Jolene, and other anti-feminist anthems

And, God, written when Bush was 14. She shares a birthday with Emily Bronte, IIRC.
Wasn't she 17? Still amazing obviously - she wrote it after watching the film, in a way it's very teenage drama kind of relationship in the book but characters are a bit older.

Yes, I've recently learned they shared a birthday - so strange. It's a very bewitching song, maybe Bush is telepathic.

The one I hate is the Beyonce put a ring on it. Tbh I'm unsure why Beyonce is touted as any sort of feminist icon

There was an absolutely mahoosive row on Mumsnet once about whether the “it” he should have put a ring on was her, or her finger. The only way it makes sense is if she is the “it”, otherwise it was two men getting jealous about her finger.

If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it
Don't be mad once you see that he want it
If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it

Fucking awful.

I don't think the Beautiful South Don't marry her is meant in the way pp said. Its that all that normality is what the man really wants, he is happy with his life and the affair is just that. I think it puts the man in the poor light.

Billy Ocean. “Hey you, get in to my car! Who me? Yes you, get in to my car.”

Fuck off creep.

Isn't the Housemartins one a sarcastic take on sexist wankers in the City? ("I think I might be happy if I wasn't out with them"?)

I think there is a difference between a song just being not a feminist anthem - I think most songs fit this - and a song being an anti-feminist anthem.

I wouldn't put Jolene as anti-feminist, but I can see it being not feminist.

Some of the other songs, like Hit me baby one more time - I was a teen when that came out I remember some of the older women really had feelings about that one.

Jolene isn’t anti feminist!
I think it’s a song about sisterhood, about relationships between women.

Sorry not rtft so might have been mentioned but listed to Cam's Diane its a response to Jolene.

Love that song.

To be fair, Extreme were only doing what poets have done for centuries.

OverviewLyricsListenOther recordingsPeople also search for
Saying "I love you"
Is not the words I want to hear from you
It's not that I want you
Not to say, but if you only knew
How easy
It would be to show me how you feel
More than words
Is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn't have to say
That you love me
'Cause I'd already know
What would you do
If my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say
If I took those words away
Then you couldn't make things new
Just by saying "I love you"
La di da, da di da, di dai dai da
More than words
La di da, da di da
Now that I've tried to
Talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do is close your eyes
And just reach out your hands
And touch me
Hold me close don't ever let me go
More than words
Is all I ever…

I've been thinking about Carly Simon and You're so vain plus Halsey and Sorry - and I'm not sure where they go on the notional spectrum.

Shania Twain, Don't be Stupid. The guys a controlling creep - "you even get suspicious when I paint my nails".
But I still sing along. Although not on a par with Jolene of course for singalongability.

(I swear I'm not some mad country music fan - I blame my mother 🙄).

I don't like Cheerleader, always feel a bit sexist despite the fun upbeat tune. Especially when he says 'do I make you feel like cheating... no not really!'

Anyone else ever see Bramax in action? Their numbers included 'Ladies of Ming'; 'The Beard Not on her Face' and the classic 'A Lesbian Stole my Morag'. Very funny. Not PC at all!

Happy Hour - Housemartins

It's another night out with the boss
Following in footsteps overgrown with moss
And he tells me that women grow on trees
And if you catch them right they will land upon their knees
Where they open all their wallets
And they close all their minds
And they love to buy you all a drink
And as we ask all the questions
And you take all your clothes off
And back to the kitchen sink

Many of Horror by Biffy Clyro is questionable too:

Cause when my back is turned
My bruises shine
Our broken fairytale
So hard to hide
I still believe
It's you and me 'til the end of time
When we collide we come together
If we don't we'll always be apart
I'll take a bruise, I know you're worth it
When you hit me, hit me hard

Tonight's the night I've waited for
Because you're not a baby anymore
You've turned into the prettiest girl I've ever seen
Happy birthday, sweet sixteen

🤮

"Post the sexual revolution however, where we don't approach the lyrics through the same lens, the nuance is lost."

I disagree. The sexual revolution was in the 60s, but still now a person being chased can still take their time to say yes.

I am here to suggest Sk8r boi by avril lavigne, it's basically her slagging off another woman for her choices.

I read a brilliant parody article last year from the "girl" being sung about where she goes through all the lyrics-

“Five years from now, she sits at home, feeding the baby, she’s all alone.”

Then it's like "I’m a proud single mother, how dare you suggest I don't like my baby"

Gave me a laugh anyway

[quote DodoApplet]I admit I wasn’t a great fan of “Jolene” when it was first released, but I discovered this enchanting medieval interpretation of it on YouTube a few weeks ago, and haven’t stopped playing it since. This is “bardcore”, and I love it! [/quote]
Love!