Girl Songs

The songs my girls make up and sing in earnest voices are full of the vocabulary our culture gives them. It's all dancing and wishing on stars and learning to fly and things 'in my heart'.

My daughter A had a bit of an epiphany last night, while we were driving and listening to pop on FM radio. She sighed in sudden exasperation and said, "Mum, why do all the singers have the same kind of voice and the same accent? They all go like - " she raised her voice an octave, sang a couple of words with a nasal tone and soft r's and then made a sound like a sexy exhalation.

We talked a bit about that and how it was a bit annoying after awhile when everybody sang the same. Then an old Missy Higgins song came on, followed by Taylor Swift and Pink - none of whom sing "like that".

But still, her favourite female singer at the moment is Rhianna.

A loves (in this order): One Direction, Rhianna, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry.

M loves (in this order): Katy Perry, Delta Goodrem, Sia, Rhianna, One Direction.


I've become fond of some of their songs myself, partly because the kids love them so much. Others make me grind my teeth.

And it's always fun answering questions about lyrics like "stupid girls", "last Friday night", "I kissed a girl", and "I crashed my car and I don't care."

But to be honest I prefer those lyrics to the kind of "I'm learning to fly" schmaltz that inspires my girls' own songwriting.

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