So I wanted to do this article for week two for a few reasons. A: I wanted to make it abundantly clear that not all of these are going to be explorations of singular artists. B: A lot of people who aren’t as into country are often under the (completely understandable) impression that country music is one-note, and that note is not “feminism.” And C: I like a lot of female country artists, and it would be irresponsible and ill-advised for me to start talking about female country artists without also touching on their place in the industry, including fucking TomatoGate.
Yeah, country music had a fill-in-the-blank-gate just like everything else in the mid 2010s, and this one was about women in country. To put it very briefly, a country radio consultant said that songs from female artists should never be played back to back on country radio, because women were the tomatoes in the salad, and men were the lettuce.
And no, he didn’t mean that male country artists were bitter and bland, while female country artists were bright and interesting. He just meant that they shouldn’t get as much airtime. And in spite of much backlash for those comments, country radio listened, and the already diminished presence of female artists on country radio continued to dwindle.
That’s the modern state of women in country music. Historically, female artists had somewhat more access to actually being professional country artists. Classic country is full of women: Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Patsy Montana, Patsy Cline, Patsy Sledd…probably some other Patsies. And it continued up until the 90s and early 2000s. I would even argue that the 80s and 90s may have had the strongest showing for female country artists. That’s when singers like Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, and Wynonna Judd (Among many others of course) came to be household names.
And with all of that as background information, let’s talk about some feminist country songs. I’m going to swing for something much more recent as an opener. Coming up in this sort of country music environment, it should be no surprise that a number like Girl in a Country Song rose to prominence. It’s a simultaneously fun and utterly scathing critique of how women are treated in country music i.e. like objects. Maddie and Tae’s big breakout hit picked specifically at certain popular songs from the time period by quoting the lyrics in Girl in a Country Song. For a new-on-the-scene pair of tomatoes, they came out swinging way above their weight class.
And now we’ll swing way the hell back into classic country. Loretta Lynn is often lauded as the first female country singer. We could discuss whether she deserves that title or not, but it’s inarguable that she’s iconic. Song like Coal Miner’s Daughter and The Pill could arguably be on here (In fact, The Pill could pretty inarguably be on here, and almost was.), but I want to draw attention to You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man).
It’s not a song that seems like a big deal. The message is simple enough: you try to get my husband, you’re going to have to kill me. It’s even arguable that, in the modern world, this song isn’t particularly feminist. Two women fighting over a man. But compared to some country music that is also well-beloved (Like, I don’t know, Stand By Your Man, where we learn that sometimes men will have good times and women will have bad times, and women should just suck it up. Yikes.), having a woman stand up for something that she believes in (And not beg the other woman not to take her man, like in Jolene. Love Dolly Parton, but not the best messaging there, either.) is a hell of a step up. And frankly, it’s still a really fun country song.
Now I don’t think a list of feminist country would be complete without at least one Shania Twain song on it. I can hear the country purists typing their screeds now, but I’ve been a Shania fan since I was a kid. And while someone would probably expect Man! I Feel Like a Woman or Honey I’m Home or even Any Man of Mine. But I have to show a little bit of my cred, so let’s go off the singles track and pull something from her album. Something with an…unfortunately still relevant message to modern feminism: If You Want to Touch Her, Ask!
It’s basically about what the title suggests: consent. It also touches on the shocking idea of actually getting to know a woman on, like, a personal level. Bombastic advice, I know. It’s also a great example of pop country, as Shania Twain was one of the forefront country artists dipping her toes into pop at the time, and is still pretty synonymous with the pop country movement that eventually spawned Taylor Swift (Don’t you worry, T Swift’s country career is going to be discussed at some point.).
Before I get into the song I think is the strongest example of feminist country, I want to share one that actually comes from a male artist. And a well-beloved one. One who conservatives love, and apparently didn’t really listen to: Chattahoochee by Alan Jackson. I don’t like to quote lyrics, because lyrics get legally dicey, but this song is all about growing up down south and coming of age and blah blah blah. And it also includes a very casual instance of our young protagonist trying to hook up with his girlfriend.
Then she says no.
And then he listens to her saying no and they get burgers and snow cones. He doesn’t try to convince her. He doesn’t try to coerce her. In fact, they never hook up in the entire song. And his youthful summer isn’t ruined because of it. It’s still a happy song.
Almost like women are people and deserving of respect. Weird.
But okay. Let’s bring in the big guns. Classic country feminism that still holds up: Jeannie C. Riley’s Harper Valley PTA. I told you that country loves a story song in the last entry, and this is right in line with that. It’s the story of a widow, and a gossipy town who doesn’t like her wearing short skirts and going on dates. And the eponymous PTA sends her a letter to tell her she shouldn’t raise her daughter like that.
And our widow shows up to that PTA meeting in a miniskirt and her reading glasses, because she has receipts. She knows who knocked up his secretary, who’s sleeping with the iceman, and who’s got a drinking problem, and if they’re going to butt into her life, then the whole town’s going to know, too. Mrs. Johnson is not having that misogynistic bullshit.
Not today, Satan. Or rather, not today Mr. Baker.
(Sorry for the video. Far as I can tell, Jeannie C. Riley doesn't have a YouTube account. Shocking, I know.)
I’m not going to pretend that this is a comprehensive list of all the feminist country in the world. It’s fucking not, if that needs to be said. One passing mention of Dolly Parton, no mention of Trisha Yearwood, a passing mention of Reba McEntire, not a whiff of more modern female powerhouses like Carrie Underwood or Miranda Lambert or Kacey Musgraves (Who we stan.). But I hope that it gives you a little glance into feminist country. Enough that you might be able to start diving into it on your own, if you’re so inclined.
And that’s all I can really hope for.
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