| "Kentucky Woman" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Neil Diamond | ||||
| B-side | "The Time is Now" | |||
| Released | October 1967 | |||
| Genre | Singer-songwriter | |||
| Length | 2:24 | |||
| Label | Bang Records | |||
| Writer(s) | Neil Diamond | |||
| Neil Diamond singles chronology | ||||
|
||||
"Kentucky Woman" is a 1967 song written and originally recorded by Neil Diamond. Another well-known version is the 1968 recording by Deep Purple.
Diamond recorded "Kentucky Woman" as his last hit single for Bang Records. Released in October 1967, it reached #22 on the U.S. pop singles chart.[1] The song went to #58 on the Australian charts. The song reached #6 on the Canadian charts.[2]
Recorded by Deep Purple with a 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,[3] #21 Canadian RPM charts, and #27 on the Australian Singles Chart where it was released as a double A-Side with "Hush."
The single version is an edit of the album version and is four minutes and four seconds in length. A remastered version appears on the 30th anniversary album The Very Best of Deep Purple and runs for four minutes and forty five seconds.[4]
Deep Purple played "Kentucky Woman" live on tour in 1968 and 1969, even after Ian Gillan joined the band in the summer of 1969. It has never been on Deep Purple's set list since.
Waylon Jennings also released a version on his 1968 album, Only the Greatest.[5] Gary Puckett & the Union Gap included a cover of the song on their first album, Woman Woman.[6]