Do you think the song ',For Lovin Me,' is chauvinistic?

[AZroute74]

It's chauvanistic, but then so are any number of songs nowadays. Usually in the reverse--somehow it's OK to bash men. Shania Twain's "Any Man of Mine" comes into my mind, but turn it around to where a man is saying, "Any woman of mine better do this and do that," especially when it's the dehumanizing groveling Twain sings about, and watch women's groups pounce.

I've got a hundred more like you
So don't be blue
I'll have a thousand 'fore I'm through

Perfect. I love it. I applied it to an ex husband who left me, and whose sister considers me a slut for no discernable reason, so when he left me he thought it wouldn't hurt me and he'd be "replaced" within a week. I threw that at him. I wanted to throw other things at him too, like cast iron skillets and chef's knives, but I decided not to.

[Tom]

Do you think the Gordon Lightfoot song,"For Lovin Me," is chauvinistic? It may be chauvinistic, but it's not misogynist.

Elvis Presley recorded a nice version of that song in 1973 for the "FOOL" album.

[AZroute74]

Waylon Jennings did it too.

And apparently Lightfoot returned the favor during the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olymics in Calgary, when he sang "Four Strong Winds," which Jennings wrote.

[Jesse Joe]

I always thought Ian Tyson wrote, "Four Strong Winds."

Ian & Gord did do it at, the Opening Ceremonies, in 1988 in Calgary, along with Lightfoots, "Alberta Bound."

[ September 04, 2006, 08:36: Message edited by: Jesse -Joe ]

[charlene]

Tyson wrote Four Strong Winds:

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.c...=U1ARTU0001268

[AZroute74]

Oops. Then the information I read on my Waylon Jennings collection was incorrect. That's where I got it.

Blush.

Back to add: Yes, after double checking myself, I was wrong about who wrote Four Strong Winds. Jennings was a very early recorder of the song, Bobby Bare heard his version and then recorded his own cut, but Jennings' version sort of put him on the map....

But the liner notes in my Waylon Jennings anthology did say something about Bare "covering Waylon Jennings's song 'Four Strong Winds,'" which would give the impression that Jennings wrote it. "Four Strong Winds" itself is not on my anthology, so I could not tell from the liner notes who exactly did. I hope it's understandable why I made the mistake.

[ September 09, 2006, 22:43: Message edited by: AZroute74 ]

[Jesse Joe]

Hi AZroute74, your mistake is often done by many people, because that song was done by so many artists. Many folks think it belongs to Neil Young. But Ian Tyson is the mind behind it...~Jesse~

It is a good one.

[MistyMoppens]

No. But it comes off more of soar grapes to me because it's so cocky, self righteous and a tad bit mean. It's the attitude of an immature guy - I thought he'd grow out of it. No big deal. The actual tune is great, though.

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

Do you think the Gordon Lightfoot song,"For Lovin Me," is chauvinistic?


In the 60's, 'The Women's Right' movement, gaved him "heck" about that song. He told an interviewer, that he still performs it today on occasion. He said, "It's a good one, it depends on how you look at it"...


For Lovin' Me, ©1966 by Gordon Lightfoot

That's what you get for lovin' me
That's what you get for lovin' me
Everything you had is gone, as you can see
That's what you get for lovin' me

I ain't the kind to hang around
With any new love that I've found
'Cause movin is my stock 'n trade, I'm moving on
I won't think of you when I'm gone

So don't you shed a tear for me
'Cause I ain't the love you thought I'd be
I've got a hundred more like you, so don't be blue
I'll have a thousand 'fore I'm through

Now there you go you've cried again
Now there you go you've cried again
But then some day when your poor heart is on the mend
I just might pass this way again

That's what you get for lovin' me
That's what you get for lovin' me
Everything you had is gone, as you can see
That's what you get for lovin' me
That's what you get for lovin' me

[ July 11, 2006, 05:47: Message edited by: Jesse -Joe ]

I don't see how it could be.

Obviously the guy in the song is being a jerk but it's also one of those song about a rambler who moves around, stays with a woman for a while and leaves and who knows how many such songs have been written though the years.

[Mike Dixon]

No way is it chauvinistic. It's brilliant in its message.

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

There've been many other songs that sound like For Lovin Me where man in the song is a rambler, stays with a woman for a while and them move on.


Here's some cases.

Rambin Gamblin Bob Segar.

Ramblin Man Allman Brothers.

Heard It In A Love Song/Take The Highway both by The Marshall Tucker Band.


I'm sure there's more and did any women's group go after them?


Now here's 2 examples that would be chauvinistic.


I Got A Woman-Ray Charles

one verse goes like.

"Never running in the streets and leaving me alone, she knows that a woman's place ins right there down in the home."


It's a Man's World-James Brown.


Think those sound more like it.

[Kelly Davis]

I had to look through the posts to make sure I had not responded to this before.

I think it is kind of chauvinistic. There are worse things.

Kind of adds to his charm - sorry if this offends, ladies.

I think he's 'grown up a bit' since he wrote this one.

[MistyMoppens]

Originally Posted by Kelly Davis

I think he's 'grown up a bit' since he wrote this one.

Kelly, so do I!

[paskatefan]

Originally Posted by Kelly Davis

I had to look through the posts to make sure I had not responded to this before.

I think it is kind of chauvinistic. There are worse things.

Kind of adds to his charm - sorry if this offends, ladies.

I think he's 'grown up a bit' since he wrote this one.

That's my take on this song & his attitude towards it today, too!



Gail

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

Would you think of it any different back then?

[paskatefan]

^ Is your question directed to me or just in general?

Gail

[Martyn Miles]

Gosh, this subject really has ‘got people going’ in a big way.
It’s brought out some stories I’d rather not know about...

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

Originally Posted by paskatefan

^ Is your question directed to me or just in general?

Gail

What does it sound like and do you have a problem that I'm even asking?

[paskatefan]

^ No, not @ all!



Perhaps he didn't think it was chauvinistic @ the time that he wrote it, but times have certainly changed. There's no way he would write a song like that now, or consider singing it in these times.



Gail

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

I don't see why he wouldn't now or what a song like that would be less acceptable.

[charlene]

He speaks of it in the documentary that he (and many men) back then didn't even know what chauvinistic meant. It was how things were. He learned how it was hurtful to those he loved and stopped singing it. When we know better we do better seems to be his philosophy, as it is mine..

Originally Posted by paskatefan

^ No, not @ all!



Perhaps he didn't think it was chauvinistic @ the time that he wrote it, but times have certainly changed. There's no way he would write a song like that now, or consider singing it in these times.



Gail

[Affair on Touhy Ave.]

I see.

I just don't see how a song like that could have been looked upon as negative now and not back then especially for the other examples of similar songs about rambling on or the fact that there are probably a lot of stuff that's been put out years later or even to this very day that are the same way.

[charlene]

back in the day that's how men were when it came to women be it in their personal relationships or work relationships.. and especially in a male driven career...the women's lib movement began because of it..men felt that they had the right to be boorish and derogatory with women that was just part of the lessons they learned going back many generations. they never considered it chauvinism because they felt it was just how things were... it was not in their conscious thinking to reflect that they were ''chauvinistic''.. and it carried into years to come and in some ways it still exists...

[Mike Dixon]

... and many would say it's gone full circle

[Rob1956]

I think the song is just a snapshot in time of a guy with a chip on his shoulder. I suspect Meredith got a hold of her father and filled his head with notions.