Woman (Five Minute Friday)

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As a woman of a certain age, I can’t help but remember these icons of womanhood that were presented to us via the television and radio. Young people today might not have had these examples of what it meant to be a woman to live up to, so instead of writing, I will share this piece of my childhood with all of you here.

I Am Woman
Helen Reddy
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an’ pretend
‘Cause I’ve heard it all before
And I’ve been down there on the floor
No one’s ever gonna keep me down again
Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman
You can bend but never break me
‘Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
‘Cause you’ve deepened the conviction in my soul
Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am…

Then there was this commercial:

I’M A WOMAN (Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller)
Peggy Lee – 1963
Maria Muldaur – 1974
Reba McEntire – 1979
Kate Dimbleby – 2000

I can wash out 44 pairs of socks and have ’em hangin out on the line
I can starch & iron 2 dozens shirts ‘fore you can count from 1 to 9
I can scoop up a great big dipper full of lard from the drippins can
Throw it in the skillet, go out & do my shopping, be back before it melts in the pan
‘Cause I’m a woman! W-O-M-A-N, I’ll say it again

I can rub & scrub this old house til it’s shinin like a dime
Feed the baby, grease the car, & powder my face at the same time
Get all dressed up, go out and swing til 4 a.m. and then
Lay down at 5, jump up at 6, and start all over again
‘Cause I’m a woman! W-O-M-A-N, I’ll say it again

If you come to me sickly you know I’m gonna make you well
If you come to me all hexed up you know I’m gonna break the spell
If you come to me hungry you know I’m gonna fill you full of grits
If it’s lovin you’re likin, I’ll kiss you and give you the shiverin’ fits
‘Cause I’m a woman! W-O-M-A-N, I’ll say it again

I can stretch! a green black dollar bill from here to kingdom come!
I can play the numbers pay the bills and still end up with some!
I got a twenty-dollar gold piece says there ain’t nothing I can’t do
I can make a dress out of a feed bag and I can make a man out of you
‘Cause I’m a woman! W-O-M-A-N, I’ll say it again
‘Cause I’m a woman! W-O-M-A-N, and that’s all

What exactly do I mean by a woman of a certain age? Well, you’d have to be a member of the exclusive fifty-and-over club to understand what I mean. You might get to be a member someday but not until you have lived long enough to gather up some wisdom and experience to share with those waiting to join the club. Not everyone lives long enough to get in, so those of us that do are the lucky ones because we can remember little ditties like those shared above.

I do not have rights to any of the above lyrics or videos, I simply share them here as a form of education. Enjoy!

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
The prompt this week is: Woman
The assignment: Write for five minutes on the word of the week. This is meant to be a free write, which means: no editing, no over-thinking, no worrying about perfect grammar or punctuation. Just write.

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