4 of the Most Powerful Female Protest Songs

Protest songs have been a staple throughout music history. Countless artists have pushed back at the way of the world through song. Below, find four female protest songs that have stood the test of time.

4 of the Most Powerful Female Protest Songs

1. “Strange Fruit” (Billie Holiday)

We’re starting our list with one of the most famous female protest songs of all time: Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.”

Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck
For the sun to rot, for the tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop

2. “We Shall Overcome” (Joan Baez)

Though many people have covered “We Shall Overcome,” the version Joan Baez released in 1963 is nearly the definitive. Her smooth vocals drive the sentiment of this song home. It’s hard to buckle in the face of adversity when you have her voice crooning in your ear.

We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome, someday

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3. “Born This Way” (Lady Gaga)

Though Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” isn’t a protest song in the traditional sense, it still sees her fight for change by way of comforting her listeners. Gaga has long been an advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. This is her most staunch way of declaring that stance.

Don’t hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you’re set
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way

4. “The Joke” (Brandi Carlile)

Brandi Carlile’s “The Joke” speaks to the racism, misoginy, and other bigotry that she feels has been running rampant in the country for the past few years. Released in 2018, Carlile pushes back at opposed political figures and their followers. It’s a brave declaration of her stance and view of the world.

“There are so many people feeling misrepresented,” Carlile once said. “So many people feeling unloved. The song is just for people that feel under-represented, unloved or illegal.”

Let ’em laugh while they can
Let ’em spin, let ’em scatter in the wind
I have been to the movies, I’ve seen how it ends
And the joke’s on them

[RELATED: Brandi Carlile Says Joni Mitchell’s Hollywood Bowl Concerts Will Be “Even Crazier” Than Previous “Joni Jam” Shows]

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)