Your Woman

I think it's just written from the female perspective.

So much for all your highbrow Marxist ways, Just use me up and then you walk away, Boy you can't play me that way.

In this line he seems to be mocking himself or the man in the story. Such a so called socialist but he isn't really looking out for anyone but himself. I think when you're in your early twenties, you tend to want to seperate yourself with idealistic or controversial views but really it's just a farce, it's just another attempt at defining yourself but we're all too hypcritcal to be the perfect marxist or perfect vegan for example. The ugly truth will come out no matter how you try to hide it.

When I saw my best friend yesterday, She said she never liked you from the start, Well me, I wish that I could claim the same, But you always knew you held my heart. And you're such a charming handsome man, Now I think I finally understand, Is it in your genes?, I don't know, But I'll soon find out, that's for sure, Why did you play me this way?.

This verse really drives home the concept of the female perspective, sounds like a typical scenario where a girl is talking to her best friend about the break up. There does seem to be a reference to pregnancy to elaborate on how this guy left her high and dry. A lot of people are seeing homosexual references in here as if "A charming handsome man" means he's too good to be true, he is gay. "I think I finally understand, is it in your genes?" as you're gay, is it genetic? But I personally think the "handsome man" line just refers to how suave he is, he's a sneaky womaniser who knocked her up, now she might have a son on her hands that will be like his father and always remind her of him.

Well I guess what they say is true, I could never spend my life with a man like you, I could never be your woman.

I find this to be a kind of dig at what kind of woman is right for him. Writing this song could be a theraputic way of apologising to the girl or admitting sometimes people just aren't compatable. Or perhaps it's mocking how she interpreted the break up.

I have read interviews with him online where he talks of his first love affair with a lesbian so I understand where the homosexual views come into it but this song can work for any sexuality. Amazing song!

copied and pasted from the faq on white town's website whitetown.co.uk/faq.php

I love 'Your Woman' BUT what is it about??? Are you a man/woman/transsexual?

Ummmm...well, that's a toughie. When I wrote it, I was trying to write a catchy pop song that had more than one perspective. Although it's written in the first person that viewpoint isn't the same as it may sound. So, these are some of the things it's about: Being a member of an orthodox Trotskyist / Marxist movement (as I was for three years in the 80s). Being a straight guy in love with a lesbian (ditto). Being a gay guy in love with a straight man. Being a straight girl in love with a lying, two-timing, fake-ass Marxist.

The hypocrisy that results when love and lust get mixed up with highbrow ideals :-)

I thought it was the singer reading a Dear John letter his girlfriend sent me. That would explain why it looks like he's speaking to a man and referring to himself as a woman. Anyway, I guess that's just the way I listened to it.

This song is actually a cover (but I think some of the verses are changed slightly) an old (i think 30's or 40's) song. It was sung by a woman and I heard the guy from White Town say in a radio interview that they did it just cos they liked the sound of it and he kept the lyrics the same despite the fact he was a guy singing a song meant to be sung by a chick. Heard the original too - not as different sounding as you may expect given it is from so long ago.

Look through the lyrics and I can't see any way that it actually makes sense any other way. Don't know why he answers differently on his website though.

Mishra Jyoti has copped to writing this song about a political lesbian girl he had a crush on when he was younger. The line where he asks if it's "in your genes" is then, presumably, a reference to the debate over whether sexual orientation is genetic. The song that xdvr is talking about is, in fact, "My Woman" by Lou Stone, part of which Mishra sampled for the bizarre "hook" that recurs throughout the song. The sample was never properly cleared and thus a large chunk of the royalties go to the original publishing company. Stylus Magazine (stylusmagazine.com) just re-ran a pretty interesting article on this song.

so, what? is she, like, pregnant w/ his kid? "Is it in your genes?... I'll soon find out." Maybe I'm getting the wrong message from it.

the one thing i never got about this song is that the dude is clearly not a woman, so therefore of course he could never be your woman....

transvestite?

This song can go both ways

A) A straight guy longing to court a lesbian When I saw my best friend yesterday, She said she never liked you from the start, Well me, I wish that I could claim the same, But you always knew you held my heart. " "

B) Gay guy talking to a straight guy

Well I guess what you say is true, I could never be the right kind of girl for you, I could never be your woman.

I unno, just my 2 cents

Is it just me or does the artist really really not sound like a woman?