You Are the Woman
Encyclopedia
"You Are the Woman" is the title of a 1976 Top Ten hit by Firefall
: written by Rick Roberts
, then the group's frontman, the track is distinguished by the performance on flute
of Firefall member David Muse.
Roberts would recall writing "You Are the Woman": "When that chorus and tune jumped into my head I realized I was [not] creating...one of the great works of art in history...[but rather] a bouncy little pop ditty...I was stumped for several months about where the verses should go [ie. develop] lyrically. Then I realized I was over thinking it. I took a more simple approach, and the verses were finished in a day or two."
Introduced on Firefall
, the band's debut album recorded at Miami's Criteria Studios
and released in the spring of 1976, "You Are the Woman" was issued as the album's second single that summer after several other tracks had received airplay on FM radio
including the lead single: "Livin' Aint Livin'", which had just missed the Top 40 of the Hot 100
in Billboard
. After two months of support in smaller markets, "You Are the Woman" broke in such larger areas as Chicago and Houston in October 1976 effecting a Top 40 entry with a subsequent ascent to a #9 peak that November.
Jock Bartley
of Firefall would account for the popularity of "You Are the Woman" thus: "Every female between the ages of 18 and 24 wanted to be the woman portrayed in the song, and that caused their boyfriends and spouses to call radio stations and subsequently flood the airwaves with dedications of the song and the sentiment. The message was simple and sincere, and the song was easy to sing. It was like our fans let us be a singing version of the Hallmark card
that said what they weren't quite sure what to express."
Bartley, the sole founding member of Firefall to remain with the group to the present, also states: "Everybody knows 'You Are The Woman'. It ended up kind of being a hindrance because people would only hear 'You Are The Woman' and would think, oh, that light Rock band from Colorado. We're actually a pretty smokin' Rock band that really has fun onstage and cooks and jams and plays 'You Are The Woman' also."
A hit for Firefall in Canada (#6) and New Zealand (#15), "You Are the Woman" was remade by Josh Kelley
for the Herbie: Fully Loaded soundtrack
(2005).
Firefall
Firefall is a rock band that formed in Boulder, Colorado in 1974. It was founded by Rick Roberts, who had been in the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Jock Bartley, who had been Tommy Bolin's replacement in Zephyr. The band's biggest hit single, "You Are the Woman", peaked at #9 on the Billboard charts...
: written by Rick Roberts
Rick Roberts (musician)
Rick Roberts is a country rock and classic rock singer-songwriter who recorded with many influential artists over several genres in the 1970s. He is best known for his work with The Flying Burrito Brothers on their 1971 self-titled album, and as a founding member and lead singer of Firefall from...
, then the group's frontman, the track is distinguished by the performance on flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
of Firefall member David Muse.
Roberts would recall writing "You Are the Woman": "When that chorus and tune jumped into my head I realized I was [not] creating...one of the great works of art in history...[but rather] a bouncy little pop ditty...I was stumped for several months about where the verses should go [ie. develop] lyrically. Then I realized I was over thinking it. I took a more simple approach, and the verses were finished in a day or two."
Introduced on Firefall
Firefall (album)
Firefall is the self-titled debut from Firefall which saw release in 1976.- Track listing :# It Doesn't Matter - 3:31# Love Isn't All - 4:13# Livin' Ain't Livin' - 3:49# No Way Out - 4:05# Dolphin's Lullaby - 4:34# Cinderella - 3:53...
, the band's debut album recorded at Miami's Criteria Studios
Criteria Studios
Criteria Studios is a music-recording studio in Miami, Florida, started in 1958 by Mack Emerman.In 1999, The Hit Factory purchased Criteria Studios, revamping and reopening the studios under the new name The Hit Factory Criteria Miami.-Notable artists:...
and released in the spring of 1976, "You Are the Woman" was issued as the album's second single that summer after several other tracks had received airplay on FM radio
Progressive rock (radio format)
Progressive rock is a radio station programming format that prospered in the late 1960s and 1970s, in which the disc jockeys are given wide latitude in what they may play, similar to the freeform format but with the proviso that some kind of rock music is almost always what is played...
including the lead single: "Livin' Aint Livin'", which had just missed the Top 40 of the 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...
in Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
. After two months of support in smaller markets, "You Are the Woman" broke in such larger areas as Chicago and Houston in October 1976 effecting a Top 40 entry with a subsequent ascent to a #9 peak that November.
Jock Bartley
Jock Bartley
Jock Bartley is an American Musician. He is a member of the band Firefall.He studied at University of Colorado in Boulder as an art major.He played guitar in Zephyr, and released a pair of albums with Tommy Bolin on Warner Bros...
of Firefall would account for the popularity of "You Are the Woman" thus: "Every female between the ages of 18 and 24 wanted to be the woman portrayed in the song, and that caused their boyfriends and spouses to call radio stations and subsequently flood the airwaves with dedications of the song and the sentiment. The message was simple and sincere, and the song was easy to sing. It was like our fans let us be a singing version of the Hallmark card
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
that said what they weren't quite sure what to express."
Bartley, the sole founding member of Firefall to remain with the group to the present, also states: "Everybody knows 'You Are The Woman'. It ended up kind of being a hindrance because people would only hear 'You Are The Woman' and would think, oh, that light Rock band from Colorado. We're actually a pretty smokin' Rock band that really has fun onstage and cooks and jams and plays 'You Are The Woman' also."
A hit for Firefall in Canada (#6) and New Zealand (#15), "You Are the Woman" was remade by Josh Kelley
Josh Kelley
Joshua Bishop "Josh" Kelley is an American singer-songwriter and actor. Kelley has recorded for Hollywood Records, Threshold Records and DNK Records as a pop rock artist, and has had four hit singles on the Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks chart...
for the Herbie: Fully Loaded soundtrack
Herbie: Fully Loaded (soundtrack)
Herbie Fully Loaded is the soundtrack album to the 2005 film of the same name, it was released on June 21, 2005. It includes Lindsay Lohan's third single, "First", and remakes of classic songs by Hollywood Records artists including Aly & A.J., Caleigh Peters, Ingram Hill and Josh Kelley, and big...
(2005).