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Women have been the inspiration for countless songs all over the world.
There is, in particular, a collection of musical pieces that acknowledges women as the incredible force who we truly are. These arrangements capture the beauty and power of diverse females everywhere, whether they live within the entertainment business and out in the real world.
In honor of women around the globe, here is ENTITY’s list of eight songs that have made their way to fame with the word “woman” in the title.
Released in 1993 on the album “The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album,” this song was originally released in 1978 by Chaka Khan before being covered by Whitney in the early 1990s, taking it to #4 in the U.S. after its release. Houston was inspired by her time working as a backup vocalist for Chaka Khan’s original version of the tune with her mother, Cissy Houston.
Released in 1967 on the album “Lady Soul,” this song was written for Franklin by the married couple Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Interestingly, the song features not one but three members of the Franklin family, including sisters Erma and Carolyn as the backing vocals for Aretha.
Roy Orbison was inspired to write this legendary song by his wife. According to Song Facts, Orbison was spending the day with this songwriting partner Bill Dees in his home when Orbison’s wife, Claudette, walked through the room to tell the men that she was going into town to shop. Orbison inquired if she needed any money, to which Dees commented, “Pretty woman never needs any money.” Energized, Orbison started crooning “Pretty woman walking down the street.” The rest is history.
Released in 1970 on the album “The Guess Who,” this song has largely been misinterpreted as patriotic. On the contrary, the tune was actually written by the band while on stage in their homeland of Ontario, Canada. It was, in a fact, an anti-war protest song, which is particularly apparent in the lines “I don’t want your war machines, I don’t want your ghetto scenes.”
Singer and songwriter Stevie Nicks has never come clean about the true meaning of this song, which was released in 1977 on the album “Rumors.” Some guess that it alludes the use of cocaine, which the band was consuming in large amounts during the recording of the album. It could also reference Nicks’ recently ended relationship with the band’s guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, as the pair used the production of the album as a means to express painful emotions felt towards one another.
Released in 1977 on the album “The Stranger,” this song was written by Joel about his first wife, Elizabeth, to whom he was married from 1973-1982. According to Song Facts, when the pair first started seeing each other, Elizabeth was still married to Joel’s drummer Jon Small. So tortured with guilt by his affair, Billy actually attempted to kill himself by drinking furniture polish. Incredibly, the singer ended up being saved by the very man he was betraying at the time.
After the tragic plane crash in the Bahamas that killed artist Aaliyah, “More Than a Woman” was released and went on to become the #1 song in the UK during 2001, making Aaliyah the first female to top the UK charts posthumously.
The most modern of songs on this list, “Woman’s World” was released in 2013 on the album “Closer to the Truth.” Cher has declared that the song itself is a female-empowerment anthem, one that is made for “strong women” around the world.
Even though “L.A. Woman” was first criticized as “cocktail music” by their then manager, Paul Rothchild, today it is known as a Southern California classic. The song captures the cruising, suburban and Hollywood love affair with the classic L.A. woman.
