Friday 20 April 2012

Girl Power Rocks

I was listening to the radio just now and singing along to "if you think I'm coming back don't hold your breath" by Nicole Scherzinger.

As I was rocking out (I know, scary image) it suddenly occurred to me how much more empowering music is for girls now, compared to when I was a teenager. If I'd been 16 now and had my heartbroken there would be so many tracks I could latch onto to help me feel good about myself without a guy.

Where as in the early 1990s we had female singers espousing endless love and devotion and heartbreak. Whitney was telling her man "I'll always love you". Gabrielle was dreaming of her man holding her tight. And there were so few female singers, mostly we had Chesney serenading us and telling us we were the one and only and Bryan Adams telling us he did everything for us. In my heartbreak I had nothing that told me I didn't need a man, that I was worthwhile in my own right and that I had control over my life.

Perhaps the immortal phrase "the spice girls gave us girl power" is less of a cliche than I've always thought. Now we have powerful women writing and singing about real life and independence and loving men of our choice. It's good to know Rachel has such positive messages in her life.

Lyrics for Can't touch me Now:
You can't touch me now
There's no feeling left
If you think I'm coming back
Don't hold your breath
What you did to me boy I can't forget
If you think I'm coming back
Don't hold your breath

I was under your spell for such a long time couldn't break the chains
You played with my heart tore me apart with all your lies and games
It took all the strength I had but I crawled up on my feet again
Now you're trying to lure me back but no those days are gone my friend
I loved you so much then I thought someday that you could change
But all you brought me was a heart full of pain

I was worried about you but you never cared about me none
You took my money and I knew that you, you could kill someone
I gave you everything but nothing was ever enough
You were always jealous over such crazy stuff

Move on don't look back
I jumped off a train running off the tracks
Love is gone, face the facts
A bad movie ends and the screen fades to black

What you did to me boy I can't forget
If you think I'm coming back
Don't hold your breath!

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