B-side"Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"
ReleasedApril 1978
StudioA & R Recording Inc. (New York City)
GenrePop rock[1]
Length3:21
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Billy Joel
Producer(s)Phil Ramone
Billy Joel singles chronology
"Only the Good Die Young"
(1977) 		"She's Always a Woman"
(1978) 		"The Stranger"
(1978)

Background edit

It is a love song about a woman whom the singer has fallen totally in love with to the extent of falling for her endearing quirks as well as her flaws.

Joel wrote the song for his then-wife, Elizabeth Weber. Joe had taken over management of Joel's career, and was able to put his financial affairs in order after Joel had signed some bad deals and contracts.[3] The two eventually divorced in 1982.

Composition edit

Joel has said that he was influenced by Gordon Lightfoot and his mellow acoustic guitar ballads. He stated in an interview that he was attempting to replicate the fingerpicking common in folk guitar music.[4] He accomplishes this by playing arpeggiated triads in the right hand. He also notes that the production was purposely minimal to capture the purity of the tune as a folk song.

Joel claims that the meter of the song is 6/8. This splits each measure into two full triad ascending arpeggios. The song is in the key of E♭ major. It begins with singing over the chords each played without the arpeggio in the first verse, each chord lasting a full measure. In the second verse he begins arpeggiating, with each chord again lasting a full measure.

The choruses are in the relative minor of E♭ major, which is C minor. In the second part of each chorus Joel switches to the parallel minor of E♭ minor before returning to verse.

Reception edit

Billboard described "She's Always a Woman" as a "dramatic ballad."[5] Billboard particularly praised the "subtle orchestration" and "sophisticated melody," which it found comparable to ballads by Bob Dylan and Paul Simon.[5] Cash Box said that "the tune is melodic and flows sweetly; the lyric is precise and has something to say" and praised Joel's singing.[6] Record World said that "it is much like a [natural] progression of the message in 'Just the Way You Are' and should pick up immediate pop and adult airplay."[7]

Jack Taliercio footage edit

A Muzak version of "She's Always a Woman" can be heard playing in the background of a video recorded in the Austin J. Tobin Plaza of the World Trade Center complex in New York City on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, after two commercial airliners hijacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists were deliberately flown into each of the Twin Towers as part of a large-scale terrorist attack. A news camera crew was in the plaza at the foot of the World Trade Center's South Tower. The camera operator, Jack Taliercio, zoomed in on the southern end of the tower’s east face and recorded a man being forced out of a 79th floor window by heat, smoke and fire on the 79th and 80th floors. Trapped by the damage caused by the impact of United Airlines Flight 175, he tried to climb down in the hope of re-entering through an opening below the impact zone, but slipped and fell at 09:38:18.[8] The soundtrack dissonance of the song playing as a man plummeted to his death from a burning skyscraper was viewed as "surreal".[9]

Track listing edit

7-inch single (1977)

  1. "She's Always a Woman"
  2. "Vienna"

Single (CBS)

  1. "She's Always a Woman"
  2. "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"

Japanese 7-inch single

  1. "She's Always a Woman"
  2. "Only the Good Die Young"

Charts edit

Chart (1978) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 17
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening 2
Chart (1978) Peak
position
Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[10] 28
Canadian Singles Chart[11] 12
Canadian AC Chart[12] 7
Dutch Top 40[13] 15
Chart (1986) Peak
position
Irish Singles Chart 22
UK Singles Chart 53
Chart (2010) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 29
Chart (2011) Peak
position
Austrian Singles Chart[14] 37

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[16] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Fyfe Dangerfield cover edit

"She's Always a Woman"
 
Single by Fyfe Dangerfield
from the album Fly Yellow Moon
ReleasedMay 10, 2010
Length3:14
Label
Songwriter(s)Billy Joel
Producer(s)Adam Noble
Fyfe Dangerfield singles chronology
"Faster Than the Setting Sun"
(2010) 		"She's Always a Woman"
(2010) 		"Barricades"
(2010)

Fyfe Dangerfield, lead singer of the band Guillemots, recorded a version of this song in 2010 which was used in an advertisement for the British department store John Lewis.[17] Subsequently, the Billy Joel original re-entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 29 on May 1, 2010. On May 1, 2010, a new version of the advert aired; which shows more of the song cover. In the annual ITV poll for 2010 advert of the year; "John Lewis – She's always a Woman" ranked fourth.

The advert has been viewed on YouTube over 570,000 times (collectively from the top 3 results) since it aired on TV.[18]

Chart performance edit

"She's Always a Woman" debuted on the UK Singles Chart on May 2, 2010, at No. 99. On its second week in the chart, the single climbed 85 places to No. 14, marking Dangerfield's most successful single to date. On May 16, 2010, the single climbed seven places to its peak of No. 7 before falling to No. 9 in its second week within the top 10.

Track listing edit

Digital download[19]

  1. "She's Always a Woman" – 3:14

Charts edit

Weekly charts edit

Chart (2010) Peak
position
Scotland (OCC)[20] 8
UK Singles (OCC)[21] 7

Year-end charts edit

Chart (2010) Position
UK Singles (OCC)[22] 116

References edit

  1. ^ "POP MUSIC REVIEW : BILLY JOEL ON BRINK OF BEING 'INNOCENT MAN'?". Los Angeles Times. November 24, 1986. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  2. ^ "US Top 40 Singles Week Ending 14th October, 1978," at https://top40weekly.com/1978-all-charts/
  3. ^ "Billy Joel's many songs about his many wives". Washington Post. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  4. ^ "Billy Joel - Discusses writing - She's Always a Woman". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. July 29, 1978. p. 78. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  6. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. July 29, 1978. p. 20. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  7. ^ "Record World Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. July 29, 1978. p. 36. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  8. ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology (2005). Federal Building and Fire Safety Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster (PDF). p. 52.
  9. ^ "Joseph Kellard's story on a news cameraman who captured the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11".
  10. ^ "Billy Joel - She's Always A Woman". Ultratop.be. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  11. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  12. ^ "RPM Magazine - September 30, 1978 - Page 33" (PDF).
  13. ^ "Jaarlijst 1978". Members.chello.ml. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  14. ^ Steffen Hung. . Austriancharts.at. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  15. ^ "British single certifications – Billy Joel – She's Always a Woman". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  16. ^ "American single certifications – Billy Joel – She's Always a Woman". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  17. ^ "John Lewis Ad 2010 - Fyfe Dangerfield 'She's Always A Woman'". YouTube. April 27, 2010. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  18. ^ . Archived from the original on May 2, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  19. ^ "She's Always a Woman (Bonus Track): Fyfe Dangerfield: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  20. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  21. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  22. ^ "End Of Year Charts: 2010" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved May 8, 2019.

January 01, 1970
always, woman, song, billy, joel, from, 1977, album, stranger, single, peaked, 1978, 1986, when, released, double, side, with, just, entered, chart, 2010, reaching, side, label, vinyl, singlesingle, billy, joelfrom, album, strangerb, side, movin, anthony, song. She s Always a Woman is a song by Billy Joel from his 1977 album The Stranger The single peaked at No 17 in the U S in Oct 1978 2 and at No 53 in the UK in 1986 when it was released as a double A side with Just the Way You Are It re entered the UK chart in 2010 reaching No 29 She s Always a Woman A side label of U S vinyl singleSingle by Billy Joelfrom the album The StrangerB side Movin Out Anthony s Song ReleasedApril 1978StudioA amp R Recording Inc New York City GenrePop rock 1 Length3 21LabelColumbiaSongwriter s Billy JoelProducer s Phil RamoneBilly Joel singles chronology Only the Good Die Young 1977 She s Always a Woman 1978 The Stranger 1978 Contents 1 Background 2 Composition 3 Reception 4 Jack Taliercio footage 5 Track listing 6 Charts 7 Certifications 8 Fyfe Dangerfield cover 8 1 Chart performance 8 2 Track listing 8 3 Charts 8 3 1 Weekly charts 8 3 2 Year end charts 9 ReferencesBackground editIt is a love song about a woman whom the singer has fallen totally in love with to the extent of falling for her endearing quirks as well as her flaws Joel wrote the song for his then wife Elizabeth Weber Joe had taken over management of Joel s career and was able to put his financial affairs in order after Joel had signed some bad deals and contracts 3 The two eventually divorced in 1982 Composition editJoel has said that he was influenced by Gordon Lightfoot and his mellow acoustic guitar ballads He stated in an interview that he was attempting to replicate the fingerpicking common in folk guitar music 4 He accomplishes this by playing arpeggiated triads in the right hand He also notes that the production was purposely minimal to capture the purity of the tune as a folk song Joel claims that the meter of the song is 6 8 This splits each measure into two full triad ascending arpeggios The song is in the key of E major It begins with singing over the chords each played without the arpeggio in the first verse each chord lasting a full measure In the second verse he begins arpeggiating with each chord again lasting a full measure The choruses are in the relative minor of E major which is C minor In the second part of each chorus Joel switches to the parallel minor of E minor before returning to verse Reception editBillboard described She s Always a Woman as a dramatic ballad 5 Billboard particularly praised the subtle orchestration and sophisticated melody which it found comparable to ballads by Bob Dylan and Paul Simon 5 Cash Box said that the tune is melodic and flows sweetly the lyric is precise and has something to say and praised Joel s singing 6 Record World said that it is much like a natural progression of the message in Just the Way You Are and should pick up immediate pop and adult airplay 7 Jack Taliercio footage editA Muzak version of She s Always a Woman can be heard playing in the background of a video recorded in the Austin J Tobin Plaza of the World Trade Center complex in New York City on the morning of Tuesday September 11 2001 after two commercial airliners hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists were deliberately flown into each of the Twin Towers as part of a large scale terrorist attack A news camera crew was in the plaza at the foot of the World Trade Center s South Tower The camera operator Jack Taliercio zoomed in on the southern end of the tower s east face and recorded a man being forced out of a 79th floor window by heat smoke and fire on the 79th and 80th floors Trapped by the damage caused by the impact of United Airlines Flight 175 he tried to climb down in the hope of re entering through an opening below the impact zone but slipped and fell at 09 38 18 8 The soundtrack dissonance of the song playing as a man plummeted to his death from a burning skyscraper was viewed as surreal 9 Track listing edit7 inch single 1977 She s Always a Woman Vienna Single CBS She s Always a Woman Movin Out Anthony s Song Japanese 7 inch single She s Always a Woman Only the Good Die Young Charts editChart 1978 Peakposition U S Billboard Hot 100 17 U S Billboard Easy Listening 2 Chart 1978 Peakposition Belgian Singles Chart Flanders 10 28 Canadian Singles Chart 11 12 Canadian AC Chart 12 7 Dutch Top 40 13 15 Chart 1986 Peakposition Irish Singles Chart 22 UK Singles Chart 53 Chart 2010 Peakposition UK Singles Chart 29 Chart 2011 Peakposition Austrian Singles Chart 14 37Certifications editRegion Certification Certified units sales United Kingdom BPI 15 Platinum 600 000 United States RIAA 16 Platinum 1 000 000 Sales streaming figures based on certification alone Fyfe Dangerfield cover edit She s Always a Woman nbsp Single by Fyfe Dangerfieldfrom the album Fly Yellow MoonReleasedMay 10 2010Length3 14LabelFantastic Plastic PolydorSongwriter s Billy JoelProducer s Adam NobleFyfe Dangerfield singles chronology Faster Than the Setting Sun 2010 She s Always a Woman 2010 Barricades 2010 Fyfe Dangerfield lead singer of the band Guillemots recorded a version of this song in 2010 which was used in an advertisement for the British department store John Lewis 17 Subsequently the Billy Joel original re entered the UK Singles Chart at No 29 on May 1 2010 On May 1 2010 a new version of the advert aired which shows more of the song cover In the annual ITV poll for 2010 advert of the year John Lewis She s always a Woman ranked fourth The advert has been viewed on YouTube over 570 000 times collectively from the top 3 results since it aired on TV 18 Chart performance edit She s Always a Woman debuted on the UK Singles Chart on May 2 2010 at No 99 On its second week in the chart the single climbed 85 places to No 14 marking Dangerfield s most successful single to date On May 16 2010 the single climbed seven places to its peak of No 7 before falling to No 9 in its second week within the top 10 Track listing edit Digital download 19 She s Always a Woman 3 14 Charts edit Weekly charts edit Chart 2010 Peakposition Scotland OCC 20 8 UK Singles OCC 21 7 Year end charts edit Chart 2010 Position UK Singles OCC 22 116References edit POP MUSIC REVIEW BILLY JOEL ON BRINK OF BEING INNOCENT MAN Los Angeles Times November 24 1986 Retrieved January 9 2022 US Top 40 Singles Week Ending 14th October 1978 at https top40weekly com 1978 all charts Billy Joel s many songs about his many wives Washington Post Retrieved November 7 2016 Billy Joel Discusses writing She s Always a Woman YouTube Archived from the original on December 21 2021 a b Top Single Picks PDF Billboard July 29 1978 p 78 Retrieved July 9 2020 CashBox Singles Reviews PDF Cash Box July 29 1978 p 20 Retrieved January 1 2022 Record World Single Picks PDF Record World July 29 1978 p 36 Retrieved February 13 2023 National Institute of Standards and Technology 2005 Federal Building and Fire Safety Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster PDF p 52 Joseph Kellard s story on a news cameraman who captured the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9 11 Billy Joel She s Always A Woman Ultratop be Retrieved October 12 2016 Item Display RPM Library and Archives Canada Collectionscanada gc ca Retrieved October 12 2016 RPM Magazine September 30 1978 Page 33 PDF Jaarlijst 1978 Members chello ml Retrieved October 12 2016 Steffen Hung Billy Joel She s Always A Woman Austriancharts at Archived from the original on October 13 2016 Retrieved October 12 2016 British single certifications Billy Joel She s Always a Woman British Phonographic Industry Retrieved March 8 2021 American single certifications Billy Joel She s Always a Woman Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved September 12 2022 John Lewis Ad 2010 Fyfe Dangerfield She s Always A Woman YouTube April 27 2010 Archived from the original on December 21 2021 Retrieved October 12 2016 Fyfe Dangerfield covers Billy Joel She s Always a Woman in John Lewis Ad Band Weblogs the Music Blog Music News Archived from the original on May 2 2010 Retrieved May 3 2010 She s Always a Woman Bonus Track Fyfe Dangerfield Amazon co uk MP3 Downloads Amazon co uk Retrieved October 12 2016 Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved May 8 2019 Official Singles Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Retrieved May 8 2019 End Of Year Charts 2010 PDF UKChartsPlus Retrieved May 8 2019 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title She 27s Always a Woman amp oldid 1223128324, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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