Day 5: Submerged Yet Powerful

Whiteley ch. 9 "Female Identity and the Woman Songwriter"
Charlotte Greig

There are certain experiences which are specific only to women, and therefor provide female artists with a territory of their own for song-writitng. Childbearing and motherhood are of a realm which woman have a truly unique perspective upon. Greig makes the point that popular music has a long-held tradition, a very submerge one at that, of female artists expressing their experiences and views on this subject through their music. She argues that this rhetoric has historically not been a large enough part of the feminine voice in music, but has begun to regain its place and power in the text of many female artists.

Country music has been a site for more expression of childbearing and motherhood experiences because of its preference for narrative rather than symbolic lyrics. Greig argues that the most authentic and true expression of emotion is that which naturally emerges from a narrative, as opposed to that which is attempted to be described.

This article describes how "If I Die Young" comes up short in its description of a mothers emotions, thus supporting the claim that narrative lyrics are most effective. Greig gives Dolly Parton's "Down from Dover" as an example of a successful lyric.

Greig also comments on how difficult it seems to be for women singer/songwriters who have had children to try and integrate this experience into their work.

Billboards 14 Pregnant Pop Stars

Discussion Questions:

1. How many of these artists do you think have succeeded in taking their female-specific experience of childbirth and translating it into their music?
2. If Grieg is correct, why do you think more female artists are exploring these themes today than before?
3. How important is this theme to the feminine voice in contemporary music?