Every day deserves a little moment of celebration. Nothing says celebration like a little music, so here are my choices for songs that should be playing on every woman’s playlist. In no particular order, these great songs celebrate this glorious state we call Woman like none other.
You can feel free to disagree with my choices, but I have taken these songs to heart, and now I might be a bit of a handful. Can you see my cyber-wink from here?? Erin
1. Cyndi Lauper “True Colors” (sung here by Eva Cassidy) I love that Cyndi Lauper created this song. We girls of a certain age grew up listening to her and taking her words to heart. Girls are about so much more than just having fun, and this song was Cyndi’s beautiful way of saying that. Eva Cassidy was a great talent lost too soon to skin cancer. She sings this song so beautifully that it almost feels like it was written for her.
2. Lesley Gore “You Don’t Own Me” —Men, especially in today’s political environment, seem to have forgotten this. You DON’T own me! Stand up and rock it out, Sisters. This is the song to be singing in your head when you cast your ballots.
3. Helen Reddy ”I am Woman”—This song was the battle cry of the women’s movement for a reason. It celebrates and empowers women. You will feel a whole lot better about getting a new job, quitting an crappy job, or, heck, even washing your floor, if you are doing it with a heart full of some of this invincible girl power. It is such a powerful touchstone that in 2010 when Kathryn Bigelow won the Best Director Oscar for “The Hurt Locker,” the first time a woman won the award, they played it as her exit music.
4. Sara Bareilles— “Love Song” She won’t even write him a love song if he doesn’t respect her and treat her right. And by him, I mean THE MAN, because she wrote this song to her record label. It’s the little stands we take to make sure people treat us with the care and understanding we deserve that change the world. In this case, her little stand became a huge hit AND a satisfying thumbing her nose at the executives who tried to control her. Even if “he” can’t love her, you certainly should. She is a Sister who has your back.
5. Gwen Stefani “Just a Girl” –This is a girl who has had it with the way men rule the world. This is the song to rally your girlfriends to the cause. We don’t need a world where we are forced to hold someone’s hand (I personally love hand-holding, but you get my drift). This song was written in 1995, Ladies. The world has not changed that much since then. Get inspired.
6. India Arie “I’m Not Your Average Girl”— This song celebrates being a happy, well-adjusted girl like none other. I want to play this on repeat into my teenage daughter’s ear in a non-stop loop. If we all thought like this, the world would be a much happier place.
7. Indigo Girls “Closer I am to Fine”— This was the song that girls sang OUT LOUD during college. Every woman I knew then could sing this song by heart. This was our generation’s version of “I Am Woman.”
8. Nina Simone “Feeling Good” This song just oozes happy, confident, potent, powerful woman. If you felt like this every day, there is almost nothing you couldn’t do. You go, girl!
9. Linda Ronstadt “Different Drum”— I love the spunk and honesty in this girl’s desire to spread her wings and fly. Even her polite decline of the boy trying to “reign” her in warms my heart. Another one I might have to put on a playlist for my teen girl.
10. Natasha Beddingfield “Unwritten”— Don’t let the fact that this was the theme song to “The Hills” deter you from hearing the awesome message she has to share. She celebrates making mistakes, releasing inhibitions, and female empowerment—what’s not to love?
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I like the your list, I’m not a big fan of true colors, but I loved the wide range of choices
Laura, did you hear Eva Cassidy sing it? I don’t really like the way Cyndi Lauper sings it, but I am a total sucker for a lot of covers of this song. Pretty sappy, but I roll that way. ; ) Erin
I love your song choices! A couple of them are on my mp3 player. Great list. 🙂
jacqui recently posted..Chicks Don’t Like Cages…
Thanks! It took me all of about 3 minutes to write!!
Love that you have True Colors first on your list. I used to listen to that record all the time. Yes, that’s right – I am old enough that I bought it when it came out and it was a record, not a CD 😉
Kerstin recently posted..10 things women
I am pretty sure I had it on tape which is not exactly the same thing. ; ) Erin
I love your list!! There are so many great songs celebrating women’s awesomeness out there, I had forgotten about some of these…I may have to start downloading some of these tunes today 🙂 ….I can’t listen to Love Song or True Colors without singing along at the top of my lungs!
Love Song and True Colors do demand a duet! My sister and I LOVE the Linda Ronstadt song. I almost felt like I needed to disclose to all college boyfriends that this was where my head was at. Erin
YES! Dead on! Cyndi, Indigo Girls, Gwen, India Arie, and songs from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack!!!! You almost lost me with The Hills song but you’re right, the lyrics are good.
You rock (and so does this list!)!
Carinn Jade @ welcometothemotherhood recently posted..Flapjack Redemption
Yeah, that’s why I felt the need to clarify about The Hills song. Seems like such a disservice. ; ) Erin
LOVE these. Feeling happy and inspired. Also, this is the first time I heard Linda Ronstadt “Different Drum”. Thank you xo
Stasha recently posted..Monday Listicles
I love it! So fun! But you need a dance number- so I suggest one of my favs – Destiy Child’s – Independent Women – “The shoes on my feet, I bought it!” I love how it encourages young women to be independent (from men & the govt!)
I actually had that song on my rough draft along with some Annie Lennox, Liz Phair, and Pink. It is great. Snoop Dogg has a great one too as does Alicia Keys. Maybe I should do another list. Hmmmmm. Erin
I am a huge fan of Helen Reddy. Glad you included her on the list. Indigo Girls and No Doubt are two other faves of mine. Great selection, Gals!
Lenore Diane recently posted..Project 366: Day 72
Oh my gosh, you don’t hear that every day. Love you some Delta Dawn, do ya?? Thanks! Erin
I love so many of these choices – my favorites are True Colors, Closer to Fine and Love Song on this list. I’m seriously wishing I’d decided to stick with the topic this week and do a woman song list, too!
Katie E recently posted..Monday Listicles: 10 Pinterest Recipe Successes
It’s not too late, Katie. We didn’t hook up until late Tuesday last week. I seriously had almost thirty songs on my rough list, so there are plenty more that deserve some love. Erin
Great list!! Some of those songs I hadn’t heard in awhile. And on a side note, it took me 2 tries to answer the spam catcher math question. That is sad and the 11 year old laughed at me. Ha!
Semi Domesticated Mama recently posted..Rebuilding a Marriage After Infidelity
!1 year olds are cruel (I can say this with authority), but glad you enjoyed the list!! Erin
All is well when you have Nina Simone…
Totally agree. Erin
Great list Erin! I’m a sucker for Eva Cassidy. Have you heard her version of Fields of Gold. Awesome.
Jackie recently posted..Just Play
That’s one of my favs too.
Great list! I’ve never heard the India.Arie song. I’ll have to check it out!
Emily recently posted..On Fresh Air and Stories
love her! You will not be disappointed.
Excellent songs – love me some India Arie and Nina Simone. Our little guy ends up listening to more chick music than any other boy he knows! I guess it’s better than Megadeth and Nicki Minaj…
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Lucky boy!
What a great list! Some of these songs I know well and some are new to me. I look forward to getting to know the new ones!
Thanks!
That is an awesome playlist. India, Nina, Lesley, Sara, Gwen how can you not love them?
Completely agree.
What a great list!
Random Reflectionz recently posted..Time Warp
Amazing list! Great job!
Audrey recently posted..WTF Wednesday – 03.14.2012
I love this list and am so glad you posted your top 10 posts so I could discover it! (It was before I started up with Monday Listicles.) Awesome–can’t wait to listen to these.
Marie recently posted..What I read in December (2012)
Thanks for the list! I love all of them, especially Nina Simone for her outstanding voice!
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