# Intense songs by women **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216 "2009-06-18T20:40:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/41 "2009-06-19T21:51:29Z")
_I Can’t Make You Love Me_, by Bonnie Raitt _That’s Why I’m Cryin’_, by KoKo Taylor _My One And Only Love_, by Rickie Lee Jones _Travelin’ Blues_, by Diane Schuur _I Know Now_, by June Bronhill and Kieth Mitchell ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/42 "2009-06-19T21:58:05Z")
Well, I guess there are more degrees of intensity than I realized. I’m reminded of the bar scene at the beginning of The Deer Hunter when all the guys are getting so hepped up over a mediocre Four Seasons tune. The atmosphere was certainly intense, but the song was…average. So I’m not going to break anybody’s bubble by slamming their selection. But I do want to thank everyone who responeded because you wouldn’t have done so if you weren’t serious about music and that’s what makes life worth living. Some artists or songs I haven’t heard before but I will definitely check them out ( The names Lucinda and Dar Williams turn up often. Are they sisters?) And some I should have known would be here. eg: Alison Krause - When You Say Nothing At All. (I virtually melt when she sings that song) And one more song before I go: Annie Lennox - Why? ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/43 "2009-06-19T23:05:48Z")
Aesiron, thank you for recommending Charlotte Martin (in another thread) I’m going to try avoiding naming songs already named (even though I came in to recommend I can’t make you love me) so Down on Me Janis Joplin Girl You think you see Carly Simon Weakness in Me Joan Armatrading Boy with the Sad Hands Jay Clarkson Sway Bic Runga Violnet by Stellar\* I think thats the correct spelling Bic’s sister Boh’s band anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/44 "2009-06-19T23:36:30Z")
Any time. Women with pianos are my most favorite kind. You might also look into Sarah Fimm, Allison Crowe, Regina Spektor, and Sarah Slean. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/45 "2009-06-20T00:04:28Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > ( The names Lucinda and Dar Williams turn up often. Are they sisters?) Nope, just share a last name. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/46 "2009-06-20T00:28:27Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > The names Lucinda and Dar Williams turn up often. Are they sisters? Yes, they are! Just not to each other. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/47 "2009-06-20T01:24:31Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Any time. Women with pianos are my most favorite kind. You might also look into Sarah Fimm, Allison Crowe, Regina Spektor, and Sarah Slean. 🙂 I know Regina Spektor. I’ll check out the others! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/48 "2009-06-20T01:52:02Z")
Sarah Fimm is my most favorite of those, and my most favorite musician period. You (and everyone reading this) owe it to yourself to give her a try most of all, and **[this link](http://cdbaby.com/cd/fimmgiftl)** gives you a handy all in one tour of all her songs. My favorite is Virus, but I also love Sets Us Apart, Violet, Let it Run, Scream, Sexual Animals, Bombay Cafe, Be Like Water, Be What You Wanna Be, and practically every song she’s recorded. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/49 "2009-06-20T22:40:29Z")
I’m playing Be Like Water now - & trying to think of who she sounds like! It will come to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/50 "2009-06-20T23:17:26Z")
I’m curious to hear who you say. I don’t think she really reminds me of anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/51 "2009-06-20T23:27:48Z")
Kelis - Caught out there Skunk Anansie - Hedonism Joni Mitchell - Both sides now K’s Choice - Not an addict Abba - The winner takes it all Anastacia - Out of love Dixie Chicks/Stevie Nicks - Landslide Jamelia - Thank you ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/52 "2009-06-22T03:23:28Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > Kelis - Caught out there > Skunk Anansie - Hedonism > Joni Mitchell - Both sides now > K’s Choice - Not an addict > Abba - The winner takes it all > Anastacia - Out of love > Dixie Chicks/Stevie Nicks - Landslide > Jamelia - Thank you Both Sides Now … how did I miss that? That also made me think of… Turn Me On by Norah Jones. She’s a great singer, but for some reason that song (above others) really touches something deep inside me. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/53 "2009-06-22T03:37:52Z")
What, no blues women here? Memphis Minnie: Tricks Ain’ Walkin’ No More, Bumblebee Blues, Me & My Chauffeur Blues Lucille Bogan (AKA Bessie Jackson) also did Tricks Ain’t Walkin’ The late KoKo Taylor: Wang Dang Doodle ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/54 "2009-06-22T16:31:52Z")
“Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday “Train Song” by Eliza Carthy “Banks of the Nile” by Sandy Denny (in Fotheringay) “Our Town” by Iris Dement “Where Will I Be” by Emmylou Harris “Medicine Wheel” by Kate Wolf “A Case of You” by Joni Mitchell “There’s a Light Beyond These Woods” by Nanci Griffith ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/55 "2009-06-22T17:37:27Z")
Grace Jones, “Let Joy and Innocence Prevail,” from the \*\*Toys \*\*soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/56 "2009-06-23T19:02:29Z")
Caught Out There by Kelis You Bloody M_therf_ing A$$hole by Martha Wainwright Annie Lenox - can’t think of any song in particular right now but she’s got some great ones ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/57 "2009-06-23T19:29:09Z")
I didn’t get a chance to read the thread, so there may be some repeats: Belly - Gepetto Be Your Own Pet - The Kelly Affair Bjork - Big Time Sensuality Cowboy Junkies - Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis) Duke Spirit, The - The Step and the Walk Elastica - Stutter Fiona Apple - Criminal Garbage - Why Do You Love Me Hole - Celebrity Skin L7 - Pretend We’re Dead Lawson, Ellie - Gotta Get Up From Here Luscious Jackson - Naked Eye Lush - For Love O’Connor, Sinead - I Want Your (Hands On Me) Paramore - Crushcrushcrush Paramore - Decode Phair, Liz - Supernova Primitives, The - Crash Republica - Ready To Go Romeo Void - Never Say Never Shiny Toy Guns - On a Rainy Monday Shiny Toy Guns - You Are The One Single Gun Theory - From a Million Miles Sneaker Pimps - Six Underground Soho - Hippychick St. Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart Yaz - Don’t Go Yaz - Only You I suppose these aren’t all BY women. But it’s definitely the female voice that makes them “intense”. ---
**Author:** ![zenArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ad7895/32.png) [@zenArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenArcher)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/58 "2009-06-23T20:08:20Z")
No Yoko? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78DT-XLS_do) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/59 "2009-06-23T20:10:20Z")
“Strange Fruit” by Billie Holliday Second Dusty Springfield on “Son of a Preacher Man” and would also nominate her version of “The Look of Love” Mahalia Jackson singing “Come Sunday” with Duke Ellington’s band “The Blues in the Night” by Rosemary Clooney Dinah Washington, Koko Taylor, and Chrissy Hynde on more songs that I care to mention ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/60 "2009-06-23T20:31:10Z")
I missed two really, really intense songs by female vocalists thinking they were just disposable pop. The first was Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away.” I tend to think most artists who gain fame by appearing on TV game shows are bound to be third rate. Then one day I was driving in my care and actually LISTENED to “Walk Away” and I was just blown away by the sheer intensity with which she starts with “I want a man who’ll fight for me, live and die for me, me me MEEEEEE!” and then she’s squeezing that last “ME!” right out of her very soul. Damn. The other was “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks. I like some Fleetwood Mac songs a lot, but I wouldn’t describe their music as intense. Then came another one of those moments when I just happened to really LISTEN to “Edge of Seventeen” and was electrified by the sheer curdled lust of the phrase: From the moment When I first laid Eyes! On! Him! Good lord, I don’t think anybody, male or female has ever conveyed the feeling of looking at someone and just ACHING to have them the way Nicks did in that song. Also, you left out Zombie by the Cranberries and Sleeping Satellite by Tasmin Archer, but I forgive you … this time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216.md?page=4)