Alicia Keys - A Woman's Worth Lyrics
You could buy me diamonds, you could buy me pearls
Take me on a cruise around the world
Baby you know I'm worth it
Dinner lit by candles, run my bubble bath
Make love tenderly to last and last
Baby you know I'm worth it
Wanna please wanna keep wanna treat your woman right
Not just told but to show that you know she is worth your time
You will lose if you choose to refuse to put her first
She will if she can't find a man who knows her worth, mhmn
Cuz a real man knows a real woman when he sees her
And a real woman knows a real man ain't afraid to please her
And a real woman knows a real man always comes first
And a real man just can't deny a woman's worth
If you treat me fairly I'll give you all my goods
Treat you like a real woman should
Baby I know you're worth it
If you never play me, promise not to bluff
I'll hold you down when shit gets rough
Baby I know you're worth it
She rolls the mile makes you smile all the while being true
Don't take for granted the passion that she has for you
You will lose if you choose to refuse to put her first
She will if she can't find a man who knows her worth, oh
Cuz a real man knows a real woman when he sees her
And a real woman knows a real man ain't afraid to please her
And a real woman knows a real man always comes first
And a real man just can't deny a woman's worth
No need to read between the lines, spell it out for you
Just hear this song cuz you can't go wrong when you value
A woman, woman, woman, a woman's worth
Cuz a real man knows a real woman when he sees her
And a real woman knows a real man ain't afraid to please her
And a real woman knows a real man always comes first
And a real man just can't deny a woman's worth
Cuz a real man knows a real woman when he sees her
And a real woman knows a real man ain't afraid to please her
And a real woman knows a real man always comes first
And a real man just can't deny a woman's worth
Mhmn mhmn mhmn mhmn mhmn mhmn….
"Alicia Keys: Beauty’s Only Skin Deep"
"Keys emerges as the latest “Black feminist” that relies on constructing her own musical agenda and beauty absent of her highly publicized youth and music industry guidance from label executives".
"Linda Seida says that “wisdom and experience transcends Alicia Keys’ youth” (All Music Guide, 2006). Perhaps this relates to Keys’ multi racial immersion into musical training and interests. The daughter of a White mother and African American father, Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981 in the rough “Hell’s Kitchen” section of Manhattan, New York (Denziel, 2003; Samuels, 2001). As a child, Keys is recognized as a musical prodigy with extensive training in ballet, classical piano, and voice. Keys is intrigued by diverse musical tastes that includes Prince, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Mary J. Blige, Chopin, Beethoven, and the Notorious B.I.G. Keys’ interest in music allows her to find inspiration in various artists rather than one specific genre of music.
Keys manages to incorporate numerous influences to create “Black feminism” that allows her youth to determine her musical abilities.
Keys’ education further drives her musical talents and objectives. At age 14, Keys begins to write songs and compose her own music. Keys enrolls into the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan only to graduate as the valedictorian at age 16 (Denziel, 2003; Seida, 2006). Keys briefly enters Columbia University but leaves to pursue her career in music. Keys lands a recording deal with Columbia Records but is confronted with pressure and reservations from the label to allow a young prodigy to take control of her debut project. Keys exemplifies taking a stance against powerful music hierarchies to define her potential and credibility to produce music of substance and focus.
Keys embodies “Black feminism” for her ability to stand up against a recording industry hierarchy to encourage her own vision to define her talent. The record label attempts to market her and construct an image that she does not want. Columbia Records supports Keys to become a conventional pop vocalist with sequined gowns, exposed cleavage, and high heels. The label even encourages Keys to abandon her piano and intentions to become a songwriter and producer. Keys says the label wants to mold her into another “Mariah or Whitney” clone (Samuels, 2001). This resistance from Keys symbolizes what Audre Lorde says is a “a refusal to be delineated by male establishment modes of femininity” (Tate, 1983). Keys leaves Columbia Records because of what bell hooks describes as “courageously claiming a right to personal integrity and refusal to don a false sense of self for anyone” (2001). Keys contends that she wants to be assertive in constructing her own intentions and motive in the music business outside of sex and being attractive to the male gaze".
Keys states,“People are into looks, but I don’t have to play into that. I’m not about showcasing myself like that. I’m not wearing booty shorts, low cut blouses, or see-through dresses for anybody. The music’s all I’m selling” (Samuels, 2003)".
“Black feminism” is displayed in part to Keys’ demanding self-esteem and willingness to define her own image based on her musical abilities".
Keys displays a music first work ethic over glamour and beauty. “Keys is not an artist that can be pigeonholed, so people expect her to create new paths rather than trying to fit into today’s scene. She is the ultimate artist – she writes, produces, performs, and arranges” (Hall, 2003)".
This song examines a woman's worth within the sphere of the public and private domains of black femininity especially in the context of of life in the ghetto. In the "you tube" video I have attached it opens with Keys walking across a ghetto street. The video tries to show the connection of her previous video "Fallin" in which she laments for falling for the wrong men. In "A Woman's Worth" she tried to detail his struggles in finding work. The song and video focus on the choices made by some women forced to work the streets. This song also depicts that these women make this choice with full knowledge of the social implications. She shows how these women have a sense of empowerment and dignity in our world today that for black women offer few substantive choices for economic empowerment. Their only other choices would be marriage, menial labor or low paying jobs as nurturers. Alicia Keys refers to these women as "proud walkin' women.
I do not think this song offers reliable choices for black women in general and certainly nothing to overcome sexist oppression. I think this song does address the choices and effects of women working the streets to survive and attain some economic freedom and allows us a chance to see street women and their profession in a different maybe even more acceptable light for gaining possible financial freedom.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PWunLT7Wgw
http://www.nbgsa.org/journal/html/0106
http://national black graduate student association
