Are you sure about that? I think this is one of those instances, common in performing arts, where the character can seen literally or as a "commentary" or satire on a certain way of being, and I always took this song literally and thought it was beautiful, like where she goes "I am wearing my new dress tonight / But you don't, but you don't even notice me." Actually, I just read through all the annotations of the lyrics on Genius.com and everyone who wrote there takes it seriously too, as a sentimental and longing love ballad. That above lyrics is explained as "Her ideal of a traditional domestic situation has turned on her. She wanted to care of someone as a way to be needed and express love, but her care and love are not reciprocated in the way she wants." And an earlier commenter says about the chorus, "She is looking for an ‘older’ style gentleman. Another way of interpreting this lyric is that chivalry is dead." If it's a feminist critique of the patriarchy, the message was missed by probably most people, if not almost everyone.
"In a Songfacts interview with Cole, she said: "It's so many things woven together: wit, irony, humor, melancholy, and gender role examination. It's all these things put together musically in this plaintive, Americana pop way."
Cole is a staunch feminist and wrote this song with a sideways glance at gender stereotypes. The nuance of the song was lost on many listeners, who thought it was simply about a woman yearning for a manly man to take care of her."
Paula Cole was a feminist and this is an anti- man song about gender stereotypes.
Are you sure about that? I think this is one of those instances, common in performing arts, where the character can seen literally or as a "commentary" or satire on a certain way of being, and I always took this song literally and thought it was beautiful, like where she goes "I am wearing my new dress tonight / But you don't, but you don't even notice me." Actually, I just read through all the annotations of the lyrics on Genius.com and everyone who wrote there takes it seriously too, as a sentimental and longing love ballad. That above lyrics is explained as "Her ideal of a traditional domestic situation has turned on her. She wanted to care of someone as a way to be needed and express love, but her care and love are not reciprocated in the way she wants." And an earlier commenter says about the chorus, "She is looking for an ‘older’ style gentleman. Another way of interpreting this lyric is that chivalry is dead." If it's a feminist critique of the patriarchy, the message was missed by probably most people, if not almost everyone.
https://genius.com/4917681
She said so in an interview.
"In a Songfacts interview with Cole, she said: "It's so many things woven together: wit, irony, humor, melancholy, and gender role examination. It's all these things put together musically in this plaintive, Americana pop way." Cole is a staunch feminist and wrote this song with a sideways glance at gender stereotypes. The nuance of the song was lost on many listeners, who thought it was simply about a woman yearning for a manly man to take care of her."