This song makes ME weep. Rena Gertz – German Gaelic singer (fabulous) and occasional partner in musical crime, asked me if I knew a song about suffragettes, for a series of “Tales from a Claret Tower” in Cockenzie. I dound the “Suffragettes’ Hymn”, but Rena had lit a blue touchpaper in my head.
Although I dropped History at shool as soon as I could (silly boy) I knew the basic Suffragette story. However, a bit of Googling and reading soon had me raging.
As often happens, my rage comes out in song. This one now makes my eyes leak with anger and sadness that anyone could possibly think that it’s acceptable to treat women as lesser beings than men. There are differences (thank God!) but our history – and that of most other civilisations – is appalling.
Here is the sheet music
Here is the mp3 of Rena’s singing of it
and here are the words …
I give you food, I bathe your wounds. Let me speak. Hear my voice.
I bear your children in my body. Hear my voice.
I take you in my arms andd you enjoy a woman’s charms.
Now it’s time to let me speak, so hear my voice.
I smile and curtsey to your friends. Let me speak. Hear my voice.
I dress in silk. I dress in pain. Hear my voice.
I have appeased the will of man since time itself began.
Now it’s time to let me speak, so hear my voice.
I pull a wagon full of coal. Let me speak. Hear my voice.
I gut your fish. I card your wool. Hear my voice I dress your tin.
I hotch your lead. I’m still the lover in your bed.
Now it’s time to let me speak, so hear my voice
I test your guns. I fill your shells. Let me speak. Hear my voice.
I plough your fields. I cut your trees. Hear my voice.
I fill your bullets. I crack your codes. I mend your limbs and drive your roads.
Now it’s time to let me speak, so hear my voice.
I will be beaten and force fed. Let me speak. Hear my voice.
I will be raped and I’ll be jailed. Hear my voice.
We’ll debate and testify. And some will have to die.
Now it’s time to let me speak, so hear my voice.
Did these women die in vain to let me speak, to hear my voice?
Can I ply my woman’s brain and use my voice?
Emmeline and Lily Bell … and Emily as well. (*)
Without you, no-one would ever hear my voice.
(*) Emmeline Pankhurst was the best-known English suffragette.
Emily Davidson died when she threw herself, in protest, under the King’s Horse at the 1913 Derby.
Lily Bell was the pseudonym of Keir Hardie – leading Labout politician and a staunch, male, supporter of the Suffrage Movement.