Pop Stars Sing a Different Tune
about Gay-Themed Hits
Mainstream rock and pop stars have long
flirted with homosexuality via gender-bending dress, makeup and
performance styles. In the fabulous 50s, Little Richard shook things up
even more than Elvis with his outrageous eyeliner, Liberace-inspired
attire and shivery vocal delivery. In the early 1960s The Beatles
wink-winked at male-to-male infatuation with Ringo’s lead vocal on
“Boys.” During the post-Stonewall 1970s, many gay people were drawn to
the seemingly out-loud personas of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed.
But much of what gay listeners perceived as
expressions of personal liberation through performance art turned out to
be mere posturing for publicity. According to Village Voice writer Rob
Sheffield, Bowie’s then manager, Ken Pitt, encouraged his client to
target the gay market in 1970, first with a feature in England’s only
major gay magazine, then with an interview for the widely circulated
Melody Maker in 1972. In that article Bowie proclaimed, “Yes, of course
I’m gay and always have been.” Once the shock value had worn off,
however, the often drag-clad performer began telling the press not to
believe anything he said.
True queers had a right to feel used as
rockers like Bowie and Mick Jagger jumped out of and back into the closet,
while superstars like Elton John and Freddy Mercury remained firmly locked
inside theirs. To this day, pop/rock stars continue to titillate us with
suggestively queer lyrics, while encouraging their record labels and
agents to pronounce them personally hetero.
Take, for example, the band Franz
Ferdinand, whose 2004 hit “(Come on Dance with Me) Michael” is as
strong a testament to homoerotic attraction as ever has been put to disc.
Gay men bought countless copies of the record with its persuasive (no
coyness detected) tale of the singer’s desire for a hot dance-club boy
with “leather hips” and “sticky lips.” (To add to the effect, lead
singer Alex Kapranos has been known to change the lyrics in concert to
“come all over me, Michael.”)
Kapranos has said that his song was written
about two male “friends” who partied one evening and that his role was
simply as reporter or storyteller. Fair enough, I suppose. But just once I
would like to hear a young performer-songwriter of a hit record with a gay
theme say: “Yeah, that’s my story I’m singing.”
Sure, gay men and women can enjoy a growing
number of out-and-proud musical artists. But with a few exceptions,
notably veterans Melissa Etheridge and (finally) Elton John, openly gay
singers haven’t come up with much in the way of hit records. They
produce self-circulated CDs and perform at gay cabarets and campgrounds.
Gay voices—and especially gay stories—are still way underrepresented
on the pop charts and the radio. Part of the reason is that the music
industry continues to aim for the widest audience and perhaps the lowest
common denominator. But, truth is, many of today’s music buyers are
sophisticated enough to enjoy a great pop song with a storyline like Franz
Ferdinand’s “Michael.”
New outlets for singer-songwriters to bring
their compositions to the public’s attention through internet sites from
You Tube to My Space give hope that more gay-themed hits are on the
horizon.
Meanwhile, my attempt to compile a
collection of the greatest gay-themed songs of the rock era to
date—particularly recordings that made some impact on the pop
charts—has been a challenge. So many more hits might have made the grade
if only their lyricists had substituted gender-neutral pronouns like
you-me for he-she. (When you grow up gay, you get used to substituting
pronouns in your favorite songs.)
The following songs require no substitution
of lyrics to tell stories of special relevance to gay listeners— even
though their performers/writers may or may not be gay, bisexual, straight,
pansexual, asexual, or wealthy as a result of making these recordings. In
chronological order:
“Lola” by The Kinks (1970): In
this million-selling record, Ray Davies fell for a guy in a dress
and—once he became aware of his love’s identity— was quite happy
about it.
“John I’m Only Dancing” by
David Bowie (1972): Ziggy Stardust got turned on by a guy named John, and
that made the singer feel oh-so good.
“Daniel” by Elton John (1973): I
don’t care what he and Bernie Taupin say about its inspiration, this is
an amazing song of male love and loss—one to which tens of thousands of
gay guys came out crying.
“Another Love” by Stories
(1974): Ian Lloyd and his band had a huge hit with their saga of
interracial love “Brother Louie,” then followed it up with this
account of a gay romance.
“Glad to Be Gay” by The Tom
Robinson Band (1978): In what was arguably the most outspoken, angry gay
anthem ever, punk rocker Robinson urged listeners to express their pride
in being queer even in the face of ugly gay bashings. The song was a big
hit in England and made waves in America.
“I Am What I Am” by The Village
People (1978): Led by vocalist Victor Willis, these gay icons (though most
of the members deny being gay) sang their hearts out on this tribute to
pride and the freedom to be yourself. Other VP gay anthems include “Go
West” and “Fire Island.”
“The Killing of Georgie” by Rod
Stewart (1979): Rod penned this poignant tale of a young man who flees his
intolerant family to become the “toast” of Broadway, only to be
murdered by thugs while strolling hand-in-hand with his boyfriend. At a
time when most hits were frivolous fare more akin to his own “Do You
Think I’m Sexy?,” “Georgie” touched the hearts of a wide audience,
eventually appearing on Rod’s “Greatest Hits” album.
“Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat
(1983): In a rebellious falsetto, Jimmy Sommerville spun the story of a
young man fleeing his intolerant parents for gay life in the city.
“Star Power” by Sonic Youth
(1986): Singer Kim Gordon reportedly was thinking of Joan Jett as she
sang, “She knows how to make love to me.”
“Streets of Philadelphia” by
Bruce Springsteen (1993): From the movie, the Boss’ Oscar winning ballad
helped the public see the human side of AIDS.
“Same Thing in Reverse” by Boy
George (1995). Music critics across the world heralded the Boy’s
thematic album of gay pride, “Cheapness and Beauty,” including this
simple song about how much alike we all are.
“Michael” by Franz Ferdinand
(2004).
Honorable Mentions: Roberta
Flack’s “Making Love” (theme to Hollywood’s first gay love flick
in 1982), Patti Smith’s “Gloria,” George Michael’s “Teacher,”
Jill Sobule’s “I Kissed a Girl,” Jonathan Richman’s “Dancing in
a Lesbian Bar,” Jose Cotton’s “Johnny Are You Queer,” Elton
Morello’s “Jet Boy, Jet Girl,” Nirvana’s “All Apologies (“what
else can I say; everybody’s gay”), and Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming
Out” (what else could it be about?).
Also noteworthy: anything by The Pet Shop
Boys, including “The Night I Fell in Love” about a tryst with
hip-hopper Eminem (2002), and everything by Rufus Wainwright, who has
become surprisingly popular among young straight as wall as gay music fans
for his own compositions as well as his current album of Judy Garland
classics.
Feel
free to send your own recommendations for this GLBT hits list to BillSievert@earthlink.net.
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