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Woman is the nigger of the world
Yes she is, think about it
Woman is the nigger of the world
Think about it, do something about it
We make her paint her face and dance
If she won't be aslave, we say that she don't love us
If she's real, we say she's trying to be a man
While putting her down we pretend that she is above us
Woman is the nigger of the world, yes she is
If you don't believe me take a look to the one you're with
Woman is the slave to the slaves
Ah yeah, better scream about it
We make her bear and raise our children
And then we leave her flat for being a fat old mother hen
We tell her home is the only place she should be
Then we complain that she's too unworldly to be our friend
Woman is the nigger of the world, yes she is
If you don't believe me take a look to the one you're with
Oh woman is the slave to the slaves
Yeah, alright
We insult her everyday on TV
And wonder why she has no guts or confidence
When she's young we kill her will to be free
While telling her not to be so smart we put her down for being so dumb
Woman is the nigger of the world, yes she is
If you don't believe me take a look to the one you're with
Woman is the slave to the slaves
Yes she is, if you believe me, you better scream about it
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
Yes she is, think about it
Woman is the nigger of the world
Think about it, do something about it
We make her paint her face and dance
If she won't be aslave, we say that she don't love us
If she's real, we say she's trying to be a man
While putting her down we pretend that she is above us
Woman is the nigger of the world, yes she is
If you don't believe me take a look to the one you're with
Woman is the slave to the slaves
Ah yeah, better scream about it
We make her bear and raise our children
And then we leave her flat for being a fat old mother hen
We tell her home is the only place she should be
Then we complain that she's too unworldly to be our friend
Woman is the nigger of the world, yes she is
If you don't believe me take a look to the one you're with
Oh woman is the slave to the slaves
Yeah, alright
We insult her everyday on TV
And wonder why she has no guts or confidence
When she's young we kill her will to be free
While telling her not to be so smart we put her down for being so dumb
Woman is the nigger of the world, yes she is
If you don't believe me take a look to the one you're with
Woman is the slave to the slaves
Yes she is, if you believe me, you better scream about it
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
Lyrics submitted by dollerspark
Woman Is the Nigger of the World Lyrics as written by Yoko Ono John Lennon
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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regardless of john lennon´s opinion about what he is singing, he is still calling all ¨non-white¨ women niggers; including all irish women. and to sing ¨woman is the slave to the slaves¨ in combination with saying ¨woman is the nigger of the world¨ is to also call, all ¨non-white¨ women niggers and slaves. and in so doing reinforcing racist en classist pejoratives already in use in against them. thereby calling ¨non-white¨ women (including irish women), slaves to the slaves to the slaves. i find this song on that basis not only racist but also classist, and overall contemptuous, whether the song was meant to be classist/racist or nor. nonetheless, i can't believe john lennon would not have thought of the further implications of what he was singing. o, and by the way i find the song sexist as well. its probably all meant as a form of covert racism/classism/sexism. ...sorry john, but somebody had to say it.
@sublime_10, I really respect your opinion, but disagree. If Yoko or another woman had written the song, the question would then become, is it still racist and sexist when a woman sings it? I admit it is a shock to the system when you hear it, but to shock was always Lennon's aim. I don't think it's right to separate his personality, his intentions and historical circumstances from your opinion, in fact, those particulars should influence your opinion. And yes, I understand and agree the "N" word is unequivocally offensive, but he was making a larger point about the social, economic and political power over women CONTEMPORANEOUS TO HIM—not to you right now—and it was at a time when the abortion debate was underway, with Roe v Wade passed less than a year later (not to mention heightened racial tensions here and in England). I can only imagine, historically speaking, the moment came to a full head as he watched women fighting for their political right in the modern era— just like any "slave" revolution fighting for liberation. Additionally, I think it's safe to assume he was also affected by Yoko's treatment in the media and by fans. Yoko was an avant-garde thinker, and I'm sure she encouraged John's political engagement. IF the song had the effect you think it did, then its message would have backfired, but it did not. You can have an opinion, of course, but it misrepresents the facts behind John Lennon's intention, which is widely understood and accepted today.