Song 2: Respect, Aretha Franklin

Otis Redding wrote this song to get a little lovin' and respect. Aretha Franklin turned the table, and turned Respect into a feminist anthem.

Respect was recorded on Valentine's Day in 1967. Producer Jerry Wexler said this about the recording: 

Aretha added another dimension to the song. This was almost a feminist clarion. Whenever women heard the record, it was like a tidal wave of soronal unity. 'A little respect when you come home' doesn't only connote respect in the sense of having concern for another's position; there's also a little lubricity in there - respect aquires the notion of having to perform conjugally in optimum fashion. It was just a very interesting mix: an intuitive feminist outcry, a sexual statement, and an announcement of dignity.

Song 26: Not A Pretty Girl, Ani DiFranco

The patriarchy needs damsels in distress to survive. 

Not A Pretty Girl, by the righteous babe Ani DiFranco, is a must-hear for kids taking Feminism 101.

Song 33: Your Revolution, Sarah Jones

Sisters are doing it for themselves. Salt-N-Pepa and Queen Latifah are feminists and rappers who easily could have made this Top 100. But the best critiques of sexism and the patriarchy in rap music is from Sarah Jones. She turns Gil Scott Heron's The Revolution Will Not Be Televised into "Your Revolution will not happen between these thighs".

Warning: the  Federal Communications Commission declared this song INDECENT. Although they later reversed their decision, writing, "the most graphic phrase ('six foot blow job machine') was not repeated," and "We take cognizance of the fact presented in this record that Ms. Jones has been asked to perform the song at high school assemblies." It may offend some guys out there.

Check out The Strange Case of Sarah Jones from the Free Expression Policy Project.

Song 62: Swimsuit Issue, Sonic Youth

I'm just here for dictation 

i don't wanna be a sensation 

bein' on Sixty Minutes 

wasn't worth your fifteen minutes

For two thirds of Sonic Youth's Swimsuit Issue, bassist Kim Gordon launches a verbal attack against sexual assault. Then she hits a wall, and in a voice that's somehow bitter, weary and smirking at the same time, lists the names of Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. 

Row-shaan-da 

Joo-dith 

Pau-lee-naa

Song 69: You Don't Own Me, Leslie Gore

Leslie Gore's You Don't Own Me held the number 2 spot on the Billboard charts for four weeks, behind the Beatles' I Want To Hold Your Hand.

To my ears, this song seems almost-feminist-but-not-quite-feminist, but I've been told by people with more wisdom than I that, for the 60's, this song radiated independence and helped influence some pretty fierce teenagers.

Song 87: Forgive Them Father, Lauryn Hill

Beware the false motives of others
Be careful of those who pretend to be brothers
And you never suppose it's those who are closest to you, to you
They say all the right things to gain their position
Then use your kindness as their ammunition
To shoot you down in the name of ambition, they do

From the album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the song Forgive Them Father is a beautiful critique of men who value money and power over all. Like in Song No. 94, forgiveness for trespass is possible. But forgetting? Lauryn Hill will never, never trust them again.

By the way friends, Canadian women make up 22% of the House of Commons, and there are 22 women on this Top 100 Political Music Countdown. Want to change the debate? Elect more women to office, and send me more music by women.

Song 90: Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?, Paula Cole

Unfortunately, it's not ironic that Paula Cole's ironic song Where Have All The Cowboys Gone? was misunderstood by a lot of people. Lots of literalists and romance writers heard it as a call to get back to the good old days of John Wayne, and as a sign women needed a little old-timey romance.

Why don't you stay the evening

Kick back and watch the TV

And I'll fix a little something to eat

Oh I know your back hurts from working on the tractor

How do you take your coffee my sweet

I will raise the children if you pay all the bills

Ah, yes, those happy times when men went to work and women stayed home and cleaned the house. Who wouldn't want that, literalists? Well, um, women.