What It Feels Like For A Girl
Lyrics
(intro:)
Girls can wear jeans
And cut their hair short
Wear shirts and boots
Cause it's okay to be a boy
But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading
Cause you think being a girl is degrading
But secretly
You'd love to know what it's like
Wouldn't you?
What it feels like for a girl
Silky smooth
Lips as sweet as candy, baby
Tight blue jeans
Skin that shows in patches
Strong inside but you don't know it
Good little girls they never show it
When you open up your mouth to speak
Could you be a little weak
Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world for a girl
Hair that twirls on finger tips so gently, baby
Hands that rest on jutting hips repenting
Hurt that's not supposed to show and
Tears that fall when no one knows
When you're trying hard to be your best
Could you be a little less
Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world for a girl
Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world
What it feels like for a girl
Strong inside but you don't know it
Good little girls they never show it
When you open up your mouth to speak
Could you be a little weak
Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world for a girl
Do you know what it feels like for a girl
Do you know what it feels like in this world for a girl
In this world
Do you know
Do you know
Do you know what it feels like for a girl
What it feels like in this world
Credits
Written by Madonna and Guy Sigsworth
Produced by Madonna, Guy Sigsworth and Mark -Spike- Stent
Programming, guitars and keyboards by Guy Sigsworth
The intro is an excerpt from the movie 'The Cement Garden'. The words are spoken by actrice Charlotte Gainsbourg, daughter of Serge -je t'aime moi non plus- Gainsbourg. Madonna got her inspiration for the song after seeing this particular scene.
Album
Single
Madonna sure knows what it feels like for a girl, having made her way in an all-male world. Inspired by a scene from the movie 'The Cement Garden' she wrote about the complexities of a girl's life. The song was released on April 17, 2001 as the third and final single from Music. It peaked at #7 (UK), #23 (US), #2 (Canada, Italy) and #6 (Japan). A spanish version, called Lo Que Siente La Mujer, appeared on one of the maxi-singles and was performed at the Drowned World Tour.
Video
Madonna and her husband Guy Ritchie had their first professional collaboration when they decided to let Guy direct the video for What It Feels. Since Guy has only done gangster movies so far, many fans reacted surprised after hearing he would direct the video for this beautiful ballad. The result of the three day video shoot in LA in February, was a little gangster movie of his own. Not the ballad from the album was used, but instead the dancy Above & Beyond remix, which leaves out all the lyrics except the chorus. "This is an angry song and I wanted a matching visual with an edgy dance mix." Madonna said. "In the video I play a nihilistic pissed off chick acting out a fantasy and doing things girls are not allowed to do."
And quite some fantasy it is! We see Madonna pick up an old lady from a retirement home (called Ol' Kuntz Guest Home) and then leave with a yellow Camaro sportscar (with licence plate 'pussy' in front and 'cat' in the back) for a joy ride. She crashes a guy's car, steals money using a stun gun, shoots cops with a squirt gun, blows up a gas station,... "It's a violent video, not something you want to see before going to sleep" Liz Rosenberg commented.
In the US, MTV and VH1 decided to ban the video after only one airing on April 21, 2001. AOL streamed the video at the same time. MTV Europe did play the video, but only after 10 pm. Other music channels showed it in the daytime. It was only the second M video to be completely banned by MTV US; Justify My Love being the first. Erotica got airplay after midnight.
Tour
The theme of What It Feels Like For A Girl was definitely the main motive of the Drowned World Tour. First she appears as a cyberpunk girl, rocking on stage and standing up to her men, even toying with them (during Beautiful Stranger). When she returns as a Geisha girl she's put down on her knees for her male master, who defeats her during Nobody's Perfect. She fights back during Sky Fits Heaven and shoots another evil (male) spirit in Mer Girl. Before she transforms into a cowgirl, we finally get to hear What It Feels, but in a remix version. On screen we see an animated video, which shows a girl having a hard time, running from evil, with painful memories, images of rape,... Though in the end it turns out to be a bad dream. The video is part of the Manga movie called Perfect Blue.
In the last part of the show Madonna is a Spanish Senorita, dressed in a black Gaultier dress and sings Lo Que Siente La Mujer. Dancing only with female dancers embodies the female empowerment of the song. The show ends with the last shot of the WIFLFAG video.