'Woman Is the N----- of the World,' John Lennon: I Freakin' Love This Song

Editor's Note: Singer-songwriter Ben Lee contributes an I Freakin' Love This Song on a John Lennon track in which Lennon employs a racial slur to make a point about the plight of women. Below, Lee performs a video version of the controversial song that also contains the incendiary word, which we deem appropriate to present in this context.

'Woman is the N----- of the World,' John Lennon
From 1972's 'Some Time in New York City'

"Woman is the n----- of the world," sings John Lennon. This song is a masterpiece. Of course, the shock value of the lyrics is there; to deny it as a factor would be naive -- John and Yoko knew what they were doing and understood that people needed to be provoked into action. John's performance is so moving to me. My last album ('The Rebirth of Venus') was a tribute to women and feminine consciousness, and during the album session I covered this song and made a video for it.


Many people who commented on the YouTube link seemed to feel that a feminist anthem today seemed dated and irrelevant. But to me, this song is so much more than just about feminism. It's about the parts of our collective selves that we oppress and denigrate in our attempt to control our world. While we have made huge strides in equal rights over the past decades, we still live in a world where our natural environment is less of a priority than big business, schools emphasize rote learning over creativity, and our emotional lives are seen as something to be conquered on the way to bigger profit margins. I still need this song. It reminds me it's OK to feel, it's OK to mourn, and it's OK to want to change the world. And that's what good music should do.

Read 'Woman Is the N----- of the World' Lyrics

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