The Love Song is Dead or, The Making of Girl Power Five

Is the Love Song dead? Yes, girls, yes it is. Girl Powers One, Two, Three, and Four had no love songs, and Five certainly doesn't either. When I want to lift up my girlfriends, inspire them, I don't pick a love song. Seems like a trap, a giving in, a surrender. Never surrender, chicas.

Girl Power Five has been fun to make. With lyrics like these, it is an exploration in feminine whoop-ass:

It's him or me
That's what he said
But I can't choose
Between a vegan
And a pothead
So I chose you
Because you're sweet
And you give me lots of lovin'
And you eat meat

(She can't choose between two men, so she chose her dog.)
--"Man of the Hour" - Norah Jones

Then there's the country girl take on girl power, which often plays on themes of domestic abuse and killing the guy who done you wrong:

His fist is big
But my gun's bigger
--"Gunpowder and Lead" --Miranda Lambert

Then there's the hip hop take.

Hell no
I don't need your dough
I'm not gonna be your ho
You can keep your ring
Tough shit
I see you're full of it
I'm not gonna be your bitch
I don't care about your bling
--"Hell No" --Frankee

That is deep shit right there, girls. Deep, deep shit.

This is the way the world works. Women's boundaries are not a given. We must carve them out ourselves, bare our teeth, growl, and bite back if necessary.
Manage your own calendar, you rock-clapping Neanderthal.
Why don't you pick up a vacuum, genius?
Oh yeah, you're not willing to commit to the relationship? Then get the hell out.
Make your own damn dinner.
Hey, out there in la-la land - get involved with your family! Enough "you" time, jackass.
Guess what, hottie? Your good looks don't save you from waking up in the middle of the night with the baby.
Of course there are nicer ways to say these things, but if you want nicer, read someone else's blog.

There are consequences for fighting back, for asserting ourselves - loneliness at times, fucked-up relationships, horrible stereotyping labels - but as Alicia Keys says:

If I could touch the sky
I'd risk the fall
Just to know how it feels to fly
--"How It Feels to Fly" --Alicia Keys

Here's touch of mush: I'm grateful for all the strong women in my life who I lean on, who inspire me. Remember, the search for validation is fruitless. Just believe in yourself to begin with.