We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Charlotte's Umbrella

from Broken Umbrella EP by Bicycle Face

/

about

Charlotte Smith was a very strong woman who lived in the 1870s. She was probably alive when your great, great, great grandmother was alive! Things were a lot different for women back then. Women weren't even supposed to go out of the house without a man, usually a cousin or other relative, with them. He was called the woman's chaperone. Things changed a lot during Charlotte's lifetime. In the 1880's women started leaving the house without a male chaperone, but some men thought that it was OK to approach women and call them names if they were alone. Charlotte decided to take things in to her own hands. Every time she saw a man harassing a woman in public, she would hit him over the head with an umbrella. She estimates that she destroyed 5,000 umbrellas in her lifetime. Just so you remember, hitting people with heavy things is NOT a great way to solve problems with your family or friends. It should only be used with very mean strangers, and only sometimes!

lyrics

Her name was Charlotte Smith
And she really had a giff
With men who would walk around
Just acting like they owned the town
And if they would see a girl
They would be mean to her
Sayin women shouldn't leave their homes
Without a chaperone

And she said...
Didn't your mama teach you better
Than to put women in danger?
I don't know who told you
That that was an OK thing to do
Women face enough discrimination
And they don't need your condemnation
And just to make her point clear
She would whack em with her umbrella ella ella eh eh eh
Watch out for her Umbrella ella ella eh eh eh
She destroyed 5,000 umbrellas ellas ellas eh eh eh
Watch out for her umbrella ella ella eh eh eh

Charlotte stood in solidarity
With women working in factories
Who had to work 15 hour days
And got very little pay
She couldn't work for the government
But she still made a fit
And helped pass over 50 laws
To make working conditions better for all

And she said...
Women are in this together
We been fighting this fight forever
And this storm we all can weather

Now it's raining harder than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
If we stand under the same umbrella
If we stand under the same umbrella ella ella eh eh eh
Together under one umbrella ella ella eh eh eh
United under one umbrella ella ella eh eh eh
Together under one umbrella ella ella eh eh eh

credits

from Broken Umbrella EP, track released October 8, 2014
Music by Rhianna
Lyrics by Lichen
Performed by Lichen & Evan

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Bicycle Face image

Bicycle Face Seattle, Washington

Back when bicycles were first invented, doctors told women that if they raced on their bicycles, their face would get stuck in a strained-looking, bulgy-eyed mess. Thankfully, we have disproved this theory, and our bicycle faces are all smiles!
Bicycle Face is a musical project by Lichen & Evan. We believe that it's important to teach history so that children know that they can change the future! ... more

contact / help

Contact Bicycle Face

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

If you like Bicycle Face, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Saxophonist Isaiah Collier chats about his new LP and the influence of Pharoah Sanders.
listen now