Loretta Lynn’s new project Still Woman Enough is loaded with superstar power.
From the title track “Still Woman Enough” which features Carrie and Reba, to her updated version of “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man),” a duet with fellow country music icon Tanya Tucker, there’s a lot of good stuff to dig into on her forty-sixth solo studio album.
The song was originally released as a single in 1966 after Lynn was inspired by a friend who told her about another woman who was trying to steal her husband. Lynn gave solid advice, saying:
“Honey, she ain’t woman enough to take your man!”
The best part is, according to American Songwriter, she immediately went back to her dressing room and wrote the song in ten minutes. Being the badass lady that she is, she also performed it that same night.
Here’s her version of the story that inspired her to write such an iconic song:
“I gave birth to this song, and I felt every little bit of pain in these lyrics. You know a woman likes to feel sure of a man – but there are times when things just don’t play out that way.
Do I have to say more about that? I think in every marriage, at one time or the other, a woman worries about the other woman who may or may not exist. In my case, in this case, I had to be sure.
Over the years, a lot of my fans have become close friends, and we tell each other all our problems. One night, at one of my live shows, me and a girlfriend were talking. She told me her husband, who was there with her, was running around on her. She was crying because when she came through the door to get in to the show, she saw the other woman was also there.
I said, ‘We will fix that old gal.’ That night I sang ‘You Ain’t Woman Enough’ and dedicated it to her. Girlfriends gotta stick together.”
I don’t see a single thing that’s incorrect about that statement. She speaks the truth. And if you don’t think she’s just the absolute coolest, I just can’t help you.
The level of pure passive aggressive finesse she had to simultaneously stand up for her friend, call out the man who was cheating and make sure the other woman knew about it all at the same time ON STAGE… she’s just on a different level.
Take notes, ladies.
And here’s one of my all-time favorite live performances of the iconic song, recorded live from Farm Aid back in 1985.
QUEEN.