Woman's Gotta Have It (song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Woman's Gotta Have It

| cover =

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Bobby Womack

| album = Understanding

| B-side = (If You Don't Want My Love) Give It Back

| released = 1972

| recorded = 1972

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = *R&B

soul

| length = 3:30

| label = UA 50902

| writer = *Darryl Carter

| producer = Bobby Womack

| prev_title = That's The Way I Feel About Cha

| prev_year = 1972

| next_title = Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good)

| next_year = 1972

}}

"Woman's Gotta Have It" is a song written by Darryl Carter, Bobby Womack and Linda Womack. The song was recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.

Song background

The idea for the song came from a marital situation that Darryl Carter knew of where the wife was about to "tip out" on an unresponsive husband.[{{Allmusic|class=song|id=t995030|pure_url=yes}} allmusic] Carter and Linda Womack (the daughter of Sam Cooke and one-time stepdaughter of Bobby who later married Bobby's brother, Cecil) originally wrote the song with Jackie Wilson in mind.

Chart performance

Released as a single from Bobby's 1972 album Understanding, it reached number one on the R&B chart and peaked at number 60 on the pop chart in the US.{{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=634}}

Wendy Matthews' version

{{Infobox song

| name = Woman's Gotta Have It

| cover = Woman's_Got_to_Have_It_by_Wendy_Matthews.png

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Wendy Matthews

| album = Émigré

| released = January 1991

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Pop

| length =

| label = RooART

| writer =

| producer = Ricky Fataar

| prev_title = Token Angels

| prev_year = 1990

| next_title = Let's Kiss (Like Angels Do)

| next_year = 1991

}}

Australian recording artist Wendy Matthews released a version of the song in January 1991 as the second single from her debut solo studio album, Émigré. The song peaked at number 34 on the ARIA Charts.

= Track listing=

CD/7" single

"Woman's Gotta Have It" - 4:21
"Acid Rain" - 3:27

12" single

"Woman's Gotta Have It" (Club Mix)
"Acid Rain"
"Woman's Gotta Have It" (Club Dub)
"Token Angels"

=Charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col"\| Chart (1991) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
scope="row"{{singlechart\|Australia\|34\|artist=Wendy Matthew\|song=Woman's Gotta Have It\|accessdate=21 April 2021\|refname="ARIA Chart"}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

scope="col"| Chart (1991)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

scope="row"{{singlechart|Australia|34|artist=Wendy Matthew|song=Woman's Gotta Have It|accessdate=21 April 2021|refname="ARIA Chart"}}

Other versions

The song was covered by James Taylor and included on Taylor's 1976 album In the Pocket. Rolling Stone critic Kit Rachlis described this version as "listless."{{cite web|title=In the Pocket|author=Rachlis, K.|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/in-the-pocket-19760812|access-date=2014-05-31|publisher=Rolling Stone|date=August 12, 1976}} On the other hand, Record World said that "Taylor's breezy vocal sound suits material like this Bobby Womack number perfectly."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=November 6, 1976|page=26|accessdate=2023-03-03|title=Single Picks|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/76/Record-World-1976-11-06.pdf}}
It has also been covered by Nona Gaye for the compilation 1-800-NEW FUNK
The Neville Brothers on their: "Live At Tipitina's, September 24, 1982" LP
K-Ci covered it on his 2006 album "My Book"{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|website=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-book-mw0000458110|accessdate=July 23, 2023}}
Taylor Hicks on his 2009 album The Distance, and Calvin Richardson.{{cite web