Woman Is the Nigger of the World
"Woman Is the Nigger of the World" is a song by John Lennon and Yoko Ono as Plastic Ono Band from their 1972 album "Some Time in New York City". Released as a single in the United States, the song sparked controversy at the time due to the use of the word "nigger" in the title and its agitprop exaggerated subject matter. Composition. The phrase "woman is the nigger of the world" was coined by Yoko Ono in an interview with "Nova" magazine in 1969 and quoted on the magazine's cover. Literary  analysts note that the phrase owes much to Zora Neale Hurston's novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God", in which the protagonist Janie Crawford's Grandmother says "De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see." The song describes women's subservience to men and misogyny across all cultures. In a 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. Release and reception. 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. It was released in the U.S. on 24 April 1972 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. The song also charted at number 93 on the "Cash Box" Top 100. 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. "Cash Box" described the song as the "most powerful epic to come out of the women's movement so far." Response to criticism. Through radio and television interviews, Lennon described his use of the term "nigger" as referring to any oppressed person. 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. 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. 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". Reissues. 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. It was also included on "" and the "Gimme Some Truth" box set. In popular culture. 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". Personnel. Personnel on  the single and "Some Time in New York City" recording are: