"She", a song of Tommy James (1966), compared to "Woman", a song of John Lennon (1978) - and its relevance towards the position of women in the society.
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The 1966 song of Tommy James pictures a subservient woman who loves her man unequivocally. She serves her man, telling how much she loves him anyway she can. When she thinks, she thinks only about her man. Even when she stands alone, she trusts her man. This song is romantic and nice, but the woman functions as a negative photo print of the man. Without being together, hand in hand, she is nothing. It is the wish of every lover- the partner who is ever ready for him/her. However, it is exactly that - a wish. .
Every human being has a basket of interests defining him/her individually. Neither men nor women can be determined by love to one person only. Next to love for an individual, there is work, studies, hobbies, interests, relations with family and friends, dreams and expectations, future, history and past which defines a person. Limiting the individuality of a woman to her love for a man, is denying her identity and making her subservient to that love and, ultimately, the male. .
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The song of Tommy James reflects the societal thinking in 1966 about the role of men and women. In most of the Western world, up to the 1960s, the man heads the household and, as the economic cost-winner, is at the center of it. Other family members have to serve him. Girls are expected to dream about "their prince seated on a white horse" and once he indeed came along, marriage is the next logical step. Married, a female loses her identity. Not her individual dreams or expectations count but her loyalty to the male and, thus, the family. She bears the children and raises them, depending on the man to provide economically. Men define themselves through their work; success at work means success in life. Women define themselves through their relationships.
