# Songs sung from the perspective of the opposite gender **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2019, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565 "2019-01-28T18:00:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [January 28, 2019, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/1 "2019-01-28T18:00:21Z")
The Belle & Sebastian song “The Chalet Lines” is a song that is sung by a man, but the lyrics are clearly from the POV of a woman. “He raped me in the chalet lines I had just said no for the final time Although it’s last month it’s like yesterday I missed my time, I don’t think I could stand To take the test, I’m feeling sick Fuck this, I’ve felt like this for a week” What are some other songs like this? The singer is Gender A but the song’s voice is of Gender B? I don’t think love songs are going to fit in to this thread at all, but I could be wrong. I’m not looking for songs that say, originally was sung by a man about a woman and was covered by a woman still singing about another woman. In the example given, the singer sings about being raped (not exclusive to women) but also missing their period - exclusive to women. A different example might be a female cover of the song “I’m a Man”. The lyrics unmistakably paint the protagonist as a man. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/2 "2019-01-28T18:05:07Z")
Doug Sahm (Sir Douglas Quintet) - [I Wanna Be Your Mama Again.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjGdSc6PldA) Later covered by [Mother Earth](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyNKPdIfJVw) (Tracy Nelson). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/3 "2019-01-28T18:17:01Z")
What if a song is sung by a group with both male and female vocalists? Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/4 "2019-01-28T18:17:47Z")
Cyndi Lauper’s version of [When You Were Mine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toFTd4ZzH48). Originally done by Prince, she doesn’t change [the lyrics](https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS821US821&q=when+you+were+mine+lyrics+cyndi+lauper&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi3oMuuiZHgAhUvIDQIHUzYCzoQ1QIoAHoECAMQAQ&biw=1399&bih=803). Actually, it kind of makes it more charming. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/5 "2019-01-28T18:25:52Z")
Stevie Nicks did a great cover of the Dave Matthews Band song “Crash Into Me.” She changed some of the lyrics around to try to make it less male perspective-y, but she still sings “I come into you,” which is really something the man does. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/6 "2019-01-28T18:26:56Z")
[_Free Man in Paris_ by Joni Mitchell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Man_in_Paris). [_Starpower_ by Sonic Youth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starpower_(song)) is sung by Kim Gordon, but I’m pretty sure the lyrics are from a man’s POV. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2019, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/7 "2019-01-28T18:35:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What if a song is sung by a group with both male and female vocalists? Does that count? I dunno. Why dontcha just share? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/8 "2019-01-28T18:37:48Z")
The OP seems to both explicitly forbid and also suggest covers, so I’m not sure to make of that. There are a ton of examples of genderbent covers here, as well as a few examples of originals mixed in: > **[The Cover Changes the Gender - TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheCoverChangesTheGender)** > > Music may be a universal language, but it's nigh impossible to find a song with lyrics that apply to everyone. Sex is quite possibly the most common barrier. Many songs (particularly ones about love or sex), are unambiguously addressed to a woman … Note: see especially Aversions and Other for examples where the pronouns aren’t messed with ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/9 "2019-01-28T18:38:37Z")
All the songs sung by Edna Turnblad in _Hairspray_. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/10 "2019-01-28T18:39:43Z")
Joan Baez’ cover of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”. The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun”. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/11 "2019-01-28T18:43:52Z")
[Here’s](https://www.amazon.com/Cant-Help-Lovin-That-Man/dp/B001F63P2S/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1548700664&sr=8-6) a terrific compilation of classic 30s & 40s jazz standards written for (and originally sung by) women but covered by men of that period. While this wasn’t generally intended to make things appear more sexually fluid, the end result is often one of some playful gender-bending. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/12 "2019-01-28T18:48:05Z")
James Taylor, “Millworker” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UxsJwweI9I4/maxresdefault.jpg "James Taylor - 2MS - Millworker HQ") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxsJwweI9I4) ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/13 "2019-01-28T18:54:36Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > [_Free Man in Paris_ by Joni Mitchell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Man_in_Paris). “‘The way I see it’, he said, ‘you just can’t win it’” [Lyrics from memory] I’d say she is relating something an man told her and therefore, um, doesn’t count unless we want to let it. Anyway, the entire song is inside quotes for me. I’ll put forward [The Ballad of Penny Evans](https://genius.com/Steve-goodman-the-ballad-of-penny-evans-lyrics) by Steve Goodman. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/14 "2019-01-28T19:17:08Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > The OP seems to both explicitly forbid and also suggest covers, so I’m not sure to make of that. There are a ton of examples of genderbent covers here, as well as a few examples of originals mixed in: > > [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheCoverChangesTheGender](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheCoverChangesTheGender) > > Note: see especially Aversions and Other for examples where the pronouns aren’t messed with Nah, not forbidding covers. Just saying that a woman covering a song that originally is a man singing a love song to a woman doesn’t really “count” because unless the song lyrics specifically refer to the singer as a man, it doesn’t really matter who the singer is. “I love her, Vaaaaaalerie!” - protagonist could be a man or a woman “I come in to you” - protagonist is clearly a man [ok, a person with functioning male genitalia] ---
**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:** [January 28, 2019, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/15 "2019-01-28T19:20:36Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun”. I’m not seeing it. “And its been the ruins of many a poor boy/And God I know Im one” Are you saying a female singer has covered this maybe? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/16 "2019-01-28T19:28:00Z")
Cover or not, I’m naming the one I like best: “Boys” as recorded by Sir Ringo and The Fabs ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/17 "2019-01-28T19:32:45Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I’m not seeing it. “And its been the ruins of many a poor boy/And God I know Im one” Are you saying a female singer has covered this maybe? Burdon changed “girl” to “boy”. The song is sung by a prostitute. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/18 "2019-01-28T20:19:50Z")
The White Stripes did a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”, without changing the lyrics. So Jack White sings all the, “I’m begging of you, please don’t take my man,” stuff to Jolene. ---
**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:** [January 28, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/19 "2019-01-28T21:14:49Z")
[Instant Records](http://instantrecordsinc.com/news_item&NewsID=3765647635565&last_page=instant_love) last year put out a compilation called Instant Love (Volume 1) where they asked various female singer-songwriters to do a cover of their choice of a love song originally intended to be sung by a man to a woman. > [@](#): > > INSTANT LOVE is a collection of famous love songs that were originally sung by men about women, reimagined with female vocalists. The songs apply to mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, lovers, and everything in between. > > INSTANT LOVE represents the evaporating gender roles in our society and supports feminism, girl power, the LGBT community, and our birthright to love with an open heart. It also offers empowerment and unity in a volatile political landscape. I guess the most obvious song that fits the OP is [“I’m Your Man (Instant Love)” - Holly Miranda](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgC0d-rI54I) You can listen to the whole album [free on Spotify here](https://open.spotify.com/album/59tqaoe0F29UfsXv16UARY). I think it really turned out beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565/20 "2019-01-28T21:15:17Z")
Paul Kelly wrote and sings the song [Sweet Guy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNoINHdM5WA) on his latest album “Life is Fine” It’s even better in the versions/concerts where Vika Bull sings the lead, but then Vika and Linda Bull are national treasures. Also on the same album is “[My Man’s Got A Cold](https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwii3KnAsJHgAhWMV30KHQ54CZgQwqsBMAl6BAgDEAc&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D_-w73FMd530&usg=AOvVaw0WuV20L7wV49fEHOWl3Nop)” which is sung by Vika but in smaller shows Kelly will do lead vocals. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-sung-from-the-perspective-of-the-opposite-gender/828565.md?page=2)