These are times of changing roles for both men and women. Traditional, patriarchal models aren't valid any more, and neither are the ones feminist activists proposed two decades ago. The all-hearted, all-feeling, all-lesbian and all-new-world-maker woman of the 70's has been replaced by the confused but determined, sexually male-oriented but actively demanding, establishment-accepting but economically independent, grrl of the 90's (if you want to know how they feel and what they write you can visit the very good online magazine RiotGrrl). Sometimes, these grrls get furious, and they make beautiful songs out of their anger.
Alanis Morissette, You oughta know
Christina y los subterraneos, Yo no soy tu angel
Meredith Brooks, Shatter
4 Non Blondes, Dear Mr. President
Alex y Christina, El postrecito especial
"Are you thinking of me when you fuck her?"
I want you to know that I'm happy for you
I wish nothing but the best for you both
An older version of me
Is she perverted like me
Would she go down on you in a theatre
Does she speak eloquently
And would she have your baby
I'm sure she'd make a really excellent mother
'Cause the love that you gave that we made
wasn't able to make it enough for you to be open wide, no
And every time you speak her name
does she know how you told me you'd hold me
until you died, 'til you died
But you're still alive
And I'm here to remind you
of the mess you left when you went away
It's not fair to deny me
of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you ougtha know
You seem very well, things look peaceful
I'm not quite as well, I thought you should know
Did you forget about me Mr. Duplicity
I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner
It was a slap in the face how quickly I was replaced
Are you thinking of me when you fuck her?
'Cause the joke that you laid in the bed that was me
And I'm not gonna fade
As soon as you close your eyes and you know it
And every time I scratch my nails down someone else's back
I hope you feel it... well can you feel it
Alanis Morissette, You oughta know
"Yo no he sido amiga de Andy Warhol y tampoco leo a Shakespeare en inglés pero pego algún que otro puñetazo que vuelve la cara del revés"
Voy a darle de comer al gato
voy a ver si hay carta en el buzón
y es que ya se aburren hasta mis zapatos
ya sólo me calienta el camisón
Mientras yo tocaba la guitarra
él jugaba solo al ajedrez
apuntando quien iba ganando en su pizarra
y felicitándose cada vez
Que me parta un rayo
si me quedo aquí
Yo no soy tu ángel
Dice que se traga mi veneno
dice que soy demasiado cruel
dice que comprende todo porque es bueno
y coge el trozo grande del pastel
Yo no he sido amiga de Andy Warhol
y tampoco leo a Shakespeare en inglés
pero pego algún que otro puñetazo
que vuelve la cara del revés
Que te parta un rayo
olvídate de mi
Yo no soy tu ángel
Esta noche me voy de paseo
con mis zapatitos de tacón
a ver si me busco un buen jaleo
que me desempolve la pasión
Que nos parta un rayo
y que te parta más a ti
Yo no soy tu ángel
Christina y los subterraneos, Yo no soy tu angel
"I stumble hard but I'm not sleeping in your bed"
Prick of a pin
No blood on me
I've been tested
Total wasted
In too deep
To the zone
I retreat
What doesn't kill you
Makes you strong eventually
Lay to my skin
Blurring the edge
Seven doves are waiting for me up ahead
I just breathe in
I just breathe out
I've taken every hairpin curve by now
I may crack
But I'll never shatter
I may crack
But it doesn't matter
I may crack
But I'll never shatter
I may crack
Promise the world
Dropped in a pool
Was it fun
Did you enjoy acting so cruel
Well here's the thing Still have my head
I stumble hard but I'm not sleeping in your bed
Saved by the sun
No shame on me
Come out screaming it's the only time we're free
I just breathe out
I just breathe in
I ride the wave until I come again
I may crack
But I'll never shatter
Cause I still have a secret
In the dark I keep it close
I still have a secret no one knows
I may crack, but I'll never shatter
Just erased it over and over
I may crack, but it doesn't matter
In the darkness, I'll never shatter
Shake down
Twisted in time
It's amusing that I'm feelin' fine
I just breathe in, I just breathe out
I ride the wave until I come again
But I'll never shatter
Cause I still have a secret
In the dark I keep it close
I still have a secret no one knows
Meredith Brooks, Shatter
"and the people all over, doin' crack"
I'm looking outside of my window
the view that I see
is a child and mamma
and the child is begging for money
tell me why, tell me why
the woman is blind is she so broke
the kid's dealing crime
it's such a beautiful city
but the world is burning it down
yea yea yea yea yea yea ...
it's such a beautiful city
but the world is burning it down
I go to my room to turn to turn on the T.V.
I sit myself down
and I start laughing hard
'cause this man he's asking for money
he says "if you send me lots of cash I'll send you
stuff to make you rich fast"
It's such a wonderful country
but the man he's burning it down
yea yea yea yea yea yea...
and it's burning down
and it's called the U.S. of A.
one day I'm going to have lots of money
but I'll have to give it up
for this rich society
oh please Mr. President will you lend me a future
'cause you'll just get it back
from the little blind woman
with the kid on the corner
and the people all over, doin' crack
[...]
I'm walking outside on a sunny day
with no one around
and I wonder what's wrong
then I hear this loud piercing siren
oh my God the bomb has just dropped
and everybody climbed right on top
screaming, what a wonderful country
but the man he's burning it down
he's burning it down
yea yea yea yea yea yea...
and it's called the U.S. of A.
4 Non Blondes, Dear Mr. President
"Quiero ver la cara que él va a poner cuando vuelva a cenar y vea que ya no está su preciosa casita, ni su mujercita "
Escucha amigo esta historia tan triste y tan real
Escucha en qué se puede convertir un dulce hogar
Y es que el amor no tiene nada que ver
con la sartén, la aspiradora y el mantel
Y ahora suena el despertador y me quiero morir
cualquier día de estos te juro que lo tiro por fin
y este maldito café, que sabe a yo que sé
pero ya basta de hablar, hay que ponerse a trabajar
Pero ya tengo un plan
para escapar
Me largaré por la puerta de atrás
Dejaré un souvenir muy especial
Que bonito será verlo todo estallar
Pero cuidado que viene el tirano con ganas de gritar
está hambriento como un león y tal vez quiera algo más
(el postrecito especial)
Pues ahí está la tortilla y déjame en paz
no quiero ver tus sucias manos en mi piel
Así que escucha mi amigo el consejo de esta pobre infeliz
este contrato es un timo y tu aún estás a tiempo de huir
Cuando te vayan a hacer esa proposición
echa a volar y no te pares hasta Madagascarrrrrrr
Quiero ver la cara que él va a poner
cuando vuelva a cenar y vea que ya no está
su preciosa casita, ni su mujercita
que con la dinamita se lo ha cargado todo
Alex y Christina, El postrecito especial
There are lots of websites dedicated to Alanis Morissette. This one lets you hear and download some sound clips of her songs (http://www.yokam.com)
Do you know any other beautiful angry song that would fit in here? If so, please tell me, and I'll add it to the list! Just send an email telling me (click here to do it).