Songs about feminism

[DuelingFanjo]

Hi there, 'Scuse me for posting such a trivial thing but someone has asked me for 'songs about feminism' and wikipedia is suggesting things like

'bag it up' Geri Halliwell and 'express yourself' by Madonna.

Are there any songs about feminism that are really about feminism?

I am thinking about artists like Michelle shocked and Alanis Morrisette but there must be more? PJ Harvey 'Shelia Na Gig' perhaps?

Eddie Reader has some good ones:

All or Nothing - about leaving an abusive relationship "Get yourself out of the kitchen, girl – fly to the moon instead"

Patience of Angels - about motherhood being tough

What You Do With What You've Got - not a feminist song, exactly, but about power and its use and abuse (wish we could force the Tory party to listen)

Here - unfortunately most posts withdrawn, bloody f4j

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/1166894-International-Womens-Day-Celebration-Playlist

I don't think anyone's mentioned Dar Williams, whose song 'When I was a boy' is brilliant on the limitations for girls AND boys (and so men and women) of the type of pigeon-holing that is so prevalent. I won't quote the whole thing, but basically it's a really good song about being wild and physical and daring when she was a child, then as a grown woman:

"When Im leaving a late night with some friends
And I hear somebody tell me
Its not safe, someone should help me
I need to find a nice man to walk me home"

And at the end she's talking to a (male) friend about these things and it's just wonderful:

"And I so tell the man I'm with
About the other life I lived
And I say now you're top gun
I have lost and you have won
And he says, "Oh no, no, can't you see

"When I was a girl, my mom
And I we always talked
And I picked flowers
Everywhere that I walked

"And I could always cry
Now even when I'm alone I seldom do
And I have lost some kindness
But I was a girl too
And you were just like me
And I was just like you"

Awww...that song has just made me well up lio.....Thinking of my little boy, who is so affectionate and emotional, and loves having his fingernails painted, and wants a flower press (found him a mini one for his Christmas stocking!)......what's in store for him? (baaawl ).

(Ahem, may be being a tad pregnant there....).

It's a really good song, stubbornstains, and there's another one (also by Dar Williams) called The Babysitter, which is equally good at telling a feminist message within a lovely story about (guess what!) her babysitter when she was a little girl. There's a verse about the babysitter's boyfriend:

Will they get married with kids of their own?
He says "Not if she's going to college we won't"

And they're all told so melodically and kindly, her songs are not 'in your face', just very beautiful and simple. There's another great one (and another and another!) called I won't be your Yoko One.

The great thing about really little kids is that they're open to everything; long may that last for your son.

Aw I used to love Dar Williams - I think I'll be looking up her songs again this weekend.

Nice to 'meet' another fan

I had a ticket to her most recent UK concert and wasn't well on the day, aargh!

my favourites are, as a PP said, more about waving my feminist flag around but I'll share in case they're helpful to you:

Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks
No Scrubs by TLC
Respect by Aretha Franklin
Can't Hold Us Down by Christina Aguilera
Celebrity Skin by Hole
Bad Reputation by Joan Jett
Independent Woman by Destiny's Child