3 Solo Rock Songs from Women in the 1990s that Still Kick Butt

In the 1990s, people were ready to shirk the social norms of the prior decade and break out of the box. It was a time for new experimentation and for people to reclaim their identities and spaces. As such, the soundtrack of the era was populated by strong women who weren’t going to demure to gender norms. Instead, they were here to ROCK.

Here below, we wanted to explore a trio of female rockers from the decade who pulled no punches and excelled at making music. While some gals of the era were dominating the charts in bands, these three were doing it as solo acts. Undeterred, they were making names for themselves with each note. Indeed, these are three solo rock songs from women in the 1990s that still kick butt.

[RELATED: 3 Classic Rock Choruses From the 1990s To Sing Along To]

“You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette from Jagged Little Pill (1995)

Alanis Morissette’s 1995 LP Jagged Little Pill is essentially a greatest hits album, rich with hit singles from “Ironic” to “You Oughta Know.” And on the latter, Morissette acerbically sings about a breakup. The singer talks about how she thought she would be with a certain person forever, how they had plans for eternity, but then it ended. The singer says she’s happy for the other, but do we believe her? Because she continues to point out why she is better and more equipped than the other to love the subject. On the iconic track, Morissette sings,

I want you to know
That I’m happy for you
I wish nothing, but
The best for you both

An older version of me
Is she perverted like me?
Would she go down on you in a theatre?
Does she speak eloquently?
And would she have your baby?
I’m sure she’d make a really excellent mother

“Criminal” by Fiona Apple from Tidal (1996)

As sultry as it is dangerous, this song was a massive hit in the mid-1990s and put Fiona Apple on the map in many ways. Apple has said the song’s about “feeling bad for getting something so easily by using your sexuality.” That about sums it up! But perhaps there’s no reason to feel bad. People should and can use their powers how they wish—and Apple makes a compelling case in this offering. The music video for the track was all over MTV upon its release and people everywhere fell in love with the blue-eyed “criminal.” On the Grammy-winning song, Apple sings,

I’ve been a bad, bad girl
I’ve been careless with a delicate man
And it’s a sad, sad world
When a girl will break a boy just because she can

Don’t you tell me to deny it
I’ve done wrong, and I wanna suffer for my sins
I’ve come to you ’cause I need guidance to be true
And I just don’t know where I can begin

“Down by the Water” by PJ Harvey from To Bring You My Love (1995)

Using electronic instrumentation, the British-born PJ Harvey took on a new edge in this single released in 1995 for her third solo studio LP To Bring You My Love. The song itself, while very compelling and thought-provoking, is dark as the singer talks about taking her daughter to the river to kill her. The song ends with a refrain that was based on the Lead Belly song “Salty Dog Blues,” in which the iconic blues artist sings: Lil’ fish big fish swimmin’ in the water / Come on here and give me my quarter. But on her morose offering, Harvey sings,

Oh help me Jesus
Come through this storm
I had to lose her
To do her harm

I heard her holler (I heard her holler)
I heard her moan (I heard her moan)
My lovely daughter (My lovely daughter)
I took her home (I took her home)

Little fish, big fish, swimming in the water
Come back here, man, gimme my daughter
Little fish, big fish, swimming in the water
Come back here, man, gimme my daughter

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Photo by Nathan Shanahan/WireImage