Evil Woman

Evil Woman
Cover by Duran Duran
Released	October 9 2024
Format	Streaming
Genre	Pop
Length	3:50
Writer(s)	Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)	Duran Duran
Duran Duran

"Evil Woman" is the band's 51st single, taken from the album Danse Macabre by Duran Duran, released by Tape Modern and BMG on 9th October 2024. ℗ 2024 Tape Modern under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management (US) LLC.

"Evil Woman" is a song recorded by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and written by lead vocalist Jeff Lynne. It was first released on the band's fifth album, 1975's Face the Music.

About the Original Song

Released as a single in late 1975, the song became the band's first worldwide hit. According to Lynne, this song was the quickest he had ever written, in 30 minutes, originally as 'filler' for the group's Face the Music album. The song placed in the top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic in early 1976. It was released again in 1978 on The ELO EP.

Original Song Development

Lynne wrote the song quickly when Face the Music was almost complete but he didn't think they had a good lead single. Lynne said:

"I wrote this in a matter of minutes. The rest of the album was done. I listened to it and thought, 'There’s not a good single.' So I sent the band out to a game of football and made up 'Evil Woman' on the spot. The first three chords came right to me. It was the quickest thing I’d ever done. We kept it slick and cool, kind of like an R&B song. It was kind of a posh one for me, with all the big piano solos and the string arrangement. It was inspired by a certain woman, but I can’t say who. She’s appeared a few times in my songs."

Other appearances

• A cover version was performed by Oh Mercy on Triple J's 'Like a Version' segment in April 2011.

Duran Duran Beatles Connection

The lyric "There's a hole in my head where the rain comes in" in the song is a tribute to The Beatles' song "Fixing a Hole".

Danse Macabre Version

A cover was released by Duran Duran, Oct 9 2024, and subsequently available on the De Luxe version of Danse Macabre.

Music Video

An animated music video was released on the date of launch, created by Juan Pinto, Animation Director. The video includes various Halloween themed, and lyrically inspired visuals. More dancing skeletons, a witch, and a female DJ.

Lyrics DM Version

(Ha! Ha!)
(Ha! Ha!)
(Ha! Ha!)
(Ha! Ha!)

Hey woman, you got the blues
'Cause you, ain't got no-one else to use
There's a, open road that leads nowhere
So just, make some miles between here and there

There's a hole in my head where the rain comes in
You took my body and played to win
Ha, ha! Woman, it's a cryin' shame
But you ain't got nobody else to blame

(chorus)
   The evil woman!
   The evil woman!
   The evil woman!
   The evil woman...

Rolled in from another town
Hit some gold, too hard to settle down
But a fool and his money soon go separate ways
You found a fool lyin' in a daze

Ha, ha! Woman, what you gonna do?
You destroyed all the virtues that the Lord gave you
It's so good that you're feeling pain
But you better get your face on board the very next train..
(Hey, hey, hey, hey!)

(chorus)

- 

Evil woman how you done me wrong
But now you're tryin' to wail a different song
Ha, ha! Funny, how you broke me up
You made the wine, now you drink the cup

I came runnin' every time you cried
Thought I saw love smilin' in your eyes
Ha, ha! Very nice to know
That you ain't got no place left! to go
(Woah, hoh, haww-haww!)
 
(chorus x2)

-

Personnel

Duran Duran are:

• Simon Le Bon - vocals
• Nick Rhodes - keyboards
• John Taylor - bass guitar
• Roger Taylor - drums

Also credited:

• Dominic Brown - lead guitar
• Anna Ross - backing vocals
• Rachael O'Connor - backing vocals

Credits

• Sound Engineer, Strings, Percussion, Piano, Producer: Joshua Blair
• Sound Engineer: Ed Farrell
• Instrument Technician: Kevin Bell
• Instrument Technician: Phil Kemp
• Mixer: Bob Clearmountain
• Sound Engineer: John Webber
• Mixing Assistant: Ira Becker
• Composer: Jeffrey Lynne