Respect: Women and Popular Music [Hardcover]

Dorothy Marcic (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 2002

An entertaining and unique look at the role of women in 20th century America through well-known songs. Dorothy Marcic has created a fascinating and original story chronicling the development of women. Using the country's Top 40 hits with archetypes, lyrics, and personal stories from 1900 through 2000, she shows how in the early part of the century song lyrics resonated with women's dependency and compliant natures; echoed their eventual rebellion in the late 1960s; and mirrored their development as mature, independent persons in the 90s.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dorothy Marcic, ED.D., is a faculty member at Vanderbilt University. She was Fulbright Scholar at the University of Economics in Prague and the Czech Management Center. She teaches at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and at the University of Economics in Prague. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 259 pages
• Publisher: Texere; 1 edition (March 20, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587990830
• ISBN-13: 978-1587990830
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #754,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Respect: Women and Popular Music, March 28, 2002

By 

J. C. Thomas (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Respect: Women and Popular Music (Hardcover)

Respect: Women and Popular Music is a powerful book that chronicles the best known music of women in the 20th Century and examines the sociological and personal implications the music had. Marcic masterfully weaves a relationship between the development of the music and the development of women over the century. From the early 1900s, the lyrics of dependency eventually evolve into the powerful lyrics of independence and resolve heard in the late century.

A particularly effective feature of the book is the use of personal rememberances about the music. These diverse reflections show how the music enters our hearts and minds -- our consciousness and unconsciousness. This technque further shows how the music not only reflects our roles, but may powerfully influence our roles and may even empower, motivate and affirm us toward change.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to take a deeper and different look at the development of women and their roles. It presents a new and refreshing perspective, not shown before in the literature about women.

After having finished book and being a person who grew up in the fifties and came of age in the sixties, I have to wonder how did we as women ever get past the music messages that we grew up with and become the trailblazers of the women movement?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Put your nostalgia in context!, September 9, 2002

By 

"dkondis" (Nashville,Tn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Respect: Women and Popular Music (Hardcover)

If you are like me, you grew up listening to popular music, "girl groups" singing catchy melodies, without regard to the cultural or historical context of the tunes. Dorothy Marcic, in a well-researched and documented, highly readable book, has succeeded in placing our nostalgic memories into a larger framework. The political picture, the economic realities, the evolution of female roles are all chronicled by incorporating the popular music that enthralled us over the years. Who knew that the path from "My Man" to "I Will Survive" led us along our own path of liberation and independence. A book that entertains and makes you think at the same time! If you ever get the opportunity to see Dr. Marcic perform and illustrate her material in person, by all means do so! Highly recommended!

5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible synthesis!, May 19, 2002

By 

Mary Lynn Pulley (Colorado Springs,, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Respect: Women and Popular Music (Hardcover)

Whether our popular music is a reflection or shaper of culture, it's fascinating to read the lyrics of these songs -- and to see how far we've come over the past century. I really like the way that music is used as a thread for weaving together political and world events, as well as psychology, business, and spirituality. A great read!