Old Songs That Illustrate Changes in Society

Never have been a feminist, Phoenix, and probably never will be, but I am amazed that I have survived.

And, of course, there is this one:

Helen Reddy from "Helen Reddy's Greatest Hits": EMI ST 11467
-peak Billboard position # 1 for 1 week in 1972
-Words and Music by Helen Reddy and Ray Burton


I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again

CHORUS
Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

You can bend but never break me
'cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul

CHORUS

I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
But I'm still an embryo
With a long long way to go
Until I make my brother understand

Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh, I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong

FADE
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman.

really old school from James Brown:

This is a man's world, this is a man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl

You see, man made the cars to take us over the road
Man made the trains to carry heavy loads
Man made electric light to take us out of the dark
Man made the boat for the water, like Noah made the ark

This is a man's, a man's, a man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl

Man thinks about a little baby girls and a baby boys
Man makes then happy 'cause man makes them toys
And after man has made everything, everything he can
You know that man makes money to buy from other man

This is a man's world
But it wouldn't be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl

He's lost in the world of man
He's lost in bitterness

an interesting dialog by the Human League:

[male singer]
You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar
When I met you
I picked you out, I shook you up
And turned you around
Turned you into someone new
Now five years later on you've got the world at your feet
Success has been so easy for you
But don't forget it's me who put you where you are now
And I can put you back down too.

Don't. Don't you want me?
You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
Don't. Don't you want me?
You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me

It's much too late to find
When you think you've changed your mind
You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry

Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh!
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh!

[female singer]
I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar
That much is true
But even then I knew I'd find a much better place
Either with or without you
The five years we have had have been such good at times
I still love you
But now I think it's time I lived my life on my own
I guess it's just what I must do

[male singer]
Don't. Don't you want me?
You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me
Don't. Don't you want me?
You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me

It's much too late find
When you think you've changed your mind
You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry

Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh!
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh!

(REPEAT x3)
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh!
Don't you want me, baby?
Don't you want me? Oh!

Although written by a black songwriter this song deals with the racial epithets of the 20's

Why They Call Me Shine

Oh chocolate drop, that's me
'Cause, my hair is curly
Just because my teeth are pearly
Just because I always wear a smile
Like to dress up in the latest style
'Cause I'm glad I'm livin'
Take troubles all with a smile
Just because my color shade
Is different maybe
That's why they call me "Shine"

Strange Fruit (composer: Lewis allen)
Performed by Billie Holiday

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.

Curl the mo, Uncle Jo

See the original sheet music/lyrics Use the select page dropdown to move through it.

good call ozman...that song was way ahead of its time

and The Golden Gate Quartet did this one


Stalin Wasn't Stallin'

Stalin wasn't stallin'
When he to1d the beast of Berlin
That they'd never rest contented
Til they had driven him from the land
So he called the Yanks and English
And proceeded to extinguish
The Fuhrer and his vermin
This is how it all began

Now the Devil he was reading
In the good book one day
How the lord created Adam
To walk the righteous way
And it made the Devil jealous
He turned green up to his horns
And he swore by things unholy
That he'd make one of his own

So he packed two suitcases
Full of grief and misery
And he caught the midnight special
Going down to Germany
Then he mixed his lies and hatred
With fire and brimstone
Then the devil sat upon it
That's how Adolf was born

Now Adolf got the notion
That he was the master race
And he swore he'd bring new order
And put mankind in it,s place!
So he set his scheme in motion
And he was winning everywhere
Until he up and got the notion
For to kick that Russian bear

Yes he kicked that noble Russian
But it wasn't very long
Before Adolf got suspicious
The he had done something wrong
Cause that bear grabbed the Fuhrer
And gave him an awful fright
Seventeen months he scrapped the Fuhrer
Tooth and claw, day and night

Then that bear smacked the Fuhrer
With a mighty armored paw
And Adolf broke all records
Running backward towards Krakaw
The Goebbels sent a message
To the people everywhere
That if they couldn't hit the Fuhrer
Go down hit that Russian bear

I meant Strange Fruit of course

I only just realised what you meant....

bm

Farmers!

Pommy football crowds.

"You'll never.....walk....alone...."