What's a Woman? explained

What's a Woman?
Cover:	What's_a_woman.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Vaya Con Dios
Album:	Night Owls
B-Side:	Far Gone Now
Released:	30 October 1990
Recorded:	1989
Genre:	Pop soul, soul blues
Length:	3:56
Label:	Ariola
Producer:	Dani Klein, Dirk Schoufs
Prev Title:	Nah neh nah
Prev Year:	1990
Next Title:	Night Owls
Next Year:	1990

"What's a Woman?" is a 1990 pop-rock song recorded by Belgian band Vaya Con Dios. It was the second single from band's second studio album, Night Owls (1990). It achieved success in many European countries, topping the chart in the Netherlands, and becoming a top-five hit for three weeks in France. To date, it is Vaya Con Dios' most successful song.

In 2006, the band re-recorded the song as a duet with Aaron Neville, available on its best-of The Ultimate Collection.^[1] About this version by Neville, Dani Klein said in an interview : "We were discussing the whole project at Sony BMG and they asked me "Who would you like to do a duet with?" The first person that came into my mind was Aaron Neville, because I'd seen him a few months ago here in Brussels and I was just amazed at his voice! This man has a unique voice... his voice is incomparable. The song goes "What's a woman if a man doesn't treat her right?" And the fact that a man sings that gives it another dimension. I thought that was interesting."^[2]

The song is featured in the Swedish movie Vingar av Glas (Wings of Glass), starring Alexander Skarsgård.

Track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "What's a Woman?".^[3]

• 7" single

1. "What's a Woman?" – 3:56
2. "Far Gone Now" – 3:08

• CD maxi

1. "What's A Woman?" – 3:56
2. "Far Gone Now" – 3:08
3. "I Sold My Soul" – 4:56

Credits

• Written by Dani Klein, Dirk Schoufs and Jean-Michel Gielen
• Arranged by Dirk Schoufs and Jean-Michel Gielen
• Artwork by Label & Labeat
• Photography by Roger Dijckmans
• Produced by Dani Klein and Dirk Schoufs

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "What's a Woman?"!Chart (1990)!Peak
position

Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[4]	28
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[5]	14

Year-end charts

1990 year-end chart performance for "What's a Woman?"!Chart (1990)!Position

Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[6]	8
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)^[7]	1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[8]	47
Germany (Official German Charts)^[9]	55
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[10]	5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[11]	7
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[12]	7

Decade-end charts

Decade-end chart performance for "What's a Woman?"!Chart (1990–1999)!Position

Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[13]	32
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[14]	23

Notes and References

1. The Ultimate Collection, track listing and chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 11, 2009)
2. Vaya Con Dios' official site, section "interview" Vayacondios.info (Retrieved April 11, 2009)
3. Web site: Vaya Con Dios — "What's a Woman?" . Discogs . 2009-08-12.
4. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. 30 June 1990. 19 June 2021. Music & Media.
5. Book: Pennanen, Timo. Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021. 2021. Vaya Con Dios. 273. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. Helsinki. 8 July 2022. fi.
6. Web site: Jahreshitparade Singles 1990. austriancharts.at. 9 March 2021.
7. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1990. Ultratop. 9 March 2021.
8. Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990. Music & Media. 7. 51. 22 December 1990. 60. 29800226. 15 January 2020. American Radio History.
9. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts. German. GfK Entertainment. offiziellecharts.de. 9 March 2021.
10. Web site: Single top 100 over 1990 . Top40 . Dutch . 12 April 2010.
11. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990. dutchcharts.nl. 9 March 2021.
12. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1990. hitparade.ch. 9 March 2021.
13. Web site: Bestenlisten – Singles 1990er. German. Hung Medien Austrian Charts Portal. 14 May 2019.
14. Web site: Ultratop Nineties 500: 1-50. Ultratop. nl. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612145841/https://www.ultratop.be/nl/ultratop_nineties_500.asp?page=1. 12 June 2018. 5 May 2022.