Let It Go.
I am obscenely pleased Let It Go won for best song, and Frozen won for best animated feature (Though, really, let's be honest, I heard some people bitching about the Miyazaki film. Plus, Frozen has made a billion dollars- AND HAS NOT YET OPENED IN JAPAN.
I heart you, Frozen. Please be a sign of all the things we want to see done right, and a signal of change.
I saw the Nostalgia Critic did a video on Let It Go, and his general upset with the song's saturation. I find I have feelings about this.
Let It Go is impressive and memorable because it joins the otherwise thin ranks of showtunes written for women, specifically mentioning the female gender that are about power. Not sexual power, not a specific pop song (Which tend to be dated in their ouvre, and don't move generations the way showtunes do. I love Helen Reddy's I am Woman, Hear Me Roar, but lets be honest, how many girls today listen to 70's pop music?), but ballad type songs which are about having power which is not mastery of a man or love. Which are about lady characters making powerful decisions, and what that means for their lives. Songs about them being bold, confident and capable. Songs about them changing themselves. Not about what they want in the future, but about a decision made or an attitude being acted out that is present tense. Songs that are not about them embracing something evil. There aren't that many, honestly, and that means there are even fewer good ones.
Off the top of my bean?
Defying Gravity from Wicked (Oh, Hai Idina Menzel)
Rain on my Parade - Funny Girl
So, really, it's two positive songs. Can anyone add any that are powerful, positive and upbeat that are written for women?
For men, however?
This is the Moment- Jekyll and Hyde
Go The Distance - Hercules
I Am What I Am - La Cage Aux Falls
I Am the Starlight- Starlight Express
Kick Your Ass- The Toxic Avenger the Musical
Extraordinary- Pippin
Seize the Day - Newsies
There are more songs that are about women having power or making decisions that are funny or cute, as if it's adorable for them to be exercising such tools as confidence and capability. Women don't get show stopping ballads about being active and competent that are wholly sincere, outside of in their romantic lives. No. Their efforts to be active and powerful are more often framed as being just so precious. Like this:
Three Bedroom House from Bat Boy
Choose me Oprah from The Toxic Avenger the Musical
Simple Joys of Maidenhood Camelot
Cell Block Tango Cabaret
Big, Blonde and Beautiful Hairspray
Thoroughly Modern Millie from Thoroughly Modern Millie
Jersey Girl - The Toxic Avenger the Musical
Hey, can someone please find me the song where the man is happy to be a man because he gets to wear pants and women tell him how ruggedly handsome he is and that validates his whole existence?
No? Gosh that's odd, because there are a lot of songs that boil down to just that. Women having sexual power, relationship power, power of appearance and of course, enjoying her gender because of the male approval or how the male reacts to her, rather than what her gender does for her? Well. Got a few of those:
Mien Herr- Cabaret
Glitter and be Gay- Candide
We Are Women- Candide
How Lovely to Be a Woman- Bye Bye Birdie
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going- Dreamgirls
I Enjoy Being a Girl-Flower Drum Song
Many a New Day -Oklahoma
I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair - South Pacific
Please Don't Touch Me -Young Frankenstein
Miss Baltimore Crabs - Hairspray
Perfect Isn't Easy - Oliver and Company
Just off the top of my head.
I can think of more songs about women feeling insecure and distressed than I can about them being confident and capable. Think of that.
Not Getting Married Today -Company
Adelaide's Lament -Guys and Dolls
Going Through the Motions- Buffy the Vampire Slayer Musical
Holding on for a Hero- Footloose
Green Finch and Linnet Bird- Sweeny Todd
Soon as I Get Home - The Wiz
On the Steps of the Palace- Into the Woods
So. You know. Just off the top of my head! If you can think of any to add, please do!