Womens empowerment songs

Triathlon Forum
1

I was going to post this on the LR but decided to take a chance on posting on the Womens.

I’m thinking of songs that send out a female empowerment message to the listeners. The earliest I can actually think of is this classic from Leslie Gore. I’m old enough to remember it but was just a kid then. Ahead of its time as it came out at about the same time in the early 60’s that Tammy Wynette was singing about Stand By Your Man. So this might be one of the grandmothers of female empowerment songs.

If you can think of any other female empowerment songs please post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWCMhL5qxlE

2

NOT “girls just wanna have fun.” Laaaame.

3

Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin, “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves”

Peter Gabriel and Youssou N’Dour, “Shaking the Tree” (album version is slightly different)
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4

Cool thread idea. Thanks cerveloguy.

Ani DiFranco
Buildings and Bridges
Coming Up
Fixing Her Hair
Going Down
Gratitude
I’m No Heroine
If He Tries Anything
Joyful Girl
Letter to a John
Lost Woman Song
Make Them Apologize
Million You Never Made
My IQ
Not A Pretty Girl
Not So Soft
Roll With it Baby
Sistersong
Swan Dive
Next Big Thing
The Waiting Song

Pink
U & UR Hand
Respect
Stupid Girls
Slut Like You

I’m Just a Girl–No Doubt

As Cool as I Am–Dar Williams

That Thing–Lauryn Hill

Fighter–Christina Aguilera (only song of hers I like–haven’t listened to much of her stuff)

Ella Mae–Greg Brown (not an empowerment song, per se, but a beautiful tribute to a strong woman; makes me sob every time I hear it)

5

Can’t remember the artist but the chorus goes, “I’m a bitch , I’m a lover, I’m a child, I’m a mother I’m a sinner, I’m a saint…”
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6

Can’t remember the artist but the chorus goes, “I’m a bitch , I’m a lover, I’m a child, I’m a mother I’m a sinner, I’m a saint…”

“Bitch” by Alannis Morrisette

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjIs-O3zjIY
.

7

I’m really surprised nobody has mentioned Helen Reddy and particularly her song “I am Woman”. It was pretty well the feminist national anthem in the 1970’s. I’m sure a lot of younger women nowadays don’t care or are even aware about the feminist movement of that era because they can now take everything for granted. The 60’s and 70’s were definately a time of major social change. Of course some of the radical feminists back then were totally over the top.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu4xpDuf84A

8

Not really a women’s empowerment song - but when I need confidence to do something - I sing (in my head) the song Julie Andrews sings in Sound of Music.

“I have confidence in sunshine. I have confidence in rain. I have confidence that spring will come again. Besides which you see I have confidence in me.” It’s awesome. It’s the song she sings trying just before she has to nanny 7 kids.

9

I’m really surprised nobody has mentioned Helen Reddy and particularly her song “I am Woman”. It was pretty well the feminist national anthem in the 1970’s. I’m sure a lot of younger women nowadays don’t care or are even aware about the feminist movement of that era because they can now take everything for granted. The 60’s and 70’s were definately a time of major social change. Of course some of the radical feminists back then were totally over the top.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu4xpDuf84A

I had to look it up :slight_smile:

My mom moved to NYC when she was 19, met my dad, married, and they promptly got transferred overseas (Liberia, South Africa, and Australia). She was married to him for eleven years and was only able to leave him when they were back visiting the states when I was a little less than 2, as he controlled her by making her keep track of every penny she spent. Every penny. I’ve seen the sheets. Whoa. He would not let her work, and she was, literally, trapped. Trapped in a very affluent lifestyle, mind you, but trapped. When she left him, she was a single mother in Iowa in 1976, with a young child and no work experience. To say she “embraced” the feminist movement would be an understatement.

She ran for state legislature when I was 5, against a republican incumbent and only lost by 500 votes. She then worked as a lobbyist for many groups, but, most notably for Planned Parenthood. I grew up surrounded by strong, outspoken, “militant,” “radical” feminists. When she remarried when I was 10, she still kept completely separate money–and didn’t take money from him–and continues to do so even today.

As awesome as she was (is), she never listened to music. Weird. I can’t imagine my life without music. I listen to it all day, every day. Anyway, I didn’t really “discover” music until the fifth grade, and then I was just into pop–Madonna, Prince, etc. So I “missed out” on a lot of music from that revolutionary period. I certainly went back to that period, as a teenager (and on), but I was listening to different artists/bands from that period;)

10

“When she left him, she was a single mother in Iowa in 1976, with a young child and no work experience. To say she “embraced” the feminist movement would be an understatement.”

You have to realize that it wasn’t until about that time that the “equal pay for equal work” laws came into being so a lot of women embraced feminist equality principles but not feminism in its radical man hating form. However, your family situation does seem a bit extreme. My mom never worked but my parents discussed every single bill payment together. Mom always wanted to work outside the home but since we were military and moved a lot it was hard for her to find a steady job and back then, a military officer’s wife working was generally frowned upon.

That’s about the same time that Helen Reddy song came out so I’m sure your mom must have probably listened to it. At that time I was a wild and crazy long haired rock n roll loving guy in my early 20’s who partied a lot. I remember some young women calling me a few derogatory things, but am proud to say that absolutely none of them ever once called me a “male chauvanist pig”. :slight_smile: I always supported women’s rights and still do. Remember that some of us guys have daughters!

12

it’s actually Meredith Brooks (not Alanis) - basically a one hit wonder. I am such a child of the 90s that it’s frightening.

Can’t remember the artist but the chorus goes, “I’m a bitch , I’m a lover, I’m a child, I’m a mother I’m a sinner, I’m a saint…”

“Bitch” by Alannis Morrisette

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjIs-O3zjIY

13

it’s actually Meredith Brooks (not Alanis) - basically a one hit wonder. I am such a child of the 90s that it’s frightening.

Can’t remember the artist but the chorus goes, “I’m a bitch , I’m a lover, I’m a child, I’m a mother I’m a sinner, I’m a saint…”

“Bitch” by Alannis Morrisette

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjIs-O3zjIY]

Hahaha well I am such a child of the 80’s that I don’t know one artist from another if they sang in the 90’s! Thanks for the update.