Category Archives: Sexism

Women Got the Power

By Linda Jansen
Tune: Proud Mary, Rollin on the River

Women!  Women! Women got the power!
Women!  Women! Women got the power!

You may rarely see a woman
At the peak of power anywhere
But you gotta know that
Women are the engine
Making everything run everywhere
Women keep things turnin’
That’s one thing you should be learnin’

Women!  Women! Women got the power!
Women!  Women! Women got the power!

Dare we hope if women ran things,
Wouldn’t be the mess that we got now?
Poverty and famine,
War and global warming,
Come on, gutsy women show them how!
Women keep things turnin’
That’s one thing you should bw learnin’

Women!  Women! Women got the power!
Women!  Women! Women got the power!

Women! Women! Women got the power!
Women! Women! Women got the pow-er!

I Can See Clearly Now

  • tune: I Can See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash) 
  • from the Montreal Grannies

I can see clearly now one billion strong
Each sister dancing in her own way
Gone is the violence that kept her down
It’s gonna be a bright, bright love-filled day.
It’s gonna be a bright, bright love-filled day.

She knows she can make it now, the pain is gone,
All of the bad feeling has disappeared.
Here’s the respect that she’s been working for.
It’s gonna be a bright, bright love-filled day.

Look all around there’s nothing like freedom.
Look straight ahead, nothng but dignity.

  • repeat first verse

The Battle Hymn of Women

  • by Meredith Tax, Rise Up Singing
  • tune: The Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the flame of women’s rage
Kept smoldering for centuries, now burning in this age.
No longer are we prisoners in that old gilded cage
That’s why we’re marching on.

Chorus:
Move on over or we’ll move you
Move on over or we’ll move you
Move on over or we’ll move you
For women’s time has come!

You have told us to speak softly, to be gentle and to smile
Expected us to change ourselves with every passing style.
The only work for women was to clean and sweep and file
That’s why we’re marching on!

Chorus

It is we who’ve done your cooking, done your cleaning, kept your rules.
We gave birth to your children and we taught them in your schools.
We’ve kept the system running but we’re laying down our tools.
That’s why we’re marching on!

Chorus

We have broken through our shackles, now we sing a battle song
We march for liberation and we’re many millions strong
We’ll build a new society, we’ve waited much too long,
That’s why we’re marching on!

Chorus, twice, ending: YES, women’s time has come!

The Bad Old Days

  • from the Raging Grannies Songbook
  • tune: Ode to Joy

We’re the women who did the work so men could get the credit.
We said leave it all to us and wished we’d never said it.
Leave the dishes in the sink–you sit down and rest, dear,
I can do the clearing up, I can do it best, dear.

No, I don’t mind staying late–I’ll type another stencil
Can I get your coffee now? Let me sharpen your pencil!
We’re the women who did the work so men could get the credit.
We said leave it all to us and wished we’d never said it.

I’m sorry that the baby cried, I’m sorry that he wet you.
I’m sorry she threw up on you, I’m sorry he upset you.
We’re the women who did the work so men could get the credit.
We said leave it all to us and wished we’d never said it.

We’re prepared to do the work, but we want more than credit.
Equal pay for equal work–we’ll SING until we get it!

Bad Old Days

  • tune: Ode to Joy

We’re the women who did the work so men could get the credit.
We said leave it all to us, and wished we’d never said it.
Leave the dishes in the sink—you sit down and rest, dear.
I can do the clearing up. I can do it best, dear.

No, I don’t mind staying late—I’ll type another stencil.
Can I get your coffee now? Let me sharpen your pencil.
I’m sorry that the baby cried, I’m sorry that she wet you.
I’m sorry she threw up on you. I’m sorry she upset you.

We’re the women who did the work so men could get the credit.
We said leave it all to us and wished we’d never said it.
We’re prepared to do the work, but we want more than credit.
Equal pay for equal work–we’ll SING until we get it.
Equal pay for equal work–we’ll SING until we get it.