Fight back, in large numbers
Together we can make a safe home
Welcome to new subscribers and regular readers! Thank you for joining me for today’s song, “Fight Back” written and sung by Holly Near (2002). If you’d like to hear the song before you read about it, I’ve included a video below the article. Below, you’ll find my interpretation of the lyrics which are written in italics. For Japanese students, vocabulary words in bold are provided in Japanese below. TOEIC (PBT) 450+, Eiken 2, CEFR B1.
(329 words)
For hundreds, possibly thousands, of years, in many cultures, women have been the victims of physical and psychological abuse and attack. This song talks about this problem and shows that women can also take control of the situation.
When women leave the house, especially at night, we have a kind of sixth sense. We look around. We check the street. We know by instinct if there is someone walking nearby.
By day I live in terror
By night I live in fright
For as long as I can remember
A lady don't go out alone at night, no no
A lady don't go out alone at night
The singer knows about these risks, and she understands that this assault can happen at any time, day or night.
But I don't accept the verdict
It's a wrong one anyway
‘Cause nowadays a woman
Can't even go out in the middle of the day, safely
Can't go out in the middle of the day
So, the singer calls upon all women to stand up to those who intend to harm us.
And so we've got to fight back
In large numbers
Fight back, I can't make it alone
Fight back, in large numbers
Together we can make a safe home
Together we can make a safe home
Women all around the world
Every color, religion and age
One thing we’ve got in common
We can all be battered and raped
We can all be battered and raped
One option is to stay home, alone, and never go out. She, however, is not willing to accept this as her option. She will fight to keep her freedom of movement.
Some have an easy answer
They buy a lock and they live in a cage
But my fear is turning to anger
And my anger's turning to rage
And I won't live my life in a cage, no!
How often do men not feel safe walking alone on the street, day or night?
Leaving a comment is a good way to practice your writing skills.
Vocabulary
psychological 心理的
instinct 本能
fright 恐怖
verdict 評決
nowadays 近頃では
be battered 暴行される
cage 檻
Fight Back · Holly Near
And Still We Sing: The Outspoken Collection
℗2002 Calico Tracks Music
To learn more about Holy Near and her music, please visit https://hollynear.com/
#英検2級 #TOEIC #CEFRB1
It is a great strangeness for me to even think about my safety at night out here in the wilderness Louise, except, of course, for the wild boar there is nothing to make me fearful and thankfully they make such a noise it is generally easy to find a safe place to perch while they pass.
I wish I could say I have never had any experience of night predators in a city, I wish I could say women are as safe as men but they are not. I am not certain there is an answer to this either except there is safety in numbers, I was alone, had I not have been, I would not have been accosted.
“How often do men not feel safe walking alone on the street, day or night?”
I don’t know that there is a single definition of “feel safe” between women and men. Ie: no one scale that would allow a valid comparison. Generally, as a man, I don’t think about this at all, so I feel “safe”. But, women have greater constant awareness than men because there is more activity across the Corpus Callosum in females. Hence males are too one-hemisphere focused and may be somewhat ignorant to danger. This came to my attention one night when I walked over to the bank ATM in a strip mall. I was focused in my mind on a problem I was trying to work out and was approached by 4 guys half my age. The lead one asked if I had a “light”, which triggered my awareness that a robbery (or worse) was in play. That’s how ignorant of danger I was. I said “no” and for some reason decided to reach into my jacket pocket. The lead guy noticed that immediately and figured I was reaching for a gun I suppose. All that was in my pocket were my keys. But lesson learned and in the years since I guess I have avoided other problems. But, “feeling more safe”? This isn’t an immediate feeling in the male I think. More of a calculation.