6 Fiercest Songs of Empowerment

I tend to use music as medicine.  When I’m feeling forlorn there’s nothing better to put a hitch in my giddy-up than a fierce anthem, with a great female vocal.  Mmmmm!  Probably something to do with being bi-polar or some such nonsense.

Anyhoo – A lot of people have been asking me to do some posts about my take on pop-culture.  I guess it makes sense. It’s my “thing” after all…  So, for those of you who asked – this one’s for you.

So, I was watching UGLY BETTY (although I’ll be damned if there’s a connection) when I started putting together a Playlist (for anyone over 35, that’s what we would’ve referred to back in the day as a “mix tape”) of songs that embody that feeling of pushing through, wiping of the grit, and saying “Ha!  Here I am!  Learn it!”

That said, here are a half-dozen of my favorite songs of empowerment, brought to you for no reason other than to feel good about yourself.  Enjoy!

 

6.  “The Boss” by Diana Ross – Love taught Miss Ross “who was the boss” and did so with a fantastic bass line and rhythm section.  Another writing triumph for Ashford & Simpson.

 

5.  ”Kiss You Off” by Scissor Sisters – The metaphor of lipstick as men and finding “a brand new shade” is clever, witty, and erudite.  And the beat?  Meant for the catwalk, sweetie-darling!

 

4.  “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor – Perhaps the most famous disco anthem of all (I have versions recorded in Spanish and Japanese), it stands-up still as advertised, and survives to this day.

 

3.  “Moving On Up” by M People – This sassy UK import was all the rage in the ’90s due to Heather Small’s saucy vocals and a fabulous sense of fashionable blase.

 

2.  “You’ll Never Know” by Hi-Gloss – A rare track from the early ’80s, I was turned-on to this delicious cup of bitterness by musical sensei, Billy Beyond.  The fact that the cover-art is so yummy is just a bonus!

 

…and the most empowering anthem out there, according to ShulmanSays.com (which should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone who knows me) is: “This is My Life” by Dame Shirley Bassey – Shirley throws down the gauntlet, declares that she doesn’t “give a damn for lost emotions” and lets you know why she’s earned the moniker Burley Shassey.  A vocal tour de force!