In 1954 she recorded tracks for the Republic record label, two of which featured Little Richard on piano and a third with Richard as backing vocalist.
Kittrell was born in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, and went on to work with Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams, John Coltrane, Johnny Otis and Earl Bostic.
In 1967, Kittrell was wounded while performing to troops in Vietnam, and recorded her final music in 1968. Throughout her life Kittrell recorded thirty four tracks for six separate labels.
Kittrell died in 2001 of emphysema at the Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Christine Kittrell was born on August 11, 1929, into a musical family in Nashville, and decided that singing would be her life's work after singing in church, and listening to records by Vela Johnson, Dinah Washington, Billie Holliday and Bessie Smith. During the '40s and early '50s, Kittrell toured extensively, and recorded for Tennessee, Republic, Federal, King and Vee-Jay Records over her career. During the summer of 1952, a little independent label based in Nashville called Tennessee Records released a blues recording called 'Sittin' Here Drinkin'' /'I Ain't Nothing But a Fool'. In 1952, Little Richard played piano on one of her songs, 'Lord Have Mercy (I'm So Lonely)'. Christine then moved to Republic Records, also in Nashville, and recorded with the Gay Crosse Band, who had in their number a young tenor player called John Coltrane. Christine was starting to rack up sales of over 20,000 per single. Around this time, she toured regularly. DJ Gene Norman organised a show with The Robins, Christine Kittrell, Earl Bostic, and The Flairs at the Embassy Ballroom in LA, and to tour California in March. Other West Coast tours would follow, with "Fats" Domino, Earl Bostic, Paul Williams, John Coltrane and more. Success as a national R&B artist seemed imminent. At this point in 1954, Christine decided to return to gospel music. She moved to Columbus Ohio in 1962, to make a new home. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller sought her out and wrote the song 'I'm a Woman' for her, which she recorded on Vee-Jay along with some other, but none of them sold well, and she returned to her gospel once more. In the mid '60s, she went on a Southeast Asian tour where she sang for the troops in Vietnam. She stayed there for 8 1/2 months, intending to stay longer. The tour was terminated, almost literally, when Christine was wounded by shrapnel in a Viet-Cong incident. She made a come-back in the '80s and spent her remaining few years working with a beautification group, the Linden Community in Action. Kittrell was inducted into the Columbus Senior Musicians Hall of Fame in 1998 and died on 19th December 2001.
I'm A Woman
Christine Kittrell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can starch and iron 2 dozen shirts before you can count from 1 to 9
I can scoop up a great big dipper full of lard from the drippin's can
Throw it in the skillet, go out do my shoppin',
be back before it melts in the pan
'Cause I'm a woman
W-O-M-A-N
I'm a woman
W-O-M-A-N
When you come to me all sickly you know I'll make you well
When you get all hexed up you know I'll break the spell
If you come to me hungry I'll fill you full of grits
If it's lovin you like then I'll kiss you, and give you shivery fits
'Cause I'm a woman
W-O-M-A-N
Whoa I've gotta say it again
I'm a woman
W-O-M-A-N
I got a 20 dollar gold piece says ain't nothin I can't do
I can make a dress out of a feed bag and I can make a man out of you
'Cause I'm a woman
W-O-M-A-N
Whoa I'll say it again
I'm a woman
W-O-M-A-N
Yeah Yeah Yeah
Woman
Oh yes I am
In Christine Kittrell's song "I'm a Woman," the singer proudly boasts about her abilities as a woman. She starts off by describing her domestic skills, noting that she can wash and hang out 44 pairs of socks in no time, starch and iron two dozen shirts before anyone can count from 1 to 9 and even cook with ease. She emphasizes her strength, efficiency and ability to handle the demands of a busy household.
The song then transitions to the singer's role as a caregiver, offering to heal any sickness, break hexes, make meals, and provide physical affection when needed. She is not only a homemaker, but also has a nurturing side, driven by her natural instincts to care for those around her. The chorus emphasizes the message - "Cause I'm a woman, W-O-M-A-N" - that she is proud of who she is and what she can do.
The song challenges gender roles and stereotypes at a time when women's rights were barely acknowledged. It depicts women as capable and powerful, capable of doing anything they set their minds to. It's a message that resonates with listeners and continues to inspire women across generations.
Line by Line Meaning
I can wash out 44 pairs of socks and have 'em hangin' out on the line
I am capable of washing and drying a large amount of laundry, specifically 44 pairs of socks, and hanging them outside to dry.
I can starch and iron 2 dozen shirts before you can count from 1 to 9
I am able to starch and iron 24 shirts very quickly, faster than you would be able to count to 9.
I can scoop up a great big dipper full of lard from the drippin's can Throw it in the skillet, go out do my shoppin', be back before it melts in the pan
I can quickly scoop up a lot of lard from the drippings container and cook with it before it melts, even if I need to leave to go shopping.
'Cause I'm a woman W-O-M-A-N Whoa I'll say it again I'm a woman W-O-M-A-N
I am emphasizing that these tasks are things that I, as a woman, am able to accomplish with ease.
When you come to me all sickly you know I'll make you well
If you are sick and come to me, I will treat you and make sure you recover.
When you get all hexed up you know I'll break the spell
If you are cursed or under a spell, I am capable of breaking it and freeing you.
If you come to me hungry I'll fill you full of grits
If you are hungry, I can feed you a satisfying meal of grits.
If it's lovin you like then I'll kiss you, and give you shivery fits
If you desire love, I will show affection towards you that may cause shivers of excitement.
'Cause I'm a woman W-O-M-A-N Whoa I've gotta say it again I'm a woman W-O-M-A-N
Again, I want to emphasize that all of these abilities are things that I can do as a woman.
I got a 20 dollar gold piece says ain't nothin I can't do
I am so confident in my abilities that I am willing to bet that I can do anything that is asked of me, even if it seems challenging or impossible.
I can make a dress out of a feed bag and I can make a man out of you
I am so skilled that I can create a fashionable dress out of a common feed bag, and I am also capable of improving or transforming someone else, such as turning them into a better partner.
'Cause I'm a woman W-O-M-A-N Whoa I'll say it again I'm a woman W-O-M-A-N Yeah Yeah Yeah Woman Oh yes I am
To conclude the song, I am once again asserting that as a woman, I am a skilled and capable individual who should be recognized for my abilities.
Writer(s): Mike Stoller, Jerry Leiber
Contributed by Molly N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
luvrboy321
Good Lord, if there was a song for my dear, sainted Mama...
Boddissatva
Love this