I am Woman (well our Prime Minister is)

In honour of Australia’s first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard, pictured at her swearing-in ceremony today, the Song of the Week has to be I am Woman, the powerful, emotive feminist anthem written and performed by another successful Australian woman, Helen Reddy.

2010 has been a big year for the song, written in 1971. The song featured in Sex and the City 2 (it was sung by the cast members when visiting a culture with questionable women's rights) and was also played during the Oscars Ceremony when Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win Best Director.

With I am Woman Helen Reddy was the first Australian to have a #1 single in the United States and the first Australian to win a Grammy Award.

I am Woman
By Helen Reddy

I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again

CHORUS
Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman

You can bend but never break me
'cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul

CHORUS

I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
But I'm still an embryo
With a long long way to go
Until I make my brother understand

Oh yes I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to I can face anything

I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh, I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong

FADE
I am woman
I am invincible
I am strong
I am woman

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It is such an empowering song that I almost wish I was a woman so I could sing it without getting my gender confused.