Madonna - Papa Don't Preach Poster

Madonna’s controversial hit hated by many, including feminists, and loved by others, was inspired by gossiping teenagers overheard by songwriter Brian Elliot. Depending on how one views this song, it could be said to tell a story of a girl passing from the control of her father to the control of her boyfriend, her pregnancy having curtailed her life chances.

More recently, feminists have argued that a strong woman should be the person she wants to be. This may involve having a baby, whatever the circumstances, motherhood being a source of power that should be celebrated. Therefore the girl in this song is asserting herself, rejecting her father’s control of her, choosing the boy she wants despite her father’s disapproval and deciding her own future.

Listeners can decide their own interpretation.