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Little Woman
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| "Little Woman" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Bobby Sherman | ||||
| B-side | "One Too Many Mornings" | |||
| Released | May 1969 | |||
| Genre | Bubblegum pop[1] | |||
| Length | 2:22 | |||
| Label | Metromedia MMS-221 | |||
| Songwriter | Danny Janssen | |||
| Producer | Jackie Mills | |||
| Bobby Sherman singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Little Woman" is a 1969 song recorded by Bobby Sherman and composed by Danny Janssen.
Background
[edit]Session musicians on this recording included James Burton and Alton Hendrickson on guitar, Don Randi on piano, Jerry Scheff on bass, Richard Hyde on trombone, Joe Burnett and Ollie Mitchell on trumpet, Theodore Nash and Jim Horn on saxophone, William Kurasch, Leonard Malarsky, Paul Shure, Gloria Strassner, Assa Drori and Samuel Cytron on violins, David Filerman on cello, Emil Richards on percussion, Jim Gordon on drums. Initial copies were released with Sherman singing Bob Dylan's song "One Too Many Mornings" as B-side. Some later copies substituted "Love", a song written by Sherman himself.[2]
Chart performance
[edit]Sherman's first single release on Metromedia Records, it reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved gold certification.[3] On the rival Cashbox chart, it reached No. 1 for one week. It also sold well in Canada, where it peaked at No. 2 in the RPM chart. In New Zealand, "Little Woman" reached No. 5. The song earned Sherman a gold record, his first of four in the U.S.[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Unterberger, Richie (January 1, 1997). "Various Artists - Bubblegum Classics Vol. 3". In Bogdanov, Vladimir; Erlewine, Michael; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas; Unterberger, Richie; Woodstra, Chris (eds.). AllMusic Guide to Rock. San Francisco: Miller Freeman, Inc. p. 1064.
- ^ "Little Woman : Bobby Sherman". 45cat.com. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
- ^ "The Billboard Hot 100: Little Woman". Billboard Magazine. Archived from the original on February 9, 2014. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
- ^ Leszczak, Bo (2015). From Small Screen to Vinyl: A Guide to Television Stars Who Made Records, 1950-2000. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 288.|Accessed July 24, 2016
 | This 1960s song-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |
Little Woman
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Background and development
Bobby Sherman's early career
Robert Cabot Sherman Jr., known professionally as Bobby Sherman, was born on July 22, 1943, in Santa Monica, California.[3] In his early twenties, he gained initial attention in the entertainment industry after being discovered at a party by actors Jane Fonda and Natalie Wood in the mid-1960s, which led to his entry into Hollywood circles.[4] Sherman's rise to fame accelerated through his acting roles, particularly as the shy logger Jeremy Bolt in the ABC Western comedy series Here Come the Brides, which aired from 1968 to 1970.[5] The show, set in 19th-century Seattle, featured Sherman alongside Robert Brown and David Soul, and its popularity helped establish him as a teen idol appealing to young female audiences. Prior to this, he had built a following as a house singer on the ABC music variety program Shindig!, where he performed from 1964 to 1966, showcasing his vocal talents alongside major acts of the era.[6] His burgeoning stardom was further amplified by frequent appearances on the covers and in features of teen magazines such as Tiger Beat, Sixteen, and Flip throughout the late 1960s, which solidified his image as a clean-cut heartthrob with tousled hair and a signature choker necklace.[7] These publications highlighted his charm and accessibility, fostering a dedicated fanbase among adolescent girls and paving the way for his pivot to music. Sherman had earlier released singles on labels like Decca in the early 1960s before achieving modest results on Epic Records. In 1969, he signed with Metromedia Records, marking his formal entry into major recording success, with "Little Woman" released as his debut single that year.[8] The track became his breakthrough hit, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earning gold certification for sales exceeding 1 million copies.[2]Song conception and writing
"Little Woman" was composed by Danny Janssen, whose full name is Daniel William Janssen, an American songwriter prominent in the 1960s and 1970s for creating pop hits and television themes such as "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" and "Come On Get Happy!" for The Partridge Family.[9][10] Janssen wrote the song in 1969 as a standalone bubblegum pop track tailored to the teen idol market, drawing on motifs of innocent young love to appeal to adolescent listeners without any co-writers credited.[10][11] Following Bobby Sherman's modest results on Epic Records, including the non-charting single "Think of Rain" in 1967, Metromedia Records signed him and selected "Little Woman" as his debut release; producer Jackie Mills specifically chose the Janssen composition for its alignment with Sherman's wholesome image from his role as Jeremy Bolt on the television series Here Come the Brides.[10][12]Composition and recording
Lyrics and themes
The lyrics of "Little Woman" revolve around a narrator's earnest and repetitive pleas for romantic commitment from a hesitant young woman, as seen in the opening chorus: "Hey little woman, please make up your mind / You've got to come into my world and leave your world behind." This is followed by catchy, nonsensical "na, na, na" refrains that punctuate the chorus, contributing to the song's infectious, sing-along quality.[13] Subsequent verses deepen the emotional appeal, with lines like "When you're with me I feel sunshine / Even when I'm standing in the rain" illustrating the transformative joy of the relationship, while urging her to abandon her "rainbows in your mind" for a shared reality. The song's structure adheres to a straightforward verse-chorus format, repeating the central plea across three choruses to build urgency and memorability, ideal for teen pop consumption.[13][14] Thematically, "Little Woman" embodies youthful infatuation and gentle persuasion, capturing the innocence of adolescent romance without delving into explicit content, a hallmark of 1960s teen idol music. This approach aligns with bubblegum pop's emphasis on simple, childlike themes of love and longing, setting it apart from the more sophisticated or adult-oriented narratives in concurrent mainstream pop. Danny Janssen's songwriting, characterized by such upbeat, trope-driven bubblegum elements, underscores the track's focus on lighthearted romantic urgency.[15][10]Production and session details
"Little Woman" was recorded in 1969 in Hollywood, California, under the supervision of producer Jackie Mills for Metromedia Records.[10][16] The track's arrangement, credited to Al Capps, adopted an upbeat bubblegum pop style characterized by brassy horns, a prominent rhythm section with driving drums, and orchestral flourishes that contributed to its energetic, accessible appeal.[16][10] Session work featured renowned Los Angeles studio musicians from the Wrecking Crew collective, including guitarists James Burton and Alton Hendrickson, pianist Don Randi, bassist Jerry Scheff, drummer Jim Gordon, percussionist Emil Richards, and saxophonist Jim Horn, whose contributions lent a professional polish to the recording.[10][17] Sherman's lead vocals were captured to emphasize a youthful, emotive delivery, with the final mix highlighting the song's infectious hooks and rhythmic drive based on Danny Janssen's composition.[10]Release and promotion
Single and album release
"Little Woman" was released as a single by Bobby Sherman on Metromedia Records in May 1969, with the catalog number MMS-121.[18] The B-side featured Sherman's cover of Bob Dylan's "One Too Many Mornings."[11] Issued in the standard 7-inch vinyl format at 45 RPM, the single marked Sherman's debut with the label, which had recently signed him to capitalize on his rising status as a teen idol.[10][8] The song also served as the title track and opening number on Sherman's debut album, Bobby Sherman, released later that year in November 1969 by Metromedia Records under catalog number MD-1014.[19] The LP comprised 11 tracks of bubblegum pop, produced to showcase Sherman's vocal style and appeal to his young fanbase. Subsequent reissues of "Little Woman" appeared on various CD compilations in the 1990s, including Bobby Sherman's Greatest Hits (1995), reflecting ongoing interest in Sherman's early work.[20] Original digital releases were unavailable until the 2010s, when the track became accessible on streaming platforms like Apple Music.Promotional activities
Following the single's release in May 1969, promotional efforts for "Little Woman" leveraged Sherman's growing fame from his role on the ABC series Here Come the Brides, where cross-promotion integrated his music into episodes and used the show's audience to amplify the song's reach.[21] The track garnered significant airplay on Top 40 radio stations, facilitated by the industry ties of songwriter Danny Janssen, whose connections in music publishing helped secure placements.[22] Sherman appeared frequently in teen-oriented print media, including cover features and articles in magazines like Tiger Beat, 16 Magazine, and Flip, which highlighted his wholesome image and appealed directly to adolescent fans.[23][21] Fan engagement was bolstered through official fan club mailings that included previews of the song and personal notes from Sherman, fostering loyalty among supporters.[21] Sherman also joined package tours targeted at teen audiences in 1969, performing live to build momentum and connect with fans beyond broadcasts.[24]Commercial performance
Chart positions
"Little Woman" achieved significant commercial success on various music charts, particularly in North America, following its release in August 1969. In the United States, the single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 73 on August 23, 1969, and climbed steadily to reach its peak position of number 3 on October 4, 1969, where it remained for one week before descending.[2] It spent a total of 13 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. On the rival Cash Box Top 100 singles chart, "Little Woman" topped the rankings for one week on October 11, 1969.[25] Internationally, the song performed strongly in Canada, peaking at number 2 on the RPM 100 Top Singles chart. The track also charted in Australia, peaking at number 19 on the Go-Set National Top 40.[26] This marked Bobby Sherman's highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 until "Julie, Do Ya Love Me" reached number 5 in 1970.[2]| Chart (1969) | Peak Position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 3 | Billboard |
| US Cash Box Top 100 | 1 | Tropical Glen |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 2 | Wikipedia |
| Australian Go-Set National Top 40 | 19 | Go-Set Charts |