# Looking for a medley of feminine empowerment songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 8, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219 "2008-06-08T13:08:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/21 "2008-06-08T22:26:54Z")
I have a few on my iPod: “You Gotta Be” by Dionne Faris “Little Bird” by Annie Lennox “What You Waitin’ For” by Gwen Stefani - though you might be put off by the line “Take a chance, you stupid ho.” I heard she wrote it right after No Doubt split up, as she contemplated her solo career as well as marriage and children. “Army of Me” by Bjork “Legend of a Cowgirl” by Imani Coppola ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/22 "2008-06-08T22:43:05Z")
“Sheela Na Gig” by PJHarvey (“Gonna wash that man right outta my hair / Gonna take these hips to a man that cares”) “Do You Take This Man?” by Diamanda Galas (“Husband, with this blade, I do thee adore.”) “The Sporting Life” by Diamanda Galas (“Let’s fuck him first, and then let’s kill him.”) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/23 "2008-06-08T22:45:52Z")
Madonna’s ‘‘Human Nature.’’ Express yourself, don’t repress yourself. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/24 "2008-06-08T22:46:53Z")
**American Woman** - The Guess Who ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/25 "2008-06-08T22:51:37Z")
[QUOTE=WarmNPrickly] **American Woman** - The Guess Who [/QUOTE] I would not, in any way, shape or form consider that a feminine empowerment song… ---
**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 8, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/26 "2008-06-08T23:11:40Z")
[QUOTE=well he’s back] also “I’m Gonna be an Engineer” by Peggy Seeger. Great lyrics, can be found here among other places: [http://www.lyricstime.com/seeger-peggy-im-gonna-be-an-engineer-lyrics.html](http://www.lyricstime.com/seeger-peggy-im-gonna-be-an-engineer-lyrics.html) [/QUOTE] For that matter, “Monica Engineer.” I don’t know who did it originally, but the version I heard was by The Flying Pickets. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/27 "2008-06-08T23:25:00Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] “Sheela Na Gig” by PJHarvey (“Gonna wash that man right outta my hair / Gonna take these hips to a man that cares”) “Do You Take This Man?” by Diamanda Galas (“Husband, with this blade, I do thee adore.”) “The Sporting Life” by Diamanda Galas (“Let’s fuck him first, and then let’s kill him.”) [/QUOTE] Also PJ Harvey’s [“50 Ft. Queenie”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qI8KMemjhA) (well, sort of). She’s got a bunch of songs that may not have lyrics explicitly related to empowering females, but you sure as hell feel empowered when you listen to them, like [“Long Snake Moan”](http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=40499). ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/28 "2008-06-08T23:50:13Z")
Yeah, Polly Jean’s stuff is kind of indirectly female-empowering; it’s mostly kind of satirizing and trashing machismo myths. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/29 "2008-06-09T00:08:51Z")
[QUOTE=Sleeps With Butterflies] Tori Amos – “Silent All These Years” [/QUOTE] Yep, the first one I thought of. Although, IIRC, she only dreams of another life- she doesn’t actually get it. Sort of like “Better Man” by Pearl Jam- she might dream of killing him or getting out or speaking up for herself, but in the end, she just pretends she’s still asleep… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/30 "2008-06-09T00:55:56Z")
Does Fiona Apple’s “Sleep to Dream” count? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/31 "2008-06-09T00:59:57Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] Does Fiona Apple’s “Sleep to Dream” count? [/QUOTE] Never having heard it, I don’t know. I was looking for suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/32 "2008-06-09T01:48:37Z")
“Go Your Own Way” - Fleetwood Mac “Your Fire Your Soul” - Dar Williams (more about family expectations than fightin’ The Man) ---
**Author:** ![lunar\_elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lunar\_elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lunar_elf)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/33 "2008-06-09T01:57:45Z")
“[Superfabulous](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/bt/superfabulous_10053073.html)” - BT and Rose McGowan ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/34 "2008-06-09T05:11:07Z")
[Pussycat Moan,](http://youtube.com/watch?v=Iw3AsxwqxJc) Katie Webster. ---
**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 9, 2008, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/35 "2008-06-09T08:29:05Z")
Bitch - Meredith Brooks I hope you dance - Lee Ann Womack Fugitive - Indigo Girls Landside - Dixie Chicks Thank you - Jamelia Hate on me - Jill Scott Caught out there, and Trick me - Kelis Ain’t got no - I got life - Nina Simone Ugly - Sugababes ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/36 "2008-06-09T15:01:50Z")
I really like Dar Williams’ “As Cool as I Am.” ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/37 "2008-06-09T19:47:55Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] I would not, in any way, shape or form consider that a feminine empowerment song… [/QUOTE] Oh. Well I’ve never been much of a lyric guy, so your probably right. It sounds pretty empowering though. err, what’s it actually about? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/38 "2008-06-09T19:54:41Z")
India Arie’s “Video” is about a woman who refuses to be caught up in the stereotypes of fame and glamour, and who’s happy just being herself. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/39 "2008-06-09T19:57:51Z")
[Sufferin’ Until Sufferage!](http://www.school-house-rock.com/Suff.html) ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219/40 "2008-06-09T20:22:58Z")
[QUOTE=WarmNPrickly] Oh. Well I’ve never been much of a lyric guy, so your probably right. It sounds pretty empowering though. err, what’s it actually about? [/QUOTE] American woman, stay away from me American woman, mama let me be Don’t come here hanging around my door I don’t want to see your face no more I got more important things to do Than spend my time growin’ old with you Now woman, I said stay away American woman, listen what I say [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-medley-of-feminine-empowerment-songs/452219.md?page=3)