Only One Woman

{{Infobox song

| name = Only One Woman

| cover = Only One Woman cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = the Marbles

| album =

| B-side = By the Light of a Burning Candle

| released = 1968

| recorded = July 1968

| studio = IBC (London, England)

| genre =

| length = 2:43

| label = {{unbulleted list|Polydor (UK)|Cotillion (US)}}

| writer = {{hlist|Barry Gibb|Robin Gibb|Maurice Gibb}}

| producer = {{hlist|Barry Gibb|Maurice Gibb|Robert Stigwood}}

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = The Walls Fell Down

| next_year = 1969

}}

"Only One Woman" is a song and the first single by English musical duo the Marbles, written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees. It later also appeared on their self-titled album The Marbles.

Recording and reception

It was recorded around July 1968 in IBC Studios, London. The backing track was created by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb and Colin Petersen, with an orchestral arrangement by Bill Shepherd. Colin plays the same percussion effect as on "I've Gotta Get a Message to You". The song exists only in a mono mix.

The song was the biggest hit they had in their short-lived career.{{cite web|first= Joseph |last= Brennan |title= Gibb Songs : 1968 |agency= Columbia University |url= http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/beegees/68.html |accessdate= 24 April 2014}} It entered the UK chart at number 24{{cite web|url= http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/19681002/7501 |title= Official Singles Chart Top 50: 02 October 1968 – 08 October 1968 |publisher= Official Charts Company |accessdate= 30 July 2013}} and eventually peaked at number five on 2 November 1968. In the Netherlands, it reached number three.

Their performance in a French TV of the song was televised on 192TV.{{YouTube|7rtdQTHZBK8|The Marbles – Only one woman ( Rare Original Footage French TV 1968 )}}

Personnel

Graham Bonnet – lead vocal
Trevor Gordon – backing vocal
Barry Gibb – guitar
Maurice Gibb – bass, piano
Colin Petersen – drums
Bill Shepherd – orchestral arrangement

Chart performance

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Chart (1968–1969)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Austria|8|artist=Marbles|song=Only One Woman|accessdate=30 July 2013}}

{{single chart|Flanders|3|artist=Marbles|song=Only One Woman|accessdate=30 July 2013}}

{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|43|chartid=5898|accessdate=30 July 2013}}

France (IFOP){{cite web|url= http://www.infodisc.fr/Bilan_M.php |title= InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste |publisher= InfoDisc |id= Select "The Marbles" from the artist drop-down menu |accessdate= 30 July 2013 |language= fr}}

|align="center"|18

{{single chart|Ireland2|8|song=Only One Woman|accessdate=30 July 2013}}

Italy (FIMI){{cite web|title= Indice per Interprete: M |publisher= Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons |url= http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/indici/per_interprete/am.htm |accessdate= 24 April 2014 |language= it}}

|align="center"|46

{{single chart|Dutch40|3|artist=Marbles – Only One Woman|accessdate=30 July 2013|refname="NL"}}

{{single chart|Dutch100|3|artist=Marbles|song=Only One Woman|accessdate=30 July 2013}}

New Zealand (RIANZ){{cite book|first= Dean |last= Scapolo |title= The Complete New Zealand Music Charts |edition= 1st |location= Wellington |year= 2007 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=wyU5AQAAIAAJ&q=%22only+one+woman+marbles%22 |publisher= Transpress |isbn= 978-1-8774-4300-8}}

|align="center"|1

{{single chart|Norway|6|artist=Marbles|song=Only One Woman|accessdate=30 July 2013}}

South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|url= http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(M).html |title= South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (M) |publisher= Rock.co.za |accessdate= 30 July 2013}}

|align="center"|1

{{single chart|Switzerland|5|artist=Marbles|song=Only One Woman|accessdate=30 July 2013}}

{{single chart|UK|5|date=1968-11-02|accessdate=30 July 2013|refname="UK"}}

{{single chart|West Germany|6|artist=Marbles|song=Only One Woman|songid=64|year=1968|accessdate=18 February 2019}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable"

!Chart (1968)

!Position

Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|url= http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1968 |title= Jaaroverzichten 1968 |publisher= ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. |accessdate= 24 April 2014 |language= nl}}

|align="center"|43

Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url= http://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1968 |title= Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1968 |publisher= Dutch Top 40 |accessdate= 24 April 2014 |language= nl}}

|align="center"|8

class="wikitable"

!Chart (1969)

!Position

South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|url= http://www.rock.co.za/files/sahits_1969.html |title= Top 20 Hit Singles of 1969 |publisher= Rock.co.za |accessdate= 24 April 2014}}

|align="center"|19

Notable cover versions

Alien, a Swedish rock band with Jim Jidhed as lead vocalist, reached number one in Sweden with their cover version.{{cite web|publisher= Swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien |title= Alien – Only One Woman |url= http://www.swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Alien&titel=Only+One+Woman&cat=s |accessdate= 24 April 2014}} The cover appeared on the band's self-titled debut album in 1988.
The song was covered by Declan Galbraith on his "Thank You" album and by German actor and singer Uwe Ochsenknecht (simply billed as "Ochsenknecht") in 1992.
Czech singer Lucie Bílá covered the song as "Zpíváš mi Requiem", which became a moderately successful hit in the Czech Republic in that year.
In 1986, heavy metal band Alcatrazz (which was fronted by ex-Marbles member Graham Bonnet) covered the song for their Dangerous Games album.
Nigel Olsson, known for playing drums with Elton John, recorded the song on his 1974 self-titled album. It debut on the Billboard Hot 100 2 times in the Spring of 1975, #100 March 1, 1975 to peak at #91 for 3 weeks followed by a return to the chart for one week at #93 April 26, 1975