Single Mom Playlist: Songs to bring the fierce back
It is the end of the school year, the middle of summer visitation and vacation schedule back and forth, smack in the middle of the week's craziness and, let us be honest with each other, none of this inspires single-mama spit-fire.
Let us help. Or, rather, let Jill Scott and a few other really fired-up ladies lend you a little fierceness for a good excuse to let the homework, permission slips, spreadsheets and Post-Its pile up while you dance it off. You've already got that one IconoPop and plenty of versions of "I Am Woman" tucked away for good measure in your iTunes. Here are some more to click, play and crank to fill up on fierceness.
Single Mom Playlist: When you need to get all kinds of fired up with your own fierceness
Shame - Jill Scott, featuring Eve and The A Group
When Jill Scott belts out, just loudly enough to command all the attention, you don't just listen, you believe every little thing she tells you.
I can stand on my own
I'm magnificent
I'm the queen on the throne
I'm magnificent
I'm the magnificent
Goddess - Iggy Azalea
Do not judge Mz. Azalea by her fancy. She's taking her place on the stage. Why not get up there with her?
Ain't no one man can stop us
Bow down to a goddess
Goddess. Got it?
Unstoppable - Santigold
Santigold's controlled rage-y performance is an amazing counter to the smoothness in her voice, and seeing her on stage at a Lollapalooza years ago was one of the best shows I've ever seen. Her second album later fueled many afternoon, break-up mending runs through my neighborhood and on tormented treadmills. This song is so hardcore it sneaks up on you with one line you just sing over and over and over.
I got to be unstoppable (x47)
Shake It Out - Florence + the Machine
Sometimes, you've got to say aloud all the stupid shit you've entwined yourself in before you can let yourself let it go. That's the Cliff Notes for this song that starts off subtle and haunting and then opens up - way up. Let Florence be your personal chanteuse who looks like a Victorian aristocrat and speaks truth like the college roommate you're dying to emulate but also scares you just a wee bit by being so damn right.
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa
Fly - NIcki Minaj, featuring Rihanna
Ms. Minaj is no sweet thing and that's clear in her crass flow. And don't let Rihanna's choruses or Nicki's background vocals fool you into thinking this one is a lovely little "you go, grrrl." There's plenty of confidence here, just with a restrained growl.
They start coming and I start rising
Must be surprising, I'm just amazing
I win, thrive, soar, higher, higher higher
More fire
Brave - Sara Bareilles
I love that Sara Bareilles can kick up the fieriness a bunch of notches without a single cuss word and while maintaining that big-sister's-got-you little smile. This one might just be the anthem for every single one of us this year, daring to be braver, even braver than we already have been up until now. I dare you not to belt this out along with Bareilles.
Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is
Run the World (Girls) - Beyonce
We clearly can't have a fierceness playlist without including a Queen Bey classic. This one has already earned classic status, right? I mean, if Solange says we can call it that.
Strong enough to bear the children
Then get back to business
See, you better not play me
Steer - Missy Higgins
If you get all amped up by acoustic guitar and swoony lyrics, your fire will definitely be ignited by singer-songwriter Missy Higgins. Download her whole catalog immediately but listen to this one 23 times in a row first. Preferably with all the windows down on the open road at sunset.
The search ends here
Where the night is totally clear
And your heart is fierce
So now you finally you know that you control where you go
You can steer
What songs did we miss on this most-fierce playlist?