Author Topic: "Tell Me About the Game You Won"- Feminist Music  (Read 49520 times)

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: "Can we be like drops of water" - Feminist Music
« Reply #20 on: November 27, 2008, 01:49:04 am »
Heya Paul (or Elle)... why don't you go ahead and post the rest of the lyrics to that song even if you can't find a YouTube clip.  I'm interested because it's not a song I'm familiar with at all (as far as I know).




That's the whole thing.  :)



Offline southendmd

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Re: "Can we be like drops of water" - Feminist Music
« Reply #21 on: November 27, 2008, 10:32:57 am »
Heya Paul (or Elle)... why don't you go ahead and post the rest of the lyrics to that song even if you can't find a YouTube clip.  I'm interested because it's not a song I'm familiar with at all (as far as I know).

Sure thing, Amanda. (Had to correct  numerous typos in the wiki lyrics--e.g. "disbursing" for dispersing.)

"The Rock Will Wear Away"  Lyrics by Holly Near, Music by Meg Christian

SIXTEEN YEAR OLD VIRGIN
SPRING TIME TAKES HER TO THE PARK
WHERE THE MOON SHINES DOWN LIKE THE FUTURE
CALLING HER OUT OF THE DARK

BUT HER NIGHTMARE FINDS HER FREEDOM
AND LEAVES HER LYING, WOUNDED, WORN FROM INVASION

LIGHT AS A FEATHER FLOATING BY
LANDING THEN COVERED WITH SOOT
WAITING NOW WATCHING NOW FOR RAIN
TO WASH CLEAN HER PAIN

CAN WE BE LIKE DROPS OF WATER FALLING ON THE STONE
SPLASHING, BREAKING DISPERSING IN AIR
WEAKER THAN THE STONE BY FAR BUT BE AWARE
THAT AS TIME GOES BY THE ROCK WILL WEAR AWAY
AND THE WATER COMES AGAIN

3O YEAR OLD MOTHER
AUTUMN FINDS HER PREGNANT ONCE MORE
AND THE LEAVES,LIKE GOLD AND COPPER
REMINDING HER THAT SHE IS POOR
AND HER CHILDREN OFTEN ARE HUNGRY
AND SHE HUNGERS TOO
FOR KNOWLEDGE, TIME AND CHOICES

CAN WE BE LIKE DROPS OF WATER FALLING ON THE STONE
SPLASHING, BREAKING DISPERSING IN AIR
WEAKER THAN THE STONE BY FAR BUT BE AWARE
THAT AS TIME GOES BY THE ROCK WILL WEAR AWAY
AND THE WATER COMES AGAIN

80 YEAR OLD POET
WINTER KEEPS HER HOME AND ALONE
WHERE SHE FREEZES
AND DARKNESS KEEPS HER FROM WRITING HER FINAL WISDOM
BUT SHE LIGHTS HER LAST RED CANDLE AND AS IT IS MELTING
TILTING IT, WRITING NOW

CAN WE BE LIKE DROPS OF WATER FALLING ON THE STONE
SPLASHING, BREAKING DISPERSING IN AIR
WEAKER THAN THE STONE BY FAR BUT BE AWARE
THAT AS TIME GOES BY THE ROCK WILL WEAR AWAY

AND THE WATER COMES AGAIN...

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: "Can we be like drops of water" - Feminist Music
« Reply #22 on: November 28, 2008, 01:00:40 pm »

Thanks Paul! 8)

Yes, I've found it interesting in searching for lyrics online for this thread... there's a lot of variation from website to website for the same songs.  And, some sites are clearly wrong when reading along and listening to the song at the same time... it's easy to find discrepancies.



Sure thing, Amanda. (Had to correct  numerous typos in the wiki lyrics--e.g. "disbursing" for dispersing.)

"The Rock Will Wear Away"  Lyrics by Holly Near, Music by Meg Christian

SIXTEEN YEAR OLD VIRGIN
SPRING TIME TAKES HER TO THE PARK
WHERE THE MOON SHINES DOWN LIKE THE FUTURE
CALLING HER OUT OF THE DARK

BUT HER NIGHTMARE FINDS HER FREEDOM
AND LEAVES HER LYING, WOUNDED, WORN FROM INVASION

LIGHT AS A FEATHER FLOATING BY
LANDING THEN COVERED WITH SOOT
WAITING NOW WATCHING NOW FOR RAIN
TO WASH CLEAN HER PAIN

CAN WE BE LIKE DROPS OF WATER FALLING ON THE STONE
SPLASHING, BREAKING DISPERSING IN AIR
WEAKER THAN THE STONE BY FAR BUT BE AWARE
THAT AS TIME GOES BY THE ROCK WILL WEAR AWAY
AND THE WATER COMES AGAIN

3O YEAR OLD MOTHER
AUTUMN FINDS HER PREGNANT ONCE MORE
AND THE LEAVES,LIKE GOLD AND COPPER
REMINDING HER THAT SHE IS POOR
AND HER CHILDREN OFTEN ARE HUNGRY
AND SHE HUNGERS TOO
FOR KNOWLEDGE, TIME AND CHOICES

CAN WE BE LIKE DROPS OF WATER FALLING ON THE STONE
SPLASHING, BREAKING DISPERSING IN AIR
WEAKER THAN THE STONE BY FAR BUT BE AWARE
THAT AS TIME GOES BY THE ROCK WILL WEAR AWAY
AND THE WATER COMES AGAIN

80 YEAR OLD POET
WINTER KEEPS HER HOME AND ALONE
WHERE SHE FREEZES
AND DARKNESS KEEPS HER FROM WRITING HER FINAL WISDOM
BUT SHE LIGHTS HER LAST RED CANDLE AND AS IT IS MELTING
TILTING IT, WRITING NOW

CAN WE BE LIKE DROPS OF WATER FALLING ON THE STONE
SPLASHING, BREAKING DISPERSING IN AIR
WEAKER THAN THE STONE BY FAR BUT BE AWARE
THAT AS TIME GOES BY THE ROCK WILL WEAR AWAY

AND THE WATER COMES AGAIN...
the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: "Can we be like drops of water" - Feminist Music
« Reply #23 on: December 03, 2008, 03:53:59 am »
Sure thing, Amanda. (Had to correct  numerous typos in the wiki lyrics--e.g. "disbursing" for dispersing.)

"The Rock Will Wear Away"  Lyrics by Holly Near, Music by Meg Christian



Oh that's right.  There were all those lyrics.  We never sang those, they were just on the album.  :)

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: "I hear my voice" - Feminist Music
« Reply #24 on: December 12, 2008, 01:00:39 am »
<img src="http://www.divshare.com/img/midsize/6063298-d31.jpg" border="0" />

Tori Amos

"Silent All These Years"
from Little Earthquakes, 1991

Excuse me but can I be you for awhile
My dog won't bite if you sit real still
I got the anti-Christ in the kitchen yellin' at me again
Yeah, I can hear that
Been saved again by the garbage truck
I got something to say, you know, but nothing comes
Yes, I know what you think of me
You never shut-up
Yeah, I can hear that

But what if I'm a mermaid
In these jeans of his with her name still on it
Hey, but I don't care 'cause sometimes
I said sometimes I hear my voice
And it's been here
Silent all these years

So you found a girl who thinks really deep thoughts
What's so amazing about really deep thoughts
Boy you best pray that I bleed real soon
How's that for thought for you
My scream got lost in a paper cup
You think there's a heaven where screams have gone
I got 25 bucks and a cracker
Do you think it's enough
To get us there

'Cause what if I'm a mermaid
In blue jeans of his with her name still on it
Hey, but I don't care 'cause sometimes
I said sometimes I hear my voice
And it's been here
Silent all these
Years go by
Will I be waiting for somebody else to understand
Years go by
If I'm stripped of my beauty
And the orange clouds raining in my head
Years go by
Will I choke on my tears till finally there is nothing left
One more casualty
You know we're too easy easy easy

Well I love the way we communicate
Your eyes focus on my funny lip shape
Let's hear what you think of me now
But baby don't look up
The sky is falling
Your mother shows up in a nasty dress
It's your turn now to stand where I stand
Everybody lookin' at you
Here take hold of my hand
Yeah, I can hear them

But what if I'm a mermaid
In these jeans of yours with her name still on it
Hey, but I don't care 'cause sometimes
I said sometimes I hear my voice
I hear my voice
I hear my voice
And it's been here
Silent all these years
I've been here
Silent all these years
Silent all these
Silent all these years


For some very strange reasone I found myself thinking about Tori Amos tonight.  It's strange because in many ways I'm not the biggest Tori fan in general.  I think she has some very strong songs, and an almost equal number of not-so-strong efforts.  And, some of her writing is a little too intense to really quote here (i.e. "Me and a Gun" about rape, etc.).

But, it occurs to me that she has an important place on a thread like this.  I've had several friends in my past who swear by Tori... they say she really helped them through tough times, etc.  And, she undoubtedly has a huge following of loyal and usually feminist oriented women.  One of my good friends from grad school gave me a copy of this album shown here.  She used to tell me that Tori (and a number of other musicians) were something of a lifeline for her when she was extracting herself from an abusive relationship with an ex-boyfriend during her college years.

And, the first woman I ever had a relationship with (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)... but not really a girlfriend (more a fling) was an obsessed Tori fan.  Her license plate on her car said "Tori."

Anyway, I think this is a beautiful song.

One nice thing about this song is that it reads very well as poetry... in the absence of the accompanying music.





the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Ellemeno

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Re: "I hear my voice" - Feminist Music
« Reply #25 on: December 12, 2008, 05:13:52 am »
Mr. Meno introduced me to Tori Amos's music in 1994.  We went to a concert of hers soon after, and I had an emotional breakdown there.  I cried and cried.  Even walking several blocks to our car afterward, I cried the whole way.  It was an avalanche of tears.  And beautiful Mr. Meno (before he became Mr. Meno) was right there supporting me through it.  It's one of the reasons, probably, that he became my Mr. Meno.

Silent All These Years
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmGnEFu-1_0[/youtube]

Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: "I hear my voice" - Feminist Music
« Reply #26 on: December 12, 2008, 10:33:13 am »
Mr. Meno introduced me to Tori Amos's music in 1994.  We went to a concert of hers soon after, and I had an emotional breakdown there.  I cried and cried.  Even walking several blocks to our car afterward, I cried the whole way.  It was an avalanche of tears.  And beautiful Mr. Meno (before he became Mr. Meno) was right there supporting me through it.  It's one of the reasons, probably, that he became my Mr. Meno.


Awwwwwwwwww, {{Elle}}  :-* :-*

Yes, I think Tori's music can strike major emotional chords for a lot of people... for a huge range of reasons.

Thanks so much for sharing your response Elle.

cheers,
Amanda

the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Lumière

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Re: "I hear my voice" - Feminist Music
« Reply #27 on: December 12, 2008, 05:16:12 pm »
I love this song...


"Not A Pretty Girl"
Ani Difranco, 1995


I am not a pretty girl
that is not what I do
I ain't no damsel in distess
and I don't need to be rescued
so put me down punk
maybe you'd prefer a maiden fair
isn't there a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere

I am not an angry girl
but it seems like I've got everyone fooled
every time I say something they find hard to hear
they chalk it up to my anger
and never to their own fear
and imagine you're a girl
just trying to finally come clean
knowing full well they'd prefer you
were dirty and smiling

and I am sorry
I am not a maiden fair
and I am not a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere

and generally my generation
wouldn't be caught dead working for the man
and generally I agree with them
trouble is you gotta have youself an alternate plan
and I have earned my disillusionment
I have been working all of my life
and I am a patriot
I have been fighting the good fight
and what if there are no damsels in distress
what if I knew that and I called your bluff?
don't you think every kitten figures out how to get down
whether or not you ever show up

I am not a pretty girl
I don't want to be a pretty girl
no I want to be more than a pretty girl


Offline Brown Eyes

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Re: "I don't need to be rescued" - Feminist Music
« Reply #28 on: December 14, 2008, 01:58:45 am »

Hi Milli!  :D

And, hooray for Ani!  I was wondering when Ani would show up in this thread! LOL, I've been stocking up on songs and recommendations to post on this thread over time and Ani is definitely on my "to-post" list.

I saw her in concert in Philly during my grad school years with my girlfriend at the time, and two other lesbian couples that we were friendly with.  It was so fun.  The crowd at her concert was just amazing... talk about a sea of cool women.  And, I remember it was really easy to strike up little conversations with random people going to and from the concert.  It was an interesting community feeling.  And, Ani's energy level on stage was also really fun... but also really meaningful.  Ani certainly has some amazing lyrics.  I love the power she can get out of an acoustic guitar too.






the world was asleep to our latent fuss - bowie

Offline Lumière

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Re: "I don't need to be rescued" - Feminist Music
« Reply #29 on: December 15, 2008, 02:22:48 pm »
Hey bud,

"Not A Pretty Girl" is one of my favorite songs.
 There is something about it that soothes me when I listen to it (which I do every other day almost). ;)


~M