When you think of the Purim story, Queen Esther probably comes to mind as the leading lady (on account of the whole saving-the-Jews-from-total-persecution thing) but there was another powerful woman who played an important role in the story: Queen Vashti. And she’s the subject of this beautiful song, and equally beautiful animated video, by Kveller contributor Alicia Jo Rabin’s band Girls in Trouble.
In case you need a reminder, Vashti was married to King Ahashverosh of Persia when he decided to have a fancy feast for all his friends and advisors. He proceeded to get trashed and asked Queen Vashti to come to the banquet wearing only her royal crown and dance in front of all his friends to show off her beauty–to which she was like, “Um, thanks but no thanks.” Her refusal got her banished from the throne, setting off Ahashverosh’s search for a new queen. Which is how he wound up with Esther, and yadda yadda yadda, the rest is history.
Girls in Trouble honor Queen Vashti’s pretty damn feminist refusal to dance with “I’m Done Dressing Up,” a bluegrass-y and gloriously catchy tune, and the accompanying video by Corrie Beth Hogg is straight up delightful. Fair warning: You will be humming this song for the rest of your day.
Enjoy, and happy Purim!
