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Some Time In New York City (1972), recorded by John Lennon in partnership with Yoko Onois being relaunched by the couple’s son, Sean Lennon. However, the album will come without one of its most emblematic – and controversial songs.

Sean, who is a musician and producer, decided to exclude the track that opened the album in its original version: “Woman is the n*gg*r of the world”.

It is a song that has faced harsh criticism over the years. The reason is the use of the word “N*GG*R”which has a strong racist connotation in the United States.

The song’s own title (“Woman is the Creole of the world”in Portuguese) generated controversy. She was banned on American radios at the time of launch.

In an interview with the producer and musical researcher Marcelo Fróesfor the EstadãoSean Lennon spoke about the decision to exclude “Woman is the n*gg*r of the world” of the series of relaunch entitled Power to the People And idealized by your mother, Yoko.

According to him, this is an attempt to adapt to the present times, where society no longer tolerates some prejudiced terms of the past. The also musician said:

“It does not depend on me what is acceptable or not by society, and this changes from decade to decade. Now we are living in a time when this word and this song are not acceptable in society. So we had to make a decision. But it does not depend on me what culture decides, and this is modern culture now.”

Sean claims to understand the original use of the term in composition. Still, he reinforces not only depending on his own judgment.

“I personally believe that the way my father used that word in that song was very significant and justifiable, but that’s my personal feeling. This is not the feeling of the world. So we have to adapt to the world we live in, and there is something I could do with some people and they said, ‘Oh, you are censoring.’

He also considers that “Woman is the n*gg*r of the world” It has its value as a music piece. That way, it leaves people comfortable to keep listening to it on the original album or streaming.

“I think it’s a great song. If you want to listen to it, please listen. But we are doing something now around the world as it is now, for the culture and generation we have now, and this generation does not have the same relationship with that word that perhaps an older generation. And that doesn’t depend on me, I’m just living in this world and trying to adapt to the world as it is.”

Has John Lennon’s music been censored in relaunch?

Asked by Marcelo Fróes about the possibility of such a decision being seen as an incentive to censorship, Sean argued:

“Look, man, I think there are two different discussions happening. One of them is about what we think of culture, how is it changing? We agree with it? We think it is improving, or that perhaps some of these ideas are wrong about language, about changing language, censoring words or ideas. And this is a conversation, and I can talk about it, know, I personally be old in October, yes. That people say and, worse, you can say what you want, and hear or not listen. This is my generation, however. Power to the People? Should we put ‘Woman is the N of the World’ with the word replaced by n or not? This is the second question. ”

Sean Lennon concludes:

“I feel that the answer is obviously not, because it is out of respect for what people feel. I don’t feel like that, but I’m not doing it just for me. I’m releasing the album so that a younger generation can be introduced to my father and my mother’s music, and so I have to do it in a way that they will like, and I think the younger generation won’t like it. Things, you know, but we made a decision, and I keep it, and anyway, someone would be unhappy. ”

The lyrics of “Woman is the n*gg*r of the world”

Check out the lyrics of the letter of “Woman is the n*gg*r of the world” by John Lennon:

“Woman is the cryolo of the world
Yes she is
Think about
Woman is the Creole in the world
Think about
Do something against it

We make her paint her face and dance
If she doesn’t want to be our slave, we say she doesn’t love us
If she is sincere, we say she is trying to be a man
While we put it down, pretending to be above us

The woman is the cryolo of the world
Yes she is
If you don’t believe me
Look at the one with you
The woman is slave to slaves
Ah, better scream about this

We make her give birth and raise our children
And then we made her like an old and fat mother chicken
We tell her that the only place she should be at home
And then we complain that she is too province to be our friend

The woman is the cryolo of the world
Yes she is
If you don’t believe me, look at the one with you
Woman is the slave of slaves
Yes (think about it)

We insult her every day on TV
And we wonderfully ask why she has no courage and confidence
When she is young, we kill her desire to be free
While we tell her not to be so smart
We put it down for being so silly

The woman is the cryolo of the world
Yes she is
If you don’t believe me, look at the one with you
Woman is the slave of slaves
Yes she is
If you don’t believe me, it is better to scream about it

We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance

We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance
We make her paint her face and dance ”

+++ Read more: Sean Lennon’s strong appeal related to Beatles and future generations
+++ Read more: Sean Lennon, son of John Lennon, says that the father’s songs ‘mean a lot’ for him
+++ Read more: How John Lennon reacted by hearing criticism of Paul McCartney after the end of the Beatles

• John Lennon

• Sean Lennon

• Yoko Ono