Today is International Women’s Day. Radio stations have been blasting us with a higher-than-usual ratio of kickass female artists, giving me the urge to spread some love on my forever faves, older and newer. Here are five songs by or featuring women that I want to give some International Women’s Day love.
Ain’t Nuttin But a She Thing – Salt ‘N’ Pepa
My wee little 90s girl heart lived on the rhymes of Salt N’ Pepa. And while “Shoop” may be the SNP tune I could rap on command, this one gets the IWD love for putting the boot down on being underestimated for our S-E-X. I love this track for showing love to our unique ability to be mothers while still doing everything else a man can. The video is equally ferocious, lush with female dominance and enough body-ody-ody for my burgeoning bisexual teen heart. Extra bonus for the burns and beatdowns on the video’s violating males.
Gotta Knock A Little Harder – Mai Yamane (The Seatbelts)
This little gem from back in the day still gives me chills. Mai Yamane’s voice is husky and fervent as she tears through this bluesy track. Every yeah yeah and woo woo is sinewy flesh beating at the door to your heart and coming away with chunks of wood and iron. Tucked away in the credits of 2001’s Cowboy Bebop motion picture, this track is one of the lesser celebrated triumphs of the “Seatbelts,” a jazz band of collected artists who created Bebop’s beloved and renowned soundtracks that were so good they nearly outshined the anime itself. Yamane’s voice was a standout among them all, a beacon of fervor I still love decades later.
The Joke – Brandi Carlile
A good way to measure if you’re dead inside is to listen to this track and try not to get some feels. Carlile’s voice is crystal clear and resonates around my head. No, really. I feel it like someone is gently tugging the skin behind my ears, like the Goddess is gripping me by the cuff like I’m a puppy. This track is a hammer on the heads of the snide and cruel. Special love goes to the second verse that gives love to refugee and immigrant women, whose struggles are close to the heart of why have an International Women’s Day in the first place – the tragedy of textile workers, mostly immigrant women, who died while being locked inside the burning Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in 1911.
Too Many Creeps – Bush Tetras
Despite being a lifelong New Yorker, I only recently got into the Bush Tetras and their long history of being one of New York’s finest punk funk bands. They were remarkable for being mostly female, comprised of vocalist Cynthia Sley, guitarist Pat Place, and a long history of female bassists. Their recent collection, “Rhythm and Paranoia – The Best of the Bush Tetras” provides nubs like me with a lovingly crafted collection of their finest work, which I have devoured. I got to catch them doing a Planned Parenthood benefit this past December, and let me tell you, our rock and roll elderwomen are freaking awesome. Women ran to the front of the stage and stood our ground in a sweaty mess of estrogen and joy. I wish I had this band growing up, but I am grateful I have them now.
The Lesbian Power Authority – Alix Dobkin
Alix Dobkin was the first lesbian feminist musician to originate in the states and go on a European concert tour. Back in the days when the feminist movement of the Civil Rights Era was in full swing, Dobkin was a folk musician playing coffeehouses and singing about love the straights wouldn’t dream of. Her landmark album, Lavender Jane Loves Women, remains close to the heart of today’s young lesbians. It can be surprising to look back to the wee days of 1973, when singing songs about women loving women was brash and revolutionary. There is no better day to remember who blazed the earliest trails for women to be fully free than on International Women’s Day.
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