# 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:** 6\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Theodore\_Striker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Theodore\_Striker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theodore_Striker)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/61 "2009-06-23T20:36:55Z")
A second for Etta James’s version of _At Last_ Sonny Came Home- Shawn Colvin Summertime (Woodstock Version)- Janis Joplin Hazy Shade of Winter- the Bangles Okay, so they are a bit trite, but I just dig them. ---
**Author:** ![mj\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@mj\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mj_2)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/62 "2009-06-23T20:37:56Z")
1. Like the way I do - Melissa Etheridge 2. This Woman’s Work - Kate Bush C. Your House - Alanis Morrissette - This is the hidden track at the end of Jagged Little Pill and I’m guessing is a prequel to You Oughta Know. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/63 "2009-06-23T20:57:51Z")
I am the only Chrissy Hynde fan here? And 2 pages without a mention of Sara McLachlin? ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/64 "2009-06-24T02:33:00Z")
Adding to **Atomic Mama’s** list of Great Ladies who paved the way: [Sister Rosetta Tharpe](http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=1781), one of the first successful Gospel artists, and, like Memphis Minnie, a woman who played the guitar as well as intense vocals. “Strange Things Happening Every Day” is my fave; two other hits were “This Train” and “Rock Me”. Johnny Cash counted her as one of his favorite singers. Swingin’ [Keely Smith](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keely_Smith), wife and straightgal to Louis Prima, was Queen of the Las Vegas lounge act. I love her for her powerful voice; she’s intense in a different way than emotional introspective. More forceful and buoyant, and for that time, great to see her class act holding her own with the Las Vegas kingpins. To round it off with a totally different genre, and the one who is my desert island disc fave five:[Rose Maddox](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maddox_Brothers_and_Rose), who with her brothers, was the prototype Rockabilly band, “Maddox Brothers and Rose”. Their songs are just Fun as all get out, whooping it up. They were incredibly influental in country music and rockabilly, and Rose was up there with the boys, shimmy shaking and kickin’ it, before that was normal. Rose appeared on the Grand Ol’ Opry stage with a “bare midriff”, when that was a big shocker. My faves are: “Ugly and Slouchy(That’s the Way I Like 'em)”, “Single Girl”, “Dark as a Dungeon”, and the classic version of “Philadelphia Lawyer”. Arhoolie Records has great compilation albums. All of these women are intense in their singing: but I greatly admire them for their Foremama intensity and status, doing that when it was harder for a Gal to get a leg in. Strong ladies. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/65 "2009-06-24T19:04:40Z")
I thought of another one - Stay by Chaka Kahn and Rufus ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216/66 "2009-06-24T20:07:40Z")
Thanks for the introduction to Tracy Nelson–she’s awesome! Here are a few more: Drown in My Own Tears - Aretha Franklin I Ain’t Gonna Let You Break My Heart Again - Bonnie Raitt Cry Like A Rainstorm - Linda Ronstadt [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intense-songs-by-women/500216.md?page=3)