Whether you’re a woman in STEM, a woman in sports, a woman that’s just quite not getting paid as much as her male peers, or a woman just walking home…here are some songs that understand what it feels like to work twice as hard to get half of the man’s success.
“Woman” by Doja Cat
Although overplayed on the radio and on TikTok, “Woman” will forever remain true to my heart. The first time I listened to it, the line that really stood out to me was, “They wanna pit us against each other when we’re succeeding, they wanna see us end up like we Regina on Mean Girls.” Wow. There is so much to unpack there.
Not only can this be seen in workplace environments where the woman becomes successful and suddenly men are talking about how much more attractive another woman coworker is (also problematic by commenting on male-standard looks that have nothing to do with her work), but I see this in relationships as well. A part of me will always slowly die when I see a girl getting mad at another girl when, truly, her boyfriend is at fault. It’s so natural for girls to compare themselves to one another, whether it’s looks or talent, in order to win the male gaze. Really, why are we trying to compete for that? What we should be doing is acknowledging, celebrating and loving each other’s differences and what we can bring to the table as women. Women have many qualities that are often ignored when they should be brought out and celebrated.
Another thing that I like about this song is that it starts out with Doja Cat wanting to be a man’s woman, and discusses the regular qualities that make up a stereotypical woman (mothering, caring, etc.) But throughout the song, she talks about what a woman really means: smart, independent, strong, and a leader. So by the end of the song, when she sings, “Let me be your woman,” there is an entirely different meaning and connotation to the word “woman” than before.
“Boys Will Be Boys” by Dua Lipa
When Dua Lipa released her album Future Nostalgia I was a junior in high school. Already a fan, I listened to the album immediately after it came out, but I didn’t quite understand “Boys Will Be Boys.”
It wasn’t until recently that I gave this song another listen. I thought, wow, she really gets it.
The first line that immediately took me back was, “It’s second nature to walk home before the sun goes down.” After I really thought about it, I realized that maybe it’s not supposed to be second nature.
Lipa does a great job with this song, mixing cultural beliefs and a hopeful societal transition into women’s rights while keeping it under the genre of pop.
“I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy
In the midst of the 70s, when the hippie revolution was in full swing, women’s rights came to rise as well. Helen Ruddy sings about what she believes it means to be a woman.
This is by far my favorite women’s empowerment song. Reddy sings that because women have to face all of these social and physical obstacles that men will never understand by their naturally higher level in society, women are stronger. She takes all of the criticism that women are forced to deal with on a daily basis and turns that anger into power.
Reddy sings about a hopeful day when all women realize these strengths and come together to use them.
My favorite line of the song reads, “You can bend but never break me, ‘cause it only serves to make me more determined to achieve my final goal.”
“Black Magic Woman” by Santana
I don’t actually know what the lyrics mean in this song. But, it makes me feel empowered. It’s fun, give it a listen.
In a world where women are consistently put down, it’s important to have something to bring us back up. Thankfully, we are not alone. This comfort can be found in music, and through its lyrics, notes, and feelings.