Although on some level I do feel we have a responsibility to “humankind” I do agree with Christina in that it is not our job to concern ourselves with the moral righteousness of the masses, which often limits our potential.
With the Gibson Kids yearly concert upon us, Jimi and I decided it was time to show the kids how to ROCK instead of just singing rock. Therefore, when I was going through my mental rolodex of badass female moments, I couldn’t help but zero in on Christina Aguilera’s live performance of “It’s a Man’s World.”
Now I first heard the original version of this song sometime during the early 90s while living in Queens with my boyfriend. At the time I remember being thoroughly annoyed because my boyfriend, whose male ego was already over-inflated used to sing along with James Brown, badly I might add, about all the things man had created. Of course he would then point out that James was merely saying all of these accomplishments would mean nothing with out a woman or a girl. Yeah, yeah, I never took much comfort in that, especially since Mr. Brown’s career has been plagued with numerous allegations of abuse towards women.
Anyway, I eventually ditched the boyfriend picked up the guitar and proceeded to learn how to rock on my own. In my early years of performing I was always fascinated when watching men perform because they were allowed to abandon all niceties on stage and “Give It” in a way I sometimes feel we as women were not allowed to do for so long.
I probably didn’t really see a women rock until Tina Turner in 1993. I first became aware of her existence in her break out movie “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” It was the first time I saw a woman wearing super high heels, a short mini skirt and blood red lipstick working the stage like she was a man, while still oozing femininity.
Yes, yes I thought, "that is what I want to be, take that James Brown!
As I stumbled through my own musical career I would see glimpses of that magnificent combination in a few celebrities here and there, fellow singer friends and even in myself at times. But it wasn’t until 2007 at the Annual Grammy’s award celebration did that feeling I had in 1993 come crashing in like a hurricane!
It was February 11th when I unenthusiastically turned on the TV to see Christina Aguilera take center stage performing “It’s a Man’s World.”
“Agh is she kidding me, why is she singing that song?”
As I initially half listened to her rendition of the late James Brown song, I suddenly became glued to her every word.
“Jimi, get in here Christina’s tearing it up!”
The two of us sat there, smiling, listening and I realized what was once an annoying song and I mean annoying, was now sending chills down my spine. Was it Christina’s singing? Perhaps but even more than her singing for me was her deliverance of the song that sent me in a tailspin. I was watching this young, beautiful, contemporary singer combine feminity and aggressive male rock in a way I hadn’t seen since 1993. And when she hit the ground, growling like a ferocious female lioness protecting her cubs I knew I was watching perfection in the making.
“Damn it, I want to wear four inch heels, a white fitted suit, and red, red lipstick!
See that’s it, “WE” can wear our lip-gloss, non-animal tested mascara, super high heels while jumping out of airplanes, running for presidency, being a principal of a cutting edge school, running a casting company, owing our own restaurants etc. etc. And just so you know James Brown, Tabitha Babbitt created a circular saw in 1812; May Walton created the Locomotive Chimney in 1879 that went on the train that carried the heavy load that YOU sir sang so eloquently about. And Letitia Geer created the medical syringe in 1899 saving countless lives.
And Gibson Kids, boys and girls all learned how to move like Christina Aguilera last week.
