"Kentucky Woman" is a 1967 song written and originally recorded by

Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...

Background

Diamond recorded "Kentucky Woman" as his last hit single for Bang Records. The song was mixed in

monophonic Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction (often shortened to mono) is sound intended to be heard as if it were emanating from one position. This contrasts with stereophonic sound or ''stereo'', which uses two separate audio channels to reproduc ...

, which is the common version heard on all Neil Diamond compilations featuring original Bang singles. The only known stereo mix was done in 1978 for a Frog King/Columbia House album called ''Early Classics'', which has never been released on CD.

Chart history

Released in October 1967, it reached number 22 on the U.S. pop singles chart, number 58 on the

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal A ...

charts, and number 6 on the

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

charts.

Deep Purple cover

Another well-known version is the 1968 recording by

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Originally formed as ...

. The group's cover had vastly different instrumental feel, if not vocal line. It was their second single release in 1968. It managed to reach #38 on the Billboard Hot 100, #21 Canadian RPM charts, and #27 on the

Australian Singles Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

where it was released as a double A-Side with "

Hush Hush may refer to: Film and television * ''Hush'' (1921 film), starring Clara Kimball Young * ''Hush'' (1998 film), starring Gwyneth Paltrow * ''Hush!'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film directed by Ryosuke Hashiguchi * ''Hush'' (2005 film), starring ...

." The single version is an edit of the album version and is four minutes and four seconds in length. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an onli ...

'' said that it has a "heavy dance beat and a splendid instrumental burst." A remastered version appears on the 30th anniversary album ''The Very Best of Deep Purple'' and runs a full four minutes and forty five seconds. Both those versions end on a fadeout. The album version, which does not fade out at the end, is 5 minutes and 31 seconds in length. Deep Purple played "Kentucky Woman" live on tour in 1968 and 1969, even after

Ian Gillan Ian Gillan (born 19 August 1945) is a British singer who is best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band Deep Purple. He is known for his powerful and wide-ranging singing voice. Initially influenced by Elvis Presley, Gillan ...

and

Roger Glover Roger David Glover (born 30 November 1945) is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the member of the hard rock bands Deep Purple and Rainbow. As a member of Deep Purple, Glover was inducted into the Rock and R ...

joined the band in the summer of 1969. It has never been on Deep Purple's set list since. The song was also featured in

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...

's 2019 film and

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...

for ''

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ''Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'' is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures, Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is ...

''.

Other covers

Waylon Jennings Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music. Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...

also released a version on his

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * J ...

album, ''

Only the Greatest ''Only the Greatest'' is a studio album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released in 1968 on RCA Victor. It includes the single " Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line," which Jennings took to #2 on the country music charts that year ...

''. * Gary Puckett & The Union Gap included a cover of the song on their first album, ''

Woman, Woman "Woman, Woman" is the debut single by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, from their 1968 debut album '' Woman, Woman''. It was written and composed by Jim Glaser and Jimmy Payne, and uses session musicians from The Wrecking Crew. Like most of the ban ...

''.Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, ''Woman Woman''
Retrieved September 28, 2011

References

{{authority control 1967 singles 1968 singles Songs written by Neil Diamond Neil Diamond songs Deep Purple songs Gary Puckett & The Union Gap songs 1967 songs Bang Records singles Harvest Records singles Songs about Kentucky