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A look into the Impact of The Rise of Second Wave Feminism and Its Impact on Female Musicians
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Diana Ross
Diana Ross is widely considered one of the best musicians of the 20th century and defines the American dream. She has become one the bestselling musicians and artists of all time. Ross grew up in Detroit and was signed to Motown Records at a young age. There she went on to lead The Supremes, a successful Motown group of the 1960s. From there, she pursued a solo career. Her music defines the time period in that it pushes both racial and gender-based barriers.
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Throughout her long career, she has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Songwriters Hall of Fame, the NAACP Entertainer Award, and a long list of other accolades.
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"Touch Me in The Morning"
Her song "Touch Me in The Morning" is one of many number one songs Ross released in the 1970s. This song discusses the themes of autonomy in relationships as well as the idea of having multiple partners. It also alludes to premarital relationships that also defined the feminist movement of the 1970s. In this song, Ross attempts to break off a relationship with a man and asks him to touch her one more time. This implies a sexual relationship between the two. Prior to the Second Wave of feminism, women could not freely discuss intimacy and therefore this song would be deemed obscene. This song also embraces the idea moving on from someone you no longer love, whether through ending a relationship or divorce. The singer then states that both people could move on to a different relationship. During the 1970s, divorce rates skyrocketed as women had more of a choice in relationships, for the first time. This sentiment of moving on when the relationship does not work anymore could be shared with many women of the time.
The Song
Full Lyrics
Touch me in the mornin'
Then just walk away
We don't have tomorrow
But we had yesterday
Hey, wasn't it me who said
That nothin' good's gonna last forever?
And wasn't it me who said
Let's just be glad for the time together?
It must've been hard to tell me
That you've given all you had to give
I can understand your feelin' that way
Everybody's got their life to live
Well, I can say goodbye
In the cold mornin' light
But I can't watch love die
In the warmth of the night
If I've got to be strong
Don't you know I need to
Have tonight, when you're gone?
'Til you go, I need to
Lie here and think about
The last time that you'll
Touch me in the mornin'
Then just close the door
Leave me as you found me
Empty like before
Hey, wasn't it yesterday
We used to laugh at the wind behind us?
Didn't we run away and hope
That time wouldn't try to find us?
(Didn't we run?)
Didn't we take each other
To a place where no one's ever been?
Yeah, I really need you near me tonight
'Cause you'll never take me there again
Let me watch you go
With the sun in my eyes
We've seen how love can grow
Now we'll see how it dies
If I've got to be strong
Don't you know I need to
Have tonight, when you're gone?
'Til you go, I need to
Hold you until the time
Your hands reach out and
Touch me in the mornin'
(In the mornin')
We're blue and gold
And we could feel one another livin'
(Then just walk away)
We walked with a dream to hold
And we could take what the world was givin'
There's no tomorrow here
There's only love and the time to chase it
(But we had yesterday)
Yesterday's gone, my love
There's only now and it's time to face it
(Touch me in the mornin')