Hey there, Unicorns! I hope all is well in your patch of the world! The days are getting longer, it’s warming up, it’s Girl Scout cookie season… how can that not perk up anyone’s weary soul? I’m not made of stone.
So when I was assembling this list, I realized this month unintentionally had a theme — songs by women, and most of them are uplifting! How about that?
Without further ado, let’s get to it, kiddos.
1. Kacey Musgraves — “Follow Your Arrow”
I was on a road trip with my dear friend this past fall, a country music singer-songwriter and aficionado, when she pulled up this tune. I found myself immediately tapping along to it on the dashboard. This ditty is all about the impossible standards women are held up to — and how we need to say “screw ‘em” in one unified voice. But what I loved was that Musgraves is an ally (and one who gets underplayed because country music needs to get back to playing women more on the radio) that makes sure we know she’s with us (yay for queer allies in country!)
Kiss a boy if you want to. Or a girl. Or both! Just remember to be true to yourself.
2) Paula Cole — “Carmen”
All right, I am aware that my playlists have an awful lot of entries from the ‘90s. But what can I say? That’s when I came of age and started to hone my musical taste.
This entry comes from Paula Cole’s smash debut album and sounds like what would be playing in the background at your aunt’s sunny, hippie craft store. And that’s what I love about it. The vibe is comfortable with itself, a woman singing and pleading and considering returning to her lover. Sometimes there’s a certain pleasure in the begging itself. Though it sounds like Carmen may be a bit emotionally abusive (telling her she talks too much about herself?), there’s still a nice groove to this track that makes me want to settle into a beanie chair with an oversized cup of tea.
3) Jessie Paege ft. Lucy & la Mer — “Not A Phase”
Bringing us back into the 21st century is the alluring pairing of Jessie Paege and previous Mini TUS entrant Lucy with a catchy tempo and declarative bi anthem. Released on National Coming Out Day, this 2019 track is brimming with bi visuals and positive, queer messages. This song couldn’t be more fluid if it tried — and we are here. for. it.
4) Vanessa Carlton — “A Thousand Miles”
Easily her biggest hit, Vanessa Carlton publicly came out as bi a decade ago when she was headlining Nashville Pride. It wasn’t until she made news with that exclamation that I realized the song makes no mention of gender. One of the nice perks of being bi is we don’t have to change genders when we sing songs at karaoke — but it’s also nice to have ditties that work as-is.
Whether you think of her, or Terry Crews famously singing along, know that this mega-hit was written by a fully-fledged bi woman.
5) Nina Simone — “Suzanne”
A musical siren singing about a river siren? Yes, please.
Sure, this is a cover. But it’s a cover by a bi woman (yes, Nina Simone was bi) who was an absolute master of covers and musical arrangement. Just listen, and then come back at me about how this hypnotic tune doesn’t belong on this list.
6) Dolly Parton — “Jolene”
Wait. What now? I know this may seem like an odd choice, but hear me out. I was listening to the (highly recommended) podcast Dolly Parton’s America a few months back when the series began to dissect her breakthrough hit. There was one professor in particular who pushed the theory that the character in the song is putting a queer twist on the “cheatin’ man” song, a staple of the country genre. Instead of angrily coming at the problem ready to slash the adulterer’s tires, “Jolene” comes from a place of empathy for the other woman — to the point that the listing of her attributes almost sounds like she’s in love with Jolene herself.
When the series creator asked Dolly about this interpretation (and played her an extra verse the academic had penned for the song), the longtime LGBTI ally laughed and said that wasn’t really her intent with the song… but she can understand the interpretation.
So hey, that’s enough approval from the Mozart of the Appalachians for me to go ahead and accept it as queer headcanon.
7) Kesha — “Rainbow”
That’s right — I spelled her name without the dollar sign. That’s because I don’t want to link to any of the singer-songwriter’s previous tunes (much as I love the unicorns-and-James-Van-Der-Beek silliness of “Blow”) because I don’t want Kesha’s former producer and assaulter to get a lick of cash from any clicks.
I’d rather focus on this uplifting song, all about healing and coming back into the light. Kesha has always been proudly bi, and recently opened up about how happy she is with her boyfriend and being openly poly. We deserve to celebrate the musician who is finally starting to feel comfortable within herself, out of the financial and emotional grip of her assailant. What’s more uplifting than that?
Okay, my darlings, that’s what I’ve got for this installment. Check back next month for even more delicious ditties to fill your queer ear-holes.
Until then — keep your head up, fam. It’s what Tupac wanted for us.