What's a Woman?

"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 and was released in 1990. It achieved success in many European countries. It even topped the chart in the Netherlands, and was a top-five hit for three weeks in France. To date it is Vaya Con Dios' most successful song.

"What's a Woman?"
Single by Vaya Con Dios
from the album Night Owls
B-side	"Far Gone Now"
Released	30 October 1990
Recorded	1989
Genre	Pop soul, soul blues
Length	3:56
Label	Ariola
Songwriter(s)	Dani Klein, Jean-Michel Gielen, Dirk Schoufs
Producer(s)	Dani Klein, Dirk Schoufs
Vaya Con Dios singles chronology
"Nah neh nah" (1990) "What's a Woman?" (1990) "Night Owls" (1990)

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 and sales

Peak positions Chart (1990) Peak position Austrian Singles Chart[4] 7 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart 1 Dutch GfK Singles Chart[4] 1 Dutch Top 40[5] 1 French SNEP Singles Chart[4] 5 German Singles Chart[6] 11 Polish Airplay Charts[7] 1 Swiss Singles Chart[4] 6

Year-end charts Chart (1990) Position Dutch Top 40[8] 5 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 47 Decade-end charts Chart (1990–1999) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 32 Certifications Country Certification Date Sales certified Austria[11] Gold December 19, 1990 15,000 Netherlands[12] Gold 1990 40,000

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. "Vaya Con Dios — "What's a Woman?"". Discogs. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
4. "What's a Woman?", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 11, 2009)
5. "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 25, 1990". Retrieved 13 April 2009.
6. German Singles Chart Musicline.de (Retrieved April 11, 2009)
7. "Notowanie nr 440" (in Polish). 28 July 1990. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
8. "Single top 100 over 1990" (pdf) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
9. "Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7 no. 51. 22 December 1990. p. 60. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 15 January 2020 – via American Radio History.
10. "Bestenlisten – Singles 1990er". Hung Medien Austrian Charts Portal (in German). Retrieved 14 May 2019.
11. Austrian certifications ifpi.at (Retrieved April 11, 2009)
12. Dutch certifications nvpi.nl (Retrieved April 11, 2009)