my favorite song with a feminist message

[DreamGypsy]

1. I don't like the signs that the sign makers make.

I didn't recall Sally Ann as I listened. The song was not familiar, but I pulled out the Natalie Merchant CDs and found it on The House Carpenter's Daughter. It's not her song - 'twas written by the Horseflies - Jeff Klaus lyrics, music by Jeff, Judy Hyman, and Dirk Powell. I struggled a bit with characterization as a song with a feminist message - the women are present, though distant - a woman of beauty, a woman of pain, of kindness, of chances, of color; but the direct subject is male - you go home with Sally Ann, you go home. Made me think about meanings ..

Well, the beauty of songs is that people hear different messages...

If I were to choose a Natalie Merchant feminist song, I'd pick Motherland. Yes, the scope is wider than just the woman's movement, but character references are to Women: the five&dime queen, the shotgun bride. So ....

Whew. That was intense.

Given the opportunity to chose a different artist for a song with a strong feminist message...well, I'd have to pick Dar Williams. First, there's the classic from my earlier days, As Cool As I Am -

Now, though, as my wife has just turned 70...years that is...another Dar Williams song rings more clearly in my heart. The recording here is (I think) from a Joan Baez album ... a Joan and Dar duet ... of Dar's song You're Aging Well.

Thanks for the post, Arely Staircase! I hope you appreciate my song choices as much as I appreciated yours!