What Is a Woman?

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of profound disorientation and a crisis of identity, triggered by a sudden shift in relationships. The narrator feels a disquieting strangeness as familiar connections dissolve, leaving her questioning her own sense of self. This internal upheaval is directly linked to a series of existential questions about womanhood. The central tension revolves around the perceived necessity of romantic love for a woman's existence and happiness. The narrator grapples with the idea that a woman's worth and aliveness are contingent on being loved, and conversely, that solitude is inherently linked to loneliness and a loss of vitality. This creates a poignant conflict between the desire for self-definition and the societal or internal pressure to define oneself through romantic attachment. A striking image is the comparison of young girls to "April with rainbows and changes," suggesting a period of vibrant, multifaceted potential. This contrasts sharply with the subsequent declaration that "April is over forever" upon growing up, implying a loss of this dynamism. The lyrics then posit that to be a woman means "being lonely," a stark and perhaps melancholic conclusion that directly fuels the preceding questions about fear and longing. This lyrical construction is effective because it grounds abstract questions about identity and womanhood in a relatable emotional landscape of sudden change and personal doubt. The repetition of "This is very strange" and the direct, almost childlike inquiries like "What is a woman?" create an intimate and vulnerable tone. The stark equation of womanhood with loneliness, only alleviated by love, leaves a lingering sense of the emotional stakes involved in these deeply personal questions.