# Songs by women about other women **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2019, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801 "2019-03-09T00:39:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/1 "2019-03-09T00:39:52Z")
How many songs can you think of written by women in honor of other women? I got to thinking about this listening to the great song “[Suddenly I See](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suddenly_I_See)” by British singer-songwriter KT Tunstall. She [sings](https://youtu.be/eX7lFYAaO-c) of her admiration for and inspiration by another woman and desire to emulate her. Tunstall was inspired to write the song by the cover picture of Patti Smith’s _[Horses](https://www.allmusic.com/album/horses-mw0000198924)_. More songs like this? [Happy International Women’s Day](https://g.co/doodle/ywk9as)! ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/2 "2019-03-09T00:51:54Z")
Joni Mitchell’s [Amelia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcTDoi9JQiY), in a way about Amelia Earheart. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/3 "2019-03-09T00:55:57Z")
Another one that comes to mind immediately is[Aretha Franklin’s and Annie Lennox’ “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves”.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtUWs6muGzg) ETA: On review, I see that \*\*Johanna \*\*is looking for songs about individual women, at least I guess so. But I let my post stand as a statement about feminine power in general. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/4 "2019-03-09T01:09:27Z")
One more. Sonic’s Youth’s [Tunic (Song For Karen)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBGN0rtWQk8), Kim Gordon’s ode to Karen Carpenter. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/5 "2019-03-09T01:13:12Z")
_Jolene_, by Dolly Parton ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/6 "2019-03-09T01:13:14Z")
**[We Are Family](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyGY2NfYpeE)**, Sister Sledge ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/7 "2019-03-09T01:30:19Z")
Courtney Barnett has a few. “Ode to Odetta” (I’m assuming the guitarist Odetta). “Pickles from the Jar” is about her partner Jen Cloher, and “Boxing Day Blues” is to her. Jen has written some songs about Courtney but I’ve never listened to her albums so I don’t know which. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/8 "2019-03-09T01:35:09Z")
[the brilliant green - FUNNY GIRLFRIEND!!](https://www.paroledechanson.net/the-brilliant-green/funny-girlfriend)…Tommy singing about her friend, just as it says on the tin. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/9 "2019-03-09T02:07:57Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xX5pKIFbUCI/maxresdefault.jpg "Joan Baez "In The Quiet Morning"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX5pKIFbUCI) Joan Baez - In The Quiet Morning ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/10 "2019-03-09T02:56:09Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > _Jolene_, by Dolly Parton That was the first thing that came to mind for me as well. But I don’t think I’d consider it to be “in honor of other women”. She compliments Jolene, but Jolene is a huge threat and the singer is terrified of her. ---
**Author:** ![journeyman\_southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@journeyman\_southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/journeyman_southpaw)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/11 "2019-03-09T03:13:44Z")
Tinpan Orange - [Song For Frida Kahlo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIbIVEXUsf0) Rita Wilson - [Joni](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P4gbeYA6Bs) ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/12 "2019-03-09T03:16:30Z")
Mary Chapin Carpenter wrote the song [“Family Hands”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS_YekuoCtw) in honor of the women who raised her musical partner John Jennings, [according to his obituary](https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/john-jennings-guitarist-and-producer-dies-at-61/2015/10/19/d6f624f0-766a-11e5-a958-d889faf561dc_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.65c8d1c0c68a). It’s a beautiful folk-ish song on her little-known first album [“Hometown Girl.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YPnDc0Bi2Q&list=OLAK5uy_m9i_YdHEG-tTLe-cay_eWoVsj8rhjs9pQ) It didn’t have any hits, but it’s full of thoughtful, down-tempo folk songs. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/13 "2019-03-09T04:20:09Z")
Kate Bush _Joanni_ - from _Aerial_ about Joan of Arc _In the Warm Room_ - from _Lionheart_ _Lily_ - from _The Red Shoes_ _Lyra_ - from _The Golden Compass_ soundtrack _Mrs. Bartolozzi_ from _Aerial_ Her most famous song is about a woman, _Wuthering Heights_, can hardly be said to be admiring. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/14 "2019-03-09T04:48:41Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > That was the first thing that came to mind for me as well. But I don’t think I’d consider it to be “in honor of other women”. She compliments Jolene, but Jolene is a huge threat and the singer is terrified of her. Sure, but even as a threat the narrator honors her. She is perfect in the narrators eyes, she just pleads she not use her charms on the man she cares for. I would say that counts. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/15 "2019-03-09T06:26:00Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Another one that comes to mind immediately is[Aretha Franklin’s and Annie Lennox’ “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves”.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtUWs6muGzg) > > ETA: On review, I see that \*\*Johanna \*\*is looking for songs about individual women, at least I guess so. But I let my post stand as a statement about feminine power in general. 1. I love the holy heck out of that song, 2. I guess I was thinking of individuals, but I like your example so much, sure it counts. ETA: Everybody’s posts are great examples of what I was looking for! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/16 "2019-03-09T06:33:36Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Joan Baez - In The Quiet Morning Mimi Fariña’s lament for Janis Joplin, recorded by Mimi’s sister Joan Baez.\* Good call, I was going to post this one too. I guess I was thinking of songs about specific real women, often but not necessarily in admiration, but let’s open up the thread for various interpretations. I’ll learn more that way. \*Probably everybody recognizes my avatar picture, but FTR that’s Joan Baez. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/17 "2019-03-09T06:57:42Z")
Australian folk singer Judy Small is probably not hugely famous outside of (or even in) this country, but she’s written simply masses of songs honouring women, of which my favourites are [A Heroine of Mine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukJaXQoio9s) (about philanthropist Jessie Street) and [Bridget Evans](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyz_9yZSiIQ) (about the Greenham Common women) ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/18 "2019-03-09T11:08:01Z")
Ani difranco has written a ton of them, mostly about her relationships with other women. I’ll try to come up with a list of songs, but the woman is so damn prolific it feels like she comes out with new albums quicker than should be possible. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/19 "2019-03-09T11:24:25Z")
[Patti Smith’s cover of “Gloria”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPO0bTaWcFQ) comes to mind, as does [“Debbie Denise”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbNkcBZUCT0), a song she wrote for Blue Öyster Cult about a fling she had. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801/20 "2019-03-09T12:07:50Z")
In the classical world, Ethel Smyth’s [March of the Women](https://youtu.be/qTYv4wT8g4E) And Hildegard of Bingen wrote a number of variants on the [Ave Maria](https://youtu.be/OggpNfZx9QY) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-by-women-about-other-women/830801.md?page=2)