Only Women Bleed
Madeleine Martin Lyrics
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He’s got the power - oh
She’s got the need
She spends her life through pleasing up her man
She feeds him dinner or anything she can
She cries alone at night too often
He smokes and drinks and don’t come home at all
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Man makes your hair gray
He’s your life’s mistake
All you’re really lookin’ for is an even break
He lies right at you
You know you hate this game
He slaps you once in a while and you live and love in pain
She cries alone at night too often
He smokes and drinks and don’t come home at all
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Black eyes all of the time
Don’t spend a dime
Clean up this grime
And you there down on your knees begging me please come
Watch me bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
Only women bleed
The lyrics of Madeleine Martin's song Only Women Bleed highlight the ways in which women suffer at the hands of men. The song speaks to the harsh inequalities and unfairness that exist between men and women in society. It focuses on how men use their power over women, leaving them feeling empty and helpless.
The opening verse suggests that women often feel trapped in a cycle of subservience, catering to their man's every whim, at the expense of their own desires and dreams. The next verse highlights the physical and emotional abuse that women may feel at the hands of their partners. The line, "He slaps you once in a while and you live and love in pain" speaks volumes about the emotional toll that physical abuse can have on a woman. This theme is underscored with the repetition of the chorus, "Only women bleed," which emphasizes the trauma and pain that women experience.
Interestingly, the song's title and chorus phrase "only women bleed" has been cited in feminist discourse, particularly in relation to menstruation. It has been used to challenge the idea that menstruation is somehow shameful or something to be hidden away. Furthermore, the song has often been interpreted as a rallying cry for women's rights, particularly in the context of the feminist movement.
Line by Line Meaning
Man's got his woman to take his seed
Men expect women to bear their children
He's got the power - oh
Men have the societal and cultural advantage over women
She's got the need
Women have the emotional need to be loved and cared for
She spends her life through pleasing up her man
Women often devote their lives to making their partner happy
She feeds him dinner or anything she can
Women provide for their partner's basic necessities, even sacrificing their own needs
She cries alone at night too often
Women bear the emotional burden of abusive relationships alone
He smokes and drinks and don't come home at all
Men often prioritize their own pleasures over the needs of their partner
Only women bleed
Men don't understand the emotional pain and struggles that women go through in relationships
Man makes your hair gray
Men can be the cause of stress and worry that prematurely ages women
He's your life's mistake
Men can be the reason for women's regret and misfortune in life
All you're really lookin' for is an even break
Women seek equality and fairness in relationships
He lies right at you
Men can deceive and betray women in relationships
You know you hate this game
Women resent the power imbalances and unfairness in relationships
He slaps you once in a while and you live and love in pain
Abuse, even physical, is accepted by some women as part of the cost of being in a relationship with a man
Black eyes all of the time
In abusive relationships, women often suffer physical injuries
Don't spend a dime
Women sacrifice their own financial well-being to meet the needs of their partner
Clean up this grime
Women are often left to clean up the mess left by men
And you there down on your knees begging me please come
Men often expect women to plead for their love and attention
Watch me bleed
Women suffer the emotional and physical wounds inflicted by men in toxic relationships
Contributed by Isabella P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.