# Upbeat Songs for a Young Woman Leaving Home **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172 "2004-08-17T01:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/41 "2004-08-19T00:29:02Z")
> [@](#): > > **ZipperJJ** “Army” by Ben Folds Five (uses the ‘f’ word tho) So does her Grammy. :eek: If any of you are aware of certain songs that are, in your opinion, inappropriate, I would appreciate your comments. I’ve already removed some. And others are so right on target for this particular young woman that the mention of them brought tears to my eyes. Thanks to all! ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/42 "2004-08-19T01:03:31Z")
It’s kind of bittersweet, I guess, depending on how you take it, but _Going Once_ by Ani Difranco pretty much captures a few years after moving out of home for me. The lyrics are here: [http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Going-Once-lyrics-Ani-DiFranco/CE9BBFDEC296844348256AE1002C76DB](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Going-Once-lyrics-Ani-DiFranco/CE9BBFDEC296844348256AE1002C76DB) (that site is probably popup laden if you’re not using some kind of popup blocker) and the music is really upbeat. It’s off her To the Teeth album. I’m equivocal about posting it as a suggestion because it’s not wholeheartedly upbeat, but it really does speak to my experiences as a fledgling out of the nest 😉 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/43 "2004-08-19T01:48:08Z")
She’ll face some challenges, right? End it with “Eye of the Tiger” And here’s a second vote for Buffet’s “Pascagoula Run”. “It’s time to see the world It’s time to kiss a girl It’s time to cross the wild meridian Grab your bag and take a chance Time to learn a cajun dance Kid your gonna see the mornin’ sun On the Pascagoula run” Good luck to her and Grammy! ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/44 "2004-08-19T02:26:07Z")
> [@AzRaek](#): > > “Mother, Mother” by Tracey Bonham. > > Starts out soft and sweet, then goes into screaming and back to sweet then ends with… > > I miss you, I love you. Funny, I was going to suggest " Not ‘mother, mother’ Tracey Bonham" :eek: That ain’t a happy song. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/45 "2004-08-19T03:01:57Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > So does her Grammy. :eek: > > If any of you are aware of certain songs that are, in your opinion, inappropriate, I would appreciate your comments. I’ve already removed some. > > And others are so right on target for this particular young woman that the mention of them brought tears to my eyes. > > Thanks to all! So which ones do you like? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/46 "2004-08-19T03:05:37Z")
OH and I just thought of two more songs. Taking care of business by BTO and Proud Mary but you have to use the Ike and Tina Turner version. We goning to start this nice and easy, but then we’re gonna finish nice and rough. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/47 "2004-08-19T03:43:07Z")
**This One’s For the Girls** - Martina McBride - Martina (2003) Excerpt: > [@](#): > > **This one’s for the girls.** > > This is for all you girls, about twenty-five. > In little apartments just tryin’ to get by. > Livin’ on, on dreams and Spaghettios. > Wonderin’ where your life is gonna go. > > This one’s for the girls, > Who’ve ever had a broken heart; > Who’ve wished upon a shootin’ star: > You’re beautiful the way you are. > This one’s for the girls, > Who love without holdin’ back; > Who dream with everything they have. > All around the world, > This one’s for the girls. > (This one’s for all the girls.) StG ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/48 "2004-08-19T14:54:53Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > If any of you are aware of certain songs that are, in your opinion, inappropriate, I would appreciate your comments. OK. Not trying to pick on any posters, but these two seem wrong for your purposes: Free Fallin’ - Tom Petty (is about a man who regrets dumping his girlfriend) The Times They Are a-Changin’ - Bob Dylan (is about the civil rights movement) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/49 "2004-08-19T15:07:00Z")
A couple more recommendations: **Brass in Pocket** - The Pretenders **Sunny Side of the Street** - Louis Armstrong (or Tony Bennett, or…) **Three Little Birds** - Bob Marley ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/50 "2004-08-19T15:36:37Z")
> [@dry gear](#): > > Are you serious? > > Ummm… > The Smiths- Sheila Take a Bow ? “She’s Leaving Home” IS a song of hope and happiness - unfortunately not many people actually listen to the words or get caught up in the rather minor key of the music. “She…is having…FUN” You get the impression that the woman in question is a little old to be leaving home for the first time, and that her parents have fought tooth and nail to keep her around, but, yeah, it is a song about stepping out and making your own way. It’s also probably my favorite song by the Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/51 "2004-08-19T15:38:03Z")
Oops…forgot to add my contribution: “Walk In the Sunshine,” by Bob Weir. ---
**Author:** ![Pyrrhonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pyrrhonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyrrhonist)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172/52 "2004-08-19T16:34:13Z")
[My Thing Is My Own](http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiTHINGOWN;ttLILIBURL.html) —A 17th or 18th century folk song. Recorded an album called _Art of the Bawdy Song_ and perhaps elsewhere. > [@](#): > > I, a tender young maid, have been courted by many > Of all sorts and trades as ever was any. > A spruce haberdasher first spake to me fair > But I would have nothing to do with small ware. > > cho: My thing is my own, and I’ll keep it so still > Yet other young lasses may do as they will. > > A Master of Musick came with an intent, > To give me a lesson on my instrument, > I thank’d him for nohing, but bid him be gone, > For my little fiddle should not be plaid on. And a verse from elsewhere: > [@](#): > > A cunning clockmaker did court me as well, > And promised me riches if I’d ring his bell. > So I looked at his clockwork, and said with a shock, > “Your pendulum’s far too small for my clock.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/upbeat-songs-for-a-young-woman-leaving-home/260172.md?page=2)