If We Were Married Lyrics

Song Facts:

• Genre: Musical Theatre
• Lyricist: Shaina Taub
• Composers: Shaina Taub
• Musical: "Suffs"
• Year: 2024

Annotations and Meaning of If We Were Married:

The track If We Were Married from the musical "Suffs" provides a critical examination of the legal and social constraints placed on women within the institution of marriage in the early 20th century. It highlights the lack of autonomy and rights experienced by married women.

If we were married, I promised to cherish you just as a gentleman should.
If we were married, I promised to forfeit my legal autonomy for good.

These lines juxtapose the traditional romantic notion of cherishing one's spouse with the harsh reality of a woman losing her legal independence upon marriage.

If we were married, we'd buy our own acre of land for our own little house.
If we were married, our possessions and property would solely belong to the masculine spouse.

The song contrasts the idyllic vision of homeownership with the legal fact that property ownership would be controlled by the husband, not the wife.

If we were married, if we were married.

The repetition underscores the recurring conditionality and limitations tied to the idea of marriage for women during this period.

If we were married, we'd fill out our family and life would be simply sublime.
If we were married, I'd churn out your children 'cause contraception's a federal crime.

These lines highlight the expectation of women to bear children and the legal constraints on contraception, emphasizing the lack of reproductive rights.

If we were married, we'd save up a nest egg to cushion us later in life.
If we were married, my earnings would be in your name and I couldn't control my own spending or open a bank account or sign a contract or hire a lawyer because economically speaking I'd die by becoming your wife.

The detailed description of economic restrictions underscores the financial dependence imposed on married women, effectively making them economically powerless.

You've got to admire the ease with which men can squeeze us into such a rigid role.
You do.
Daughters are taught to aspire to a system expressly designed to keep them under control.

These lines critically reflect on the societal conditioning that teaches girls to aspire to marriage despite its restrictive nature, perpetuating gender inequality.

For instance, if we were married and you physically beat me, that wouldn't be illegal to do.
What?
Can you believe it is 1916 and all of these things are still actually true?

The song points out the legal acceptance of domestic violence at the time, shocking both characters and highlighting the urgent need for legal reform.

I suppose I never stopped to think about how it would be for you.
If we were married, if we were married.

The final lines express a moment of realization and empathy, as the male character begins to understand the oppressive conditions faced by women in marriage. ### "If We Were Married"

Song creation

"If We Were Married" was written back in 2018 and has remained largely unchanged except for a few minor cuts and lyric revisions. The songwriter expressed her affection for the classic musical theatre tradition of conditional love songs, citing examples like "If I Loved You" from Carousel and "People Will Say We’re in Love" from Oklahoma!. "I tried here to put my spin on that," she explained. Nadia Dandashi and Tsilala Brock's performances have been particularly impactful, charming the audience every night. The songwriter expressed her joy in having their rendition preserved forever on the cast album. Overall, If We Were Married provides a poignant and critical look at the severe limitations and injustices faced by women within the institution of marriage in the early 20th century.