March is Women’s History Month, and all month long, I’ve been sharing one song a day on YouTube and Instagram featuring a fantastic female performer. For those who haven’t been following me there (and you really should, it’s fun!), I decided to put them both together in one comprehensive format!
Here’s what’s been going on:
Day 1: The Runaways- “Cherry Bomb”
My favorite bad girls of rock kick down the door for this set list. How can you not love a band that gave us Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, and Lita Ford?
“Hello daddy, hello mom! I’m your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!”
Day 2: Dale Bozzio – Missing Persons – “Mental Hopscotch”
Before Lady GaGa was a glint in her daddy’s eye, Dale Bozzio was wearing transparent bras and elaborate metallic costumes and tearing it up as front woman for Missing Persons. As luck would have it, March 2nd is also Dale’s birthday!
Day 3: The B-52’s – “Give Me Back My Man”
Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson may have shared the vocals with Fred Schneider, but their distinctive voices never took a back seat. They alternated leads and harmony on many of the B-52’s best tracks, including this one, which gets me singing along with the chorus every single time.
Day 4: Debbie Harry – Blondie – “Rip Her To Shreds”
Was there ever a cooler rock goddess than Debbie Harry? She has everything: the voice, the attitude, the presence, and solid-gold style. So much love for this amazing woman.
Day 5: The Go-Go’s “Skidmarks On My Heart”
The Go-Go’s were the one of the first all-female groups I’d ever seen- thanks MTV!- and they blew my pre-teen brain.
Day 6: Pat Benatar – “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”
When I was a kid, my bestie LOVED Pat Benatar, so I got to listen to her a ton. When the Get Nervous tour was announced, my friend’s mom stood in line for hours to get tickets for her birthday. She came away with 4, and my friend got to pick 2 friends to bring with her to the show- and I was the first call. Pat Benatar put on the second concert I ever attended, and sparked my lifelong interest in live music. Anytime this song comes on, I will crank it up to 11 and wail along with this badass babe.
Day 7: Ellie Rowsell – Wolf Alice – “Giant Peach”
I figured I should start bringing in some of the younger heavy hitters on this list, before I got all stuck in the 80s! Ellie Rowsell has been killing it with Wolf Alice- from her heavy shred guitar to her whisper-to-a-scream vocals. When this song came out, I was living in Seattle, working a million hours a week at Amazon. I used to peel out of the garage at the end of each long day with a head-banging song turned up to full volume. “Giant Peach” dominated the list for months, scaring the hell outta the garage security guards and more than a few of my co-workers. That’s the power of rock and roll, folks.
Day 8: M.I.A. – “Paper Planes”
March 8th is International Women’s Day, and M.I.A. is my choice for the day. She has successfully blended sounds and styles from around the world, and changed perspectives on female artistry. The first time I heard this song, I cranked up the radio and thought, “Who IS this?” The “Straight To Hell” sample hooked me right off, but her swagger is what made me stay.
Day 9: Courtney Love – Hole- “Doll Parts”
Contrary to her name, Courtney Love is not always an easy person to admire, but I love her anyway. She lives life on her own terms and is never afraid to stand up for herself- even when it makes her sound bat-shit crazy. “Live Through This” came out at a pivotal time in my life, and said a lot of things that I could never quite put into words. “Doll Parts” is my favorite cut from that record, so it’s my choice for today’s spin.
Day 10: Merrill Garbus – tUnE-yArDs – “Bizness”
I first heard tUnE-yArDs on the Sound Opinions Best of SXSW 2011 show. It was love at first listen, and I couldn’t get my hands on this record fast enough. I was stunned to find that tUnE-yArDs the brainchild of one amazing woman- Merrill Garbus- who pushed music off in a whole new direction. Months later, “Bizness” was everywhere and WHOKILL was topping all the critics “best of” lists. SXSW kicked off on March 9th, so today I pay tribute to my favorite discovery from that festival.
Day 11: Laurie Anderson – “Babydoll”
This is the first Laurie Anderson song I ever heard, and I’m forever thankful to the friend who made me that mixtape. Laurie Anderson challenged my viewpoint on what music is ‘supposed’ to be like, and how female artists of any stripe are ‘supposed’ to behave. Brave, funny, interesting, and oh so smart….well, I just can’t say enough good things about her. I spin this tune anytime I’m madly scrambling on a project to remind myself why I got into the whole art thing in the first place.
Day 12: Betty Davis -“If I’m In Luck I Might Get Picked Up”
Ummm, are you sure you don’t mean…. Yeah, pretty damn sure I don’t mean Bette Davis, though they’re both on the scale of Badass Babes. If you are not familiar with the super funky sounds of Betty Davis, I urge you to check her out. She brought brash, upfront sexuality to her music at a time when it was scandalous for women. Radio refused to play her songs, and some of her shows were boycotted. Betty didn’t care. She was friends with JImi Hendrix and Sly Stone. She influenced Miles Davis during their brief marriage. She was smart and outspoken and just about as badass as they come. This song is her biggest chart success- reaching #66 on the #billboard R & B Chart in 1973, and my spin for a gloomy Monday morning.
Day 13: Siouxsie Sioux – “Cities In Dust”
For the teenage me, Siouxsie was a huge influence. She had the coolest look and angsty songs and artsy videos. Teenage me was totally down from the first listen. Then I saw her perform live and she kicked so much ass that I had to admit that adult me was totally down with Siouxsie, too. That was a million years ago, but I still play her songs at top volume and scare the hell outta my dog with my singing.
Day 14: Johnette Napolitano – Concrete Blonde – “Still In Hollywood”
I’ve loved Concrete Blonde since their first album dropped, and Johnette Napolitano is the main reason why. Her screw-you lyrics delivered in that raspy voice just make me happy. And she wrote some real bangers- save for that crap “Joey”. Yeah, I know it’s their big hit, but I really do not care for that tune. This is one of my favorites, and pretty much captures the whole L.A. experience.
Day 15: Chrissie Hynde – The Pretenders – “Bad Boys Get Spanked”
We’re halfway through the month, so it’s about time we got to one of my absolute favorite women in rock. I was trying to think of how to describe her and her influence on me, and words just fail. She’s flat out magnificent and one of the baddest dames to ever record. This isn’t my particular favorite off this album (that goes to “Talk of the Town”), but I felt it really represented so much of what she meant to me and thousands of other young girls. “You don’t listen, do you, asshole?”
Days 16 & 17: Cat Power – “Ruin” | Dessa – “Dixon’s Girl
I’ve been busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest, so I’m combining two days and limiting my usual gushing. I think Cat Power & Dessa are fantastic and these are two cuts you should check out, if you haven’t heard their music before. Ok, back to the madness…..
Day 18: Grace Slick – Jefferson Airplane – “White Rabbit”
Some days you need a little fearless energy, and no one delivers on that better than Grace Slick. I picked this song because once upon a time, I was suckered in to being part of a friend’s theater group. She entered us into some competition, and I had to sing this song, acapella, in front of a packed house while she did an interpretive dance about the Vietnam war. I know you’ll be shocked to hear that we did NOT win. But channeling Grace Slick made it possible for me to stand there and belt my heart out and not give a crap what anyone thought of me, which was a great lesson. Bringing a little much-needed Grace to my day….
Day 19: Brittany Howard – Alabama Shakes – “Don’t Wanna Fight”
Brittany Howard is a singular talent – her voice is so powerful, and her songwriting chops are stellar. But I have to admit that I didn’t much care for Alabama Shakes when I heard their first record. Nothing wrong with their talent- just not my cuppa. “Sound & Color” was a whole ‘nother matter. “Don’t Wanna Fight” was the first single I heard from this record, and it completely changed my mind about the band as a whole. And I just love when that happens.
Day 20: Big Mama Thornton – “Hound Dog”
Big Mama was an incredibly influential singer who never got the credit she was due during her lifetime. She made this song a # 1 hit on the R & B charts in 1952, selling over 500,000 copies – 3 years before a white boy named Elvis Presley made it his best known single- selling over 10 million copies. She wrote “Ball & Chain”, but it was made famous by Janis Joplin. Big Mama never got any royalties from that song, because the record company owned the copyright. Inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame shortly before she died in 1984, Big Mama’s influence on rock & roll is still widespread.
Day 21: Sleater-Kinney – “Get Up”
I came a little late to the riot grrrl revolution, having sunk into a deep hole of jazz for the better part of the 90’s. When I resurfaced, Sleater-Kinney was on their 4th album. Then this song caught my ear, and sucked me in. I love their energy and give them high praise for writing kick-ass rock songs.
Day 22: Annie Clark – St. Vincent – “Digital Witness”
I’ve liked Annie Clark for a long time, and have been super glad that her distinct and interesting music has found a wide audience. I have a soft spot for multi-instrumentalists, and she more than fills that bill, playing guitar, bass, synth and keyboards. She is constantly creating new sounds that challenge her and her fans, which is much appreciated. I love “Digital Witness” for the funky sound and the lyrics: “If I can’t show it, if you can’t see me / What’s the point of doing anything?”
Day 23: Annie Lennox – The Eurythmics – “Love You Like A Ball and Chain”
Annie Lennox blew my doors off from the first time I saw her on MTV. Gorgeous, androgynous, stylish, and oh lord, what a set of pipes! On top of that, she seemed like someone who could take care of herself, thank you, and you can just shut the door on your way out. I think this track (and this record) is where she completely lets that amazing voice takes flight.
Day 24: PJ Harvey – “Down By The Water”
I have kind of a love/hate relationship with PJ Harvey. I actually love her music, but she annoys the living hell outta me. I have no good reason for that at all, but sometimes that just how it goes. I do, however, have huge respect for her talent, her take-no-shit attitude, and influence on music. This is my favorite of her songs, and the whole album is truly fantastic.
Day 25: Amanda Palmer – Dresden Dolls – “Girl Anachronism”
Amanda Palmer, or Amanda Fucking Palmer (AFP), as she is affectionately known, is one of the most interesting artists I’ve ever come across- and I mean artist in the truest sense of the word. She’s a performance artist, a multi-instrumentalist, a blogger, and a memoirist. With the Dresden Dolls, she created a whole new genre- Punk Cabaret. She’s one of the few celebrities that I follow just because I find her so interesting and thoughtful- even when I don’t agree with her. This is the song I play really loud when I’ve had a shit day and just wanna scream.
Day 26: Ann & Nancy Wilson – Heart – “Barracuda”
In 1975, the Wilson sisters slammed open the hard rock door for women and knocked it off its hinges. With Ann’s powerful dramatic soprano, and Nancy’s driving guitar, they hit number 9 on the #billboard Hot 100 with their very first single, “Magic Man.” But their best known song may be “Barracuda,” and I chose this because it’s a lasting legacy to their female power. It was written as a big FU to their record company, Mushroom, after the Wilson sisters were pictured in a suggestive ad promoting “Magic Man” without their consent. The band and the label parted ways halfway through their second album (Magazine), and signed with Portrait records- where this song became their first hit for the new label- peaking at number 11. Rock on, ladies!
Day 27: Kim Deal – The Breeders – “Saints”
The Pixies were a huge band for me, and Kim Deal was a big part of that. When they split up, I was relieved that Kim went off and formed another awesome band- featuring mostly female musicians. The Breeders’ rough and punky sound still sounds great, and I was delighted when they dropped a new album this year. I haven’t listened to it enough yet to have a favorite song, so I’m going with “Saints” from Last Splash as my pick of the day!
Day 28: Carol Kaye – The Wrecking Crew – “The Beat Goes On”
I just love female bassists – there are more than a few on this list- and Carol Kaye is the reason why. As the only female member of a group of exceptional session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew, she laid down the bass on over 10,000 tracks – including this one. She brought the beat for Simon & Garfunkel, The Beach Boys, Quincy Jones, The Monkees, Nancy Sinatra, and dozens of others. Chances are, if it was recorded in LA in the 60’s or early 70’s, Carol Kaye was playing the bass. This may be the most easily identifiable bass line in her repertoire, so it’s my choice for song of the day!
Day 29: Janis Joplin – “Cry Baby”
When I think of classic rock voices, Janis is one of the first that springs to mind. Rough and ragged, a true rock screamer- she imbued songs with unbelievable passion and soul. She breathed life into old standards and brought blues to the front stage during the psychedelic era. I love how much she wrings out of this song, and the fact that the single is backed with “Mercedes-Benz”
Day 30: Kim Gordon – Sonic Youth “Kool Thing”
Kim Gordon was the absolute “It” girl of the early 90’s. Fearless, talented, gorgeous, and so damn cool; what more could you want? I picked this song because the lyrics are perfect for winding down this set list: “I mean, are you gonna liberate us girls from male white corporate oppression?”
Day 31: Tina Turner – “I Idolize You”
I decided to end the Women Who Rock set list with the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll. Tina Turner is one of the absolute baddest babes in rock history. She faced so many challenges, and roared back to become the one of the best selling artists of all time. She’s sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer (male or female) in history. She’s the only female artist to have concurrent Grammy nominations in pop, rock, and R & B. She has 12 Grammys, she’s a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors, and she’s in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone ranked her # 17 on their list of the 100 greatest singers of all time. “I Idolize You” is my very favorite song from her catalog, because I never heard a woman sing like that before, and it blew my mind.
I know there are a ton of fantastic female musicians that I missed on this list. Don’t worry, they’ll be showing up here and there!