▁par ap hr ase ▁of ▁a ▁Chinese ▁pro verb , ▁once ▁used ▁by ▁Ma o ▁Z ed ong . ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁for ▁Rol ling ▁Stone ▁magazine ▁on ▁ 5 ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁L enn on ▁said ▁that ▁" W oman " ▁was ▁a ▁" g rown - up ▁version " ▁of ▁his ▁song ▁" G irl ". ▁On ▁ 5 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁Ge ffen ▁re - re leased ▁" W oman " ▁as ▁a ▁single ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁" Back ▁to ▁Back ▁H its " ▁series , ▁with ▁the ▁B - side ▁"( Just ▁Like ) ▁Starting ▁Over ". ▁ ▁Chart ▁performance ▁The ▁single ▁deb uted ▁at ▁number ▁ 3 ▁in ▁L enn on ' s ▁native ▁UK , ▁then ▁moving ▁to ▁number ▁ 2 ▁and ▁finally ▁reaching ▁number ▁ 1 , ▁where ▁it ▁spent ▁two ▁weeks , ▁knock ing ▁off ▁the ▁top ▁spot ▁his ▁own ▁re - re leased ▁" Im agine ". ▁In ▁the ▁US ▁the ▁single ▁pe aked ▁at ▁number ▁ 2 ▁on ▁Billboard ▁Hot ▁ 1 0 0 ▁( ke pt ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁spot ▁by ▁RE O ▁Speed w agon ' s ▁hit ▁" Ke ep ▁On ▁L oving ▁You " ▁and ▁Bl ond ie ' s ▁hit ▁" R apt ure ") ▁while ▁reaching ▁number ▁ 1 ▁on ▁the ▁C ash box ▁Top ▁ 1 0 0 . ▁ ▁Week ly ▁charts ▁ ▁Year - end ▁charts ▁ ▁All - time ▁charts ▁