# Misogynist lyrics/songs from the pre-hip-hop era **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880 "2006-08-23T13:37:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/61 "2006-08-24T19:08:56Z")
[QUOTE=cbawlmer] For instance, I’m pleased that my husband likes my peaches… [/QUOTE] Yeah, but if he wants to shake your tree, too, doncha think that kinda crosses the line? And what’s this crap about “you’re the cutest **thing** that I ever did see”? THING?? Puh-leez. I want answers, Mr. Miller, and I want 'em now. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/62 "2006-08-24T19:33:26Z")
**Papa Loved Mama** by Garth Brooks Papa loved Mama Mama loved men Mama’s in the graveyard Papa’s in the pen. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/63 "2006-08-24T19:44:29Z")
I don’t know whether “She’s having my baby” was misogynist or just stupid or sexist. Maybe all of the above. (The song came out before surrogate mothers, so surely he should have sung “She’s Having Our Baby”) ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/64 "2006-08-24T19:52:18Z")
[QUOTE=Loopydude] Yeah, but if he wants to shake your tree, too, doncha think that kinda crosses the line? And what’s this crap about “you’re the cutest **thing** that I ever did see”? THING?? Puh-leez. I want answers, Mr. Miller, and I want 'em now. :dubious: [/QUOTE] Ahem. If you’ll just review my links, you’ll see that Mr Miller will not be able to answer your question regarding those lines. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/65 "2006-08-24T21:18:03Z")
[QUOTE=cbawlmer] I don’t think it’s sexist or misogynist to express physical attraction to a woman. For instance, I’m pleased that my husband likes my peaches and I don’t assume that if he says so, it means he thinks I’m stupid or his property or anything like that. I wouldn’t assume it unless he actually said it, and then I’d laugh and tell him to get back to washing the dishes. [/QUOTE] ugh. I don’t have “peaches”, I have breasts. If any guy (including my husband) came up to me and told me he loved my peaches and he wanted to shake my tree, he’d probably get a knee in the groin, hard. YMMV. 🙂 It was Steve Miller. How about Ringo Starr, singing away about [del]pedophilia[/del] I mean loving that sixeen year old? She’s all his…wasn’t he like 30 when he sang it? Creepy. Now I have all these songs in my head and their getting weirder by the minute. I was happy in my mindless acceptance of pop songs. Pooh. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/66 "2006-08-24T21:31:30Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] How about Ringo Starr, singing away about [del]pedophilia[/del] I mean loving that sixeen year old? [/QUOTE] Again, that’s another love song to a daughter. _Incestuous_ pedophillia? You be the judge. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/67 "2006-08-24T22:19:51Z")
_i’m a back door man men don’t know but the little girls understand_ ---
**Author:** ![Southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@Southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southpaw)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2006, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/68 "2006-08-24T22:37:44Z")
[QUOTE=Smitty] **Papa Loved Mama** by Garth Brooks Papa loved Mama Mama loved men Mama’s in the graveyard Papa’s in the pen. [/QUOTE] 😕 If you listen to the whole song, its about how Papa caught Mama sleeping around on him, so he drove his truck into the house and killed her. Not really mysogynist as there’s no indication Papa hated all women, just Mama How about “I Will Follow Him” > [@Little Peggy March](#): > > I love him! I Love Him! I Love Him! > And where he goes I’ll follow! I’ll follow! I’ll follow! Or "He Hit Me (and It Felt Like a Kiss) > [@The Crystals](#): > > When I told him I had been untrue > He hit me and it felt like a kiss > He hit me and I knew he loved me > …(lyrics I can’t remember) > But he hit me, and I was glad ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/69 "2006-08-25T02:53:22Z")
_Sweet Sixteen_ is about his daughter? :dubious: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/70 "2006-08-25T05:45:39Z")
[QUOTE=Southpaw] 😕 If you listen to the whole song, its about how Papa caught Mama sleeping around on him, so he drove his truck into the house and killed her [/QUOTE] Actually, in a fit of rage and grief and brokenheartedness, he drove his semi into the motel room where his wife was gettin’ jiggy with another man 🙂 _Well the picture in the paper showed the scene real well Papa’s rig was buried in the local motel Desk clerk said he saw it all real clear He never hit the brakes, and he was shiftin’ gears_ I kinda like it when lyrics like this are set to such cheerful music 😃 How about _Such a Groovy Guy_, by ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic: \*Baby are you in the mood for a little romance Well for starters I could pour some chocolate pudding down your pants And then attach electrodes to your brain and watch you dance Now golly, wouldn’t that be fun? Oh and then I might decide to tie you up with dental floss Make you wear a harness and I’ll show you who’s the boss Of course if you refuse well honey it’s your loss I mean I don’t do this for just anyone So how can you say it’s all over So how can you tell me goodbye Now you tell me that you’re leaving me for good And all I wanna know is WHY? I mean, after all, I’m really such a groovy guy!\* Or _Girls Just Wanna Have lunch_: _I know how to keep a woman satisfied. When I whip out my Diner’s Card their eyes get so wide. They’re always in the mood for something to munch. Oh, girls, they wanna have lunch. Oh, girls just wanna have…_ ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/71 "2006-08-25T06:56:04Z")
Here’s an obscure one from The Loading Zone, called “Just Can’t Please You” from a performance at the Fillmore Auditorium 09/07/1967, currently playing (Aug 22 through Aug 29) on the streaming audio at [Wolfgang’s Vault](http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/static.aspx?Type=Audio/Radio.htm&LeftNav=Audio/RadioNav.htm) Hey little boy, what’s wrong with you? I’ve done everything I know how to do. I try so hard; you misuse me but I try so hard Just can’t please you Little boy, I’ve given you all that you need I’ve been a good woman, a good woman indeed I try so hard; you misuse me but I try so hard Just can’t please you Sigh. Perhaps she ought to look for fulfillment elsewhere. (Full disclosure - no personal or financial connection with Wolfgang’s Vault, other than as fanboy) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/72 "2006-08-25T10:50:44Z")
[QUOTE=medstar] My contribution is a Todd Rundgren song, **We gotta get you a woman** , which contains the wonderful line, “She may be stupid, but she sure is fun”. I wonder if he’s ever publicly apologized for the meanspiritedness of this song. [/QUOTE] Once we were asking a guy at the factory where I worked how could he date the receptionist, whose IQ would be below room temperature in Celsius. His answer, “hell, she’s dumber’n’the matress, but she ain’t a bad fuck an’ when I take out the playstation, instead of yelling like others did, she just rolls her eyes and goes visit her Ma” He doesn’t speak a word of English, so I don’t think he knew that song… maybe the songwriter knew our receptionist? ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/73 "2006-08-25T13:35:30Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] It was Steve Miller. [/QUOTE] As Cecil’s article points out, he took it entirely from The Clovers, who are also the people to ask about the “pompatous of love.” ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/74 "2006-08-25T13:43:04Z")
[QUOTE=saoirse] As Cecil’s article points out, he took it entirely from The Clovers, who are also the people to ask about the “pompatous of love.” [/QUOTE] Is that relevant? I was referring the version of the song that I am most familiar with. Perhaps you need to switch to decaf? ---
**Author:** ![Southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@Southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southpaw)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/75 "2006-08-25T14:23:18Z")
[QUOTE=Phase42] Actually, in a fit of rage and grief and brokenheartedness, he drove his semi into the motel room where his wife was gettin’ jiggy with another man 🙂 _Well the picture in the paper showed the scene real well Papa’s rig was buried in the local motel Desk clerk said he saw it all real clear He never hit the brakes, and he was shiftin’ gears_ I kinda like it when lyrics like this are set to such cheerful music 😃 [/QUOTE] :smack: You’re right. It’s been a while since I’ve heard the song and I was going by memory. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/76 "2006-08-25T14:32:07Z")
**Dead Flowers** - **Rolling Stones** : _Take me down little susie, take me down I know you think youre the queen of the underground And you can send me dead flowers every morning Send me dead flowers by the mail Send me dead flowers to my wedding And I wont forget to put roses on your grave_ **This Ol’ Cowboy** - **Marshall Tucker Band** : _If you wrote all the women’s names down I know And let me pick one out I don’t believe there’d be one in the whole bunch I’d give a hoot about_ ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/77 "2006-08-25T14:34:30Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] How about Ringo Starr, singing away about [del]pedophilia[/del] I mean loving that sixeen year old? She’s all his…wasn’t he like 30 when he sang it? Creepy. [/QUOTE] Ringo was covering an oldie made popular in 1960 by Johnny Burnette, but written by Richard and Robert Sherman, who wrote songs for _Mary Poppins_ and _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_, among others. How on earth are you reading _pedophilia_ into that song? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/78 "2006-08-25T20:07:50Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] Ringo was covering an oldie made popular in 1960 by Johnny Burnette, but written by Richard and Robert Sherman, who wrote songs for _Mary Poppins_ and _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_, among others. How on earth are you reading _pedophilia_ into that song? [/QUOTE] He was 30 something when he sang it–was he supposed to be 16 as well? I thought 17 was the age of consent in UK–thereby adding a nice twist to the Beatle’s hit re 17 year old girls… (pedophilia is a bit of hyperbole, but the fact remains, he was twice the age that he is singing about) ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/79 "2006-08-25T23:07:17Z")
You know, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880/80 "2006-08-25T23:49:31Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] ugh. I don’t have “peaches”, I have breasts. If any guy (including my husband) came up to me and told me he loved my peaches and he wanted to shake my tree, he’d probably get a knee in the groin, hard. [/QUOTE] I don’t want to pick a fight or anything but… lighten up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misogynist-lyrics-songs-from-the-pre-hip-hop-era/369880.md?page=5)