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Thursday, October 9, 2008

Thursday 13

It wasn't working last week, but perhaps, it will work this week. Go here to find out if it's unstuck. If not, well, here is my contribution this week, anyhow.

13 songs that (to me, and yes this is subjective) empower women (in one way or another, and in NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

1. You Don't Own Me- Lesley Gore. I loved this song, still do, I think it's message is very powerful, a young woman letting boys know that she isn't "just one of their many toys". I still know all the words to it. Find them here

2. I Am Woman- Helen Reddy. Say what you will. It's over used, over played, and made fun of all the time. But, it had a powerful message for the era it came out in, and was instantly taken up as an anthem. Lyrics here

3. Independence Day- Martina McBride well, yes. Country. But this song, along with a few of her others hit the mark when it came to standing up, and saying no to violence. Unfortunately, the woman in this song had to burn down her house with her and her abusive spouse in it to end said abuse. But still... lyrics here

4. I am betting most of you haven't heard this one. It's called "I Can't Do That, Anymore. Faith Hill sung it, before she married Tim and sold out. It's about a married woman who realizes, as time went by, that she kind of lost her own dreams. Surprisingly, it was written by Alan Jackson. Go figure. Lyrics here
If you read any of these 13 songs, read this one.

5. Beautiful- Christina Aguilera- Once again, I am not a big fan. But seeing a bunch of little girls singing this song made me happy. Every girl should think she is beautiful, and have the self esteem this song promotes. Lyrics here

6. You Oughta Know- Alanis Morrisette. Many may well disagree with me. This is an angry break up song. But how many of us have felt like she felt? She put those bitter, angry feelings right on out there. Too bad it was about freaking Dave Coulier.
Oh well. She moved on. So did we. But we still have this wonderfully angry song to bounce back to when we need to. Oh, and the acoustic version of this is great...
lyrics here

7. Back to the 70's for this one. Everybody with me now "First I was afraid, I was petrified...."
Yes, it's "I Will Survive", by Gloria Gaynor. Lyric here

8. RESPECT- Aretha. We can all agree about this one, can't we? Ladies?
lyrics here

9. Stand By Your Man-Tammy Wynette. I expect the most argument about this one. But it struck a chord, and, though I am no Betty Crocker Susie Homemaker waiting by the door with slippers and a drink kind of girl, I still think the underlying message of support and solidarity is good. And I think it can work both ways. (as in men can stand by their women.( Wait. Someone did a song about that...it sucked. But someone did it). I love Tammy Wynette's voice, and used to listen to her greatest hits album repeatedly. Lyrics here

10. The Pill- Loretta Lynn- this song got her in all kinds of hot water. But it's great. And I admire her for having the guts to come right out and say this when it desperately needed to be said. Lyricshref="http://www.musicsonglyrics.com/L/lorettalynnlyrics/lorettalynnthepilllyrics.htm"> here

11. At Seventeen-Janis Ian. A classic. Beautifully written. Lyric's here

12. Who's Sorry Now?- Connie Francis. Another song I could listen to, and did, over and over again. I had the record. (Or rather, my parents did, and I hijacked it. I like the fact that she is telling him that HE is the sorry one. Lyrics here

13. You're So Vain- Carly Simon.
I bet you think this song is about you...

There you have it. Agree, disagree? Comments? Suggestions?
I had more than 13 songs for this, but. It is 'thursday 13'......

13 comments:

Jo Beaufoix said...

I love 5,6,7,8 and 13 for the angsty feel good factor. Great post Mie.

Darla said...

Boy, do some of those bring back memories! I Am Woman was such an anthem. I was 12 when it came out, and even then it put tears in my eyes.

sybil law said...

I should have come when I did not have to rush out the door to the school!
But it's a damn fine list, even though I hate some of those songs, I can agree with the lyrics and sentiment behind them!

~Just Me Miranda~ said...

I love all those songs!!!

Mimi said...

Great list! Wow.

I've never heard of that Loretta Lynn song.

Debbie@Like a Rose said...

Love your list and that is one of my favorite Faith Hill songs!

I'm adding you to my TT today.

JW said...

I'm not sure I'm really allowed to like these, am I, as they're meant to empower women?

No matter. You've picked out two of my all-time favourites there.

You Oughta Know is just so wonderfully bitter - Ms Morisette pours so much angry, twisted emotion into that song. It beautifully captures an extreme situation.

Even better, though, is At Seventeen ... bitter-sweet, wonderfully evocative, I'm getting chills running up and down my spine just thinking of it. Thanks for the reminder!

As a side-note, I've never come across Thursday 13 before. It's an intriguing idea ... for better or worse, I'm usually busy with HNT on Thursdays.

holly said...

okay first i love that yellow flower down below. i'd love to have a whole pile of those. nice.

anyway.

yay on lesley gore. just yay. didn't know she did that one. should have.

yay on alanis. love her stuff. mostly.

love gloria! and aretha! and standing by your man IN SPITE OF MY CURRENT CHOICE OF BEING IN THE NEXT ROOM TO HIM...

and yes i loves carly.

yay! we are music buddies, kinda.

Malcolm said...

This is one of the best T13s I've read today. Instead of just listing the songs, I like how you gave your opinions as to why you selected them. Another thing I enjoyed about this T13 is that you selected songs from a variety of eras and genres.

I still find it hard to believe that Alanis dated Joey from "Full House". I guess there's a lid for every pot. Here is a tidbit you may or may not know about the song "Respect". It was orig. performed and written by Otis Redding.

Since you asked, here are some other female empowerment songs:

Control- Janet Jackson

Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves- Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin

I'm Every Woman- Chaka Khan or Whitney Houston

Harper Valley P.T.A.- Jeannie C. Riley

Unpretty- TLC

mielikki said...

Malcolm- thanks! I considered those, as well, but I will admit I forgot about Unpretty, I would have probably tossed that one in instead of one of the others. And that whole Alanis/Dave Coulier thing freaks me out

Holly- my musical taste is very eclectic. And though she said Stand By Your Man, she never said it would be easy to do so. Sometimes you have to stand by them and PINCH them. If I could I would send you a whole bunch of those flowers

Ro- yes you're allowed. Because you never know when YOU will need to to empower a woman. OR, knowing these songs will get you bonus points WITH a woman :)

Debbie-thanks!

Mimi- I only heard it myself a few years ago. Which is odd, because that song is older than both of us

just me- thanks!

Syb- yes you should always come here with lots of time :)

Darla- my Mom played that song A LOT. I knew every word of it, still do

Jo- I love those, as well...

LuAnn @ BackPorchervations said...

Aww...post the rest of them sometime, K?

Eaton Bennett aka Berenice Albrecht said...

Great list and I'm old enough to have heard some of the list when they first came out.. But the one that moved me the most; Seventeen! :)

Danica Favorite said...

Talk about memory lane! Thanks for sharing! Hmmm... now to see if I can find any to listen to.