I had so much fun thinking about (and yes, dancing around in my pyjamas singing loudly) songs about female empowerment recently that I thought of some more to share! Hope they stir up some positive emotions for you too! Or let me know what are your go-to songs to feel good!
It’s Not Right But It’s OK – Whitney Houston
The late, great Ms Houston had a set of lungs on her, that’s for sure. And she sang about a wide range of topics. Nestled in among them are some real gems that tell women that they’re worthwhile, like It’s Not Right But It’s OK. In this song, Whitney confronts her boyfriend/husband about his cheating on her and tells him their relationship is over.
It’s not right
But it’s okay
I’m gonna make it anyway
Close the door behind you
Leave your key
I’d rather be alone
Than unhappy
Released in 1999, the Baltimore Sun’s J. D. Consodine wrote about the song: “So when we hear her telling her abusive, less-than-faithful lover off in “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay,” we’re not to imagine the lyrics have anything to do with the rumored infidelity of her real-life husband, Bobby Brown.”
Billboard highlighted this song on Houston’s album. The Baltimore Sun’s J. D. Consodine wrote about the song: “So when we hear her telling her abusive, less-than-faithful lover off in “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay,” we’re not to imagine the lyrics have anything to do with the rumored infidelity of her real-life husband, Bobby Brown.”
Man, I Feel Like A Woman – Shania Twain
A country-influenced crossover pop hit from 1999, Shania Twain not only sang but also co-wrote Man I Feel Like A Woman, featuring the Cindi Lauper-esque line:
The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun
According to Wikipedia, “the title and thus the lyrics of the song were based on Twain’s experience while working at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ontario to provide for her brothers and sisters after their parents died in a car crash. Twain recalls seeing some drag performers working at the resort and credits them as the source of her inspiration.”
Don’t Think I’m Not – Kandi
Now reincarnated as a Real Housewife of Atlanta, Kandi Burruss is actually a very talented lady. She co-wrote No Scrubs for TLC and Bills, Bills, Bills for Destiny’s Child, both international smash hits that addressed female empowerment. Remember TLC harmonising about how they don’t want no scrubs? Or Destiny’s Child singing about “a scrub like you who don’t know what a man’s about”. In case you haven’t caught up since the 90’s, TLC helpfully explained:
A scrub is a guy that thinks he’s fly
And is also known as a buster
Always talkin’ about what he wants
And just sits on his broke ass
As Judge Judy would say, a bum. But Kandi can also sing.
Reaching the Top 10 in the UK, her single Don’t Think I’m Not, like Whitney’s song above, talks about her experience of being cheated on. But while Whitney assures us that she will be OK, it seems like Kandi is ahead of the curve and has already moved on.
When I tried to get your attention
You ignored me every time
You were so caught up doin’ your dirt that
You didn’t notice mine
Now, I’m not advocating cheating at all, but this song does feel like a more beautiful way of saying “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander”.
Destiny’s Child / Beyoncé
What’s this? I hear you ask. Neither Destiny’s Child nor Beyoncé are songs. And that’s obviously true. But between them, they have released untold songs that deal with female empowerment.
Survivor is probably my favourite Destiny’s Child female empowerment song. Who can forget the strong beat and the equally strong sentiment that anyone who has escaped a bad relationship can relate to:
Now that you’re out of my life
I’m so much better
You thought that I’d be weak without you
But I’m stronger
You thought that I’d be broke without you
But I’m richer
You thought that I’d be sad without you
I laugh harder
You thought I wouldn’t grow without you
Now I’m wiser
Though that I’d be helpless without you
But I’m smarter
You thought that I’d be stressed without you
But I’m chillin’
Since the demise of Destiny’s Child in 2005/2006, Beyoncé seems to have gone from strength to strength both personally and professionally. And more power to her! She is reported to earn more than her husband, the also incredibly successful and well remunerated Jay Z.
Of her solo releases, some stand out as dealing with female empowerment. Irreplaceable informs men in no uncertain terms that they are disposable:
I can have another you by tomorrow
So don’t you ever for a second get to thinking
You’re irreplaceable
As explained on whatculture.com:
“Though nobody recognized it, Beyoncé was already setting up the feminist-minded attitude we would see fully bloom on her subsequent releases. Never apologising for saying no to a situation that just isn’t working gives power to many a listener who may have felt shackled in a bad relationship… The message in Irreplaceable stems from a man’s unwillingness to be serious and commit to something good with the non-irreplaceable subject at hand being found out as a lying, cheater scumbag.”
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) is not at first glance a female empowerment song and could be argued at a superficial level to be propagating the subjugation of women into an archaic institution. But that would be to miss the point of the song: that many women want to be married and that it is men who view marriage as a restrictive covenant, not women. Through the lyrics, Beyoncé bucks the baby mama trend, the side chick trend and other less palatable modern norms (booty calls, friends with benefits etc) and makes her stance unequivocal: you either want me or you don’t. There’s no halfway house here. And if you don’t want to commit, then leave, but don’t get upset when she moves on. Or, in her words:
If you liked it then you should’ve put a ring on it
I realised that in both this post and the previous one about songs of empowerment, all the songs were by women. Are there any male artists singing about female empowerment? I really hope so! Let me know if you know of any, or what songs make you feel good?
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