LGBT-themed Songs

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Dan
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LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »



So, why a thread about LGBT songs? Isn’t it a bit silly to differentiate between straight songs and queer songs? Besides, there are many people who don’t like to be put into boxes and be labelled by their sexual orientation or gender identity. For me, the fact that I’m gay is only a small part of my overall identity; yet I can’t help but feel that I’m part of a larger LGBT community, mostly because of sharing a memory with many in that community about having to rise above prejudice and quash feelings of distress when I first realised that I had no control over who I was attracted to.

But before this turns into an essay about the value of a thread like this, I’ll just say that the main reason for doing this was that it was fun to do! This is a fairly frank post about LGBT-related expressions of love, gender and getting it on in songs, and at times the lyrics, comments and videos below are a tad explicit.

A few things to note about the songs that have been included:

- All the songs have a LGBT-related theme, with a few exceptions where the theme of the song is not specifically LGBT-related but is performed by a LGBT artist.

- Songs with a LGBT-related theme that are performed by straight, cisgender people are of course included as well.

- I’ve come across a few cases where a song has been interpreted as having a LGBT theme, but the lyrics and info available about the song are too ambiguous to support that interpretation, and as such those songs ended up not being included.

- What you also won’t find on the list are songs by straight, cisgender performers that have been adopted as gay anthems (like Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” or ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” or many songs by Kylie Minogue) or have a large lesbian following (like Sade’s “By Your Side”). After all, being empowered by a song or feeling closely connected to its sensibilities isn't an exclusively LGBT experience.

- I've found myself slightly desperately looking for LGBT-themed songs by seemingly straight, cisgender artists who have subverted gender norms, like Prince and Annie Lennox, but I couldn't find any. At first I was upset by this, but then I remembered that these artists should be celebrated for being refreshingly nonconformist without anyone trying to make them or their music fit into the queer spectrum.

- I’ve tried to include a wide variety of music genres.

- I’m sure there are songs I don’t know about that deserve to be included. Conversely, if I include every LGBT-themed song I’ve heard the list will be way too long.

- Speaking of way too long: to not make this post even wordier than it inevitably will be, I'll only add comments for up to 7 songs per year, sometimes less. So under some of the years there will be songs listed without any comments about them.

- I've limited the number of songs per artist to a maximum of 3.

- Only songs sung in English are included for now as I’m only starting to do research about LGBT-themed songs sung in other languages. I'm hoping to find the time to do a post about international LGBT-themed songs at a later stage. Recommendations are welcome!

PS: I'm using the initialism LGBT in this post as it is a commonly known term. I could also have gone for a more elaborate and inclusive umbrella term like LGBTQIA2S+. If you're not too familiar with the spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations that exist, please go to this post below - it might help expand your knowledge.

**Edit: Thank you very much for all the recommendations that people made after I had submitted this main post. I've added most of those recommendations that are eligible to the main post now too... except for the ones not sung in English, which I'll add another time, as mentioned above.**

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1928

Ma Rainey | Prove It on Me Blues ( Vaudeville Blues, Jug Band )
It is unclear how Ma Rainey herself defined her sexuality, but the common perception is that the "Mother of the Blues" was bisexual. "Prove It on Me Blues" is a defiant song inspired by an incident in which the police arrested Rainey after she had been caught in a state of undress with female members of her chorus during a wild party she held.

1931

Jean Malin | I'd Rather Be Spanish Than Manish ( Cabaret )
In the late 1920s and early 1930s in America, there was a phenomenon known now as the Pansy Craze, where openly gay cabaret performers experienced a surge in popularity in nightclubs in major cities, especially in New York. This song is a prime example of the phenomenon. A similar craze occurred in the European cities of Berlin, Paris and London. Sadly, mob violence in the US and Hitler's rise to power in Europe (and the increase in homophobia that came with it) led to the death of the Pansy Craze.

1935

Bessie Jackson | B.D. Woman's Blues ( Piano Blues )
Bessie Jackson (a.k.a. Lucille Bogan) was another female blues artist who was open about her attraction to women. The B.D. in the title of this song refers to either "bull dyke" or "bull dagger", both slang terms for lesbians of masculine appearance. The song opens with the line, "Comin' a time, B.D. women ain’t gonna need no men", which seems to reflect Jackson's desire to live in a time and place where lesbian women won’t feel societal pressure to be with a man.

1940

Frankie Jaxon | Be Your Natural Self ( Vaudeville Blues )
This song was recorded shortly after a prominent reverend was repeatedly rumoured to be gay in the American press. Frankie Jaxon gave advice to others in the queer community to watch their step and be careful what they say. Yet he also encouraged them to be their natural selves when they could.

1957

Elvis Presley | Jailhouse Rock ( Rock & Roll )
The gay undertones were definitely there: "Number forty-seven said to number three, 'You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see, I sure would be delighted with your company'". In the music video you can also hear those jailbirds singing "lean on me Daddy-O" a couple of times in the background. Straight folks were dancing to the Jailhouse Rock and likely had no idea.

Johnny Mathis | Chances Are ( Traditional Pop )
The songs by gay singer Johnny Mathis never overtly dealt with LGBT-related subjects, but he is included in this list because of how hugely popular he was in the 1950s and 1960s thanks to romantic songs like "Chances Are".

1962

Love Is a Drag | My Man ( Standard )
An album called Love Is a Drag was released in 1962, on which a male crooner interpreted American standards like "My Man" as male-to-male love songs. This was so controversial at the time that the names of the singer and producer weren't even mentioned on the album cover.

Troy Walker | Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe ( Jazz Pop )
This is another example of a popular song turned into a male-to-male love song, sung here by Troy Walker, who made a name for himself as a nightclub singer in Los Angeles in the 1960s.

1963

Byrd E. Bath | Homer the Happy Little Homo ( Traditional Pop, Doo-Wop )
In the early 1960s a record label called Camp Records released albums and 45s containing songs that exemplified the camp humour of the time, like this one by Byrd E. Bath.

Jackie Shane | Any Other Way ( Southern Soul )
Jackie Shane was a pioneer transgender performer who was prominent in the local music scene of Toronto in the 1960s. "Any Other Way" is the song she is best known for.

1967

The Kinks | David Watts ( Pop Rock, Baroque Pop )
A song about lead singer and songwriter Ray Davies's envy of the head boy at his school. But there is also an undercurrent of infatuation. Although the fellow schoolboy's name wasn't David Watts, Watts was a real person who Davies had met in a different context, and who had a crush on Davies's brother.

Pink Floyd | Arnold Layne ( Psychedelic Rock )
A song about a person named Arnold Layne who stole women's underwear from clotheslines in backyards. It's unclear what Layne's sexual orientation or gender identity was (he might well have been a straight, cisgender man who just liked to cross-dress), but the song was reportedly also written as a nod to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK in 1967, during a time when social attitudes were becoming more liberal, especially among younger generations.

1968

Dusty Springfield | The Colour of Your Eyes ( Blue-Eyed Soul )
Dusty Springfield had several romantic relationships with women. "The Colour of Your Eyes" was written for Springfield by singer-songwriter Norma Tanega while the two of them were a couple.

Laura Nyro | Emmie ( Pop Soul )
Laura Nyro was bisexual. Her song "Emmie" is considered to be one of the first songs in which a woman expressed her love for another woman.

1969

The Velvet Underground | Candy Says ( Art Pop )
There was a distinct queerness about much of The Velvet Underground's music. Within their unique underground soundscape, thematically they addressed the constraints of sexuality and gender identity in some of their songs. The Candy referred to in the title of this song is Candy Darling, who was a transgender icon and key member of Andy Warhol's entourage, as well as a muse of The Velvet Underground. The song addresses Candy Darling's desire to escape her birth sex.

1970

The Kinks | Lola ( Pop Rock )
A song that details a romantic encounter between a young man and a possible trans woman or cross-dresser.

The Rolling Stones | Cocksucker Blues ( Acoustic Blues )
It was written to be the Stones' final single for Decca Records as per their contract, with explicit language chosen specifically to anger Decca executives. Needless to say, it was never released as a single.

Zebedy Colt | The Man I Love ( Standard )
A popular standard usually sung by a woman, but given a gay twist here because of being sung by a man. The song has since frequently been performed by gay male choirs.

1971

Flaming Ember | Stop the World (And Let Me Off) ( Blue-Eyed Soul )
A guy's despair because of losing his woman to another woman.

1972

David Bowie | Lady Stardust ( Piano Rock, Pop Rock )
David Bowie | John, I'm Only Dancing ( Rock, Glam Rock )
In the early to mid 1970s, Bowie was at the heart of a kind of sexual revolution that aimed to transcend traditional notions of gender and sexuality, especially through his gender bending, sexually promiscuous character of Ziggy Stardust. But it was not just about rebellion - Bowie strived for acceptance too, as can be heard in the song "Lady Stardust", which has been interpreted by many as a plea for acceptance of non-traditional expressions of gender. Bowie also drew attention to bisexuality, with "John, I'm Only Dancing" being an example of this. The male protagonist in the song and John appear to be a couple, but he finds himself attracted to a woman he dances with.

Lou Reed | Walk on the Wild Side ( Pop, Glam Rock )
Lou Reed had a hard time as a teenager when he received electroconvulsive therapy, which was intended to cure his bisexuality. Many songs written by Reed touch on sexual ambiguity and unconventional gender identity. This is of course one of his most famous songs, and transgender characters are part of the main themes.

1973

Jobriath | I’m a Man ( Glam Rock )
Jobriath (birth name Bruce Wayne Campbell) was the first openly gay rock musician to be signed to a major record label. Declaring himself “the true fairy of rock and roll”, he was unapologetic about his homosexuality and flamboyance, as can be heard in his song "I'm a Man". Unfortunately, the world wasn't ready for him at the time.

Elton John | All the Girls Love Alice ( Pop Rock )
A song about a popular sixteen-year-old girl from a privileged background who had sex with middle-aged women (possibly as a prostitute) but ended up being found dead in the subway in New York.

Lavender Country | Cryin’ These Cocksucking Tears ( Progressive Country )
Bravely (for 1973) Lavendar Country released the first gay-themed album in country music history. The band's most famous song is "Cryin' These Cocksucking Tears", a waltz with a gay liberation theme that raged against the hypocrisies of some of the straight men at the time.

Michael Cohen | Bitterfeast ( Folk )
An obscure, delicate song about the narrator's past relationships with men and his desire to have a lover he could snuggle up to.

1974

Meg Christian | Ode to a Gym Teacher ( Folk )
As part of a movement / music genre called women's music, songs and albums created specifically for lesbians and feminists started to be distributed in the early 1970s. This humorous song about a schoolgirl's crush on her female gym teacher is one of my favourites from that movement.

Ian Lloyd & Stories | Another Love ( Pop Rock )
"Another Love" depicts a bisexual man telling his girlfriend about his love for another man.

The Sweet | AC/DC ( Pop Rock, Hard Rock )
Another bisexual song, this time about a woman who has girls all over the world, and men every now and then. I never like it when lyrics like "she can't make up her mind" appear in songs about bisexuality. The view that bisexuals can't make up their mind about whether they are gay or straight (or that most bisexuals are too scared to admit that they are just gay or lesbian) is a misconception that is sadly too common, even nowadays. It shouldn't have to be explained that sexuality isn't always as black and white as that. It's a catchy song though!

Funkadelic | Jimmy's Got a Little Bit of Bitch in Him ( P-Funk )
Funkadelic pioneered the funk music culture of the 1970s. All the band members were straight, but this is a sympathetic song about a gay friend of the band’s called Jimmy.

1975

Tim Curry | Sweet Transvestite ( Musical Theatre )
This was originally from the 1973 musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which was made into a film in 1975. It's no secret that there are plenty of queer guys who like musicals. There are loads of LGBT-themed songs from musicals, but I've only included four in this post (the others are from 1983, 2003 and 2007).

Cris Williamson | Hurts Like the Devil ( Country Pop )
As one of the key lesbian singer-songwriters in the women's music movement of the 1970s, Cris Williamson co-founded a record label called Olivia Records. The intention of the label was to increase awareness of lesbian feminist causes and give gay women a voice that reflected their experiences. Olivia Records released Williamson's The Changer and the Changed in 1975, which became one of the best-selling independent releases of all time. "Hurts Like the Devil" is my favourite song from that album.

Patti Smith | Redondo Beach ( Reggae Rock )
Patti Smith used to introduce this song on-stage by announcing, "Redondo Beach is a beach where women love other women." As a result, many have interpreted the lyrics as being the lament of a lesbian whose girlfriend had committed suicide and was found washed up on a Los Angeles beach.

The Miracles | Ain't Nobody Straight in LA ( R&B )
Evidently, even in 1975 it sometimes felt as if everyone in LA was gay or bisexual. But sexual diversity and freedom of expression are things the Miracles seem to embrace rather than complain about in this song.

1976

Queen | Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy ( Pop Rock )
The songs Freddie Mercury wrote for Queen never directly dealt with LGBT themes. Even this song, which can be interpreted as an expression of love from the narrator to his lover boy, is more often interpreted as a dialogue between the narrator and his love interest (regardless of their gender). I'm choosing this song, though, because it just sounds and reads like his "gayest" song to me.

Peter Allen | I Go to Rio ( Pop )
Peter Allen publicly came out as gay a while after ending his marriage with *cough* many-a-gay-man-of-a-certain-age's-favourite-diva Liza Minnelli. Judged by the way he shakes those maracas in the video, it sure looks like it would've been fun going with him to Rio.

Rod Stewart | The Killing of Georgie ( Pop Rock )
The Rubettes | Under One Roof ( Pop Rock )
I'm bunching these two touching songs together because of a common theme: They were two of the first songs to deal with homophobia.

1977

Elton Motello | Jet Boy, Jet Girl ( Punk Rock )
A song about a 15-year-old boy's sexual relationship with an older man, who then rejects him for a girl.

Ultravox | Rockwrok ( New Wave, Post-Punk )
A punk song about wild sex, mostly of the gay kind, apparently.

Black Randy & The Metrosquad | Trouble at the Cup ( Punk Rock )
This band gained notoriety in the late 1970s and early 1980s for their surreal and smutty sense of humour, which included songs about gay prostitution. In this song they advocate fighting the police, describing a fantasy wherein the Hollywood Boulevard male prostitutes rise up and take violent revenge for the frequent police harassment they experience.

Judas Priest | Raw Deal ( Heavy Metal )
A song about the narrator's experience in a gay bar/club. It's also a kind of gay rights heavy metal song ("the true free expression I demand is human rights") … from 1977, long before lead singer Rob Halford came out as gay. Halford also introduced the gay leather-and-studs biker look to metal - bonus points to him for that.

Jacqueline Humbert | Androgyny ( Art Pop, Cabaret )
A song that is about both androgyny ("here's a woman in me, who's achin' to be / a little less she and a lot more of he") and bisexuality ("loving men is so fine, loving women, divine").

Metro | Criminal World ( Art Rock )
Another song with bisexual undertones.

Carl Bean | I Was Born This Way ( Disco, Philly Soul )
Some people who were around in the 1970s still seem to automatically equate gay music with disco. Although the LGBT scene embraced disco, not many disco performers were actually LGBT. However, there were some famous disco songs that were performed by artists who identified as gay or lesbian. This is one of them. And there are more coming up shortly in 1978.

1978

The Village People | Y.M.C.A. ( Disco )
Alicia Bridges | I Love the Nightlife ( Disco )
Sylvester | You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) ( Disco )
A few more true LGBT disco classics!

Buzzcocks | Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've) ( Pop Punk, Punk Rock )
Bisexual lead singer and guitarist Pete Shelley revealed to the Outpunk fanzine that this song was about his feelings for a friend called Francis Cookson, who was in another band called the Tiller Boys with Shelley. Shelley fell in love with Cookson while the pair started living together.

Queen | Don't Stop Me Now ( Piano Rock, Progressive Pop )
Written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, on the surface it's an empowering song about pursuing pleasure and living life to the full. But guitarist Brian May has said in an interview with Mojo that there was also an element of danger to the song as the band was worried that Mercury's hedonism at the time was becoming detrimental to his health and wellbeing - he was "taking lots of drugs and having sex with lots of men."

Tom Robinson Band | Glad to Be Gay ( Pop Rock )
The first time I saw the title, I thought it would be a 70s disco track. It turned out to be a 70s protest song.

Kate Bush | Kashka From Baghdad ( Art Pop )
A tender song about a romantic relationship between two men that is happening in secret. In the song, Kate Bush sings about how she hopes to find a similarly loving relationship with someone someday.

The Electric Chairs | Man Enough to Be a Woman ( Glam Rock )
The Electric Chairs were a glam punk band known for their campy, foul-mouthed songs. Vocalist Jayne County (then known as Wayne County) went on to become rock's first openly transgender singer. "Man Enough to Be a Woman" seems to have a protagonist at its centre who is fed up with hiding behind the "mask of masculinity" and dares people to be audacious enough to embrace their true gender identity.

1979

David Bowie | Boys Keep Swinging ( Art Rock )
There have been many interpretations of this song, but the interpretation that seems to appear most often is that it's a song about gender identity; specifically, it pokes fun at society's expectations of male masculinity... with a hint of homoeroticism thrown in for good measure.

Skatt Bros. | Walk the Night ( Disco )
Another gay disco track, albeit one with a darker, raunchier groove and S&M-themed lyrics.

Frank Zappa | Bobby Brown ( Pop Rock )
Speaking of S&M, this is a song about a misogynist who has some kind of disturbing sexual encounter with a lesbian and starts to question his sexuality. He then becomes a closeted gay man who describes himself as a "sexual spastic" and gets involved in golden showers and S&M.

Gina X Performance | No G.D.M. (Dedicated to Quentin Crisp) ( New Wave, Electro-Disco )
A song dedicated to Quentin Crisp, a raconteur who became a gay icon due to his flamboyant personality, fashion sense and wit.

1980

Diana Ross | I'm Coming Out ( Disco, Pop )
Songwriter (and co-founding member of Chic) Neil Rodgers got the idea for "I'm Coming Out" after noticing three drag queens dressed as Diana Ross at a New York club. So yes, the song was inspired by that kind of coming out.

Patrick Cowley | Mockingbird Dream ( Spacesynth )
This is the only piece of music on the list without any lyrics. Patrick Cowley was a gay man mostly known for his contribution to Hi-NRG dance music, but he also created pioneering electronic music with a more laid-back vibe that ended up being used in gay porn films in the 1980s. "Mockingbird Dream" was an example of this.

Pete Townshend | Rough Boys ( Pop Rock )
This solo track by the guitarist and songwriter from the Who appears to be about male punks and other guys at the time who behaved like they were all rough and tough, but in an interview with Newsweek, Townshend said that it was also written as a tribute to the gay friends he was surrounded by, and whom he occasionally felt attracted to.

Rough Trade | High School Confidential ( New Wave )
"High School Confidential" is considered to be one of the first explicitly lesbian-themed Top 40 hits in the world. The song's narrator is a student observing a sexy female classmate, whose activities suggest that she may be having sexual relations with adult men, including the high school principal. The narrator reveals her own unrequited lust for her classmate in lyrics like "She makes me cream my jeans when she comes my way".

1981

Soft Cell | Tainted Love ( Synthpop, New Wave )
This is a cover of a 1964 song by soul singer Gloria Jones. Lyrically, the song didn't have a LGBT theme, but Soft Cell's remake were perceived by many to have a queer quality due to the more erotically charged synthpop production and gay vocalist Marc Almond's delivery (although Almond wasn't openly gay at the time). Also, as AIDS began to spread, the song took on a new meaning. Almond said, "It was the first time we'd heard about this then-unnamed disease that was affecting gay men in America. It wasn't an intentional tie-in, but as the record hit the American charts, it took on this other meaning."

Elton John | Elton's Song ( Pop Rock )
Although Elton John sang about a gay character in 1973's "All the Girls Love Alice", this was the first song he sung from the perspective of a gay man. As the title implies, it was a very personal song for him.

Joan Armatrading | The Weakness in Me ( Singer-Songwriter, Pop )
Straight celebrities aren't usually asked to confirm their heterosexuality, yet when there are rumours about a celebrity being gay, lesbian or bisexual, the media hounds them. Despite having been in a long-term relationship with a woman, Joan Armatrading has been persistently reluctant to discuss her personal life (why should she if she doesn't want to?). That hasn't stopped this warm love song from becoming a firm lesbian favourite.

Grace Jones | Pull Up to the Bumper ( Dance-Pop, Synth Funk )
Speaking of questions being asked, many people in the LGBT community have been fascinated with Grace Jones's unique expression of femininity and masculinity, especially in the late 1970s and 1980s. This has led to some people questioning Jones’s sexuality and gender identity. About her sexuality, Jones has stated that labels are limiting because "anything is possible". And about her gender identity, she has referred to herself as being both outside of gender and as having two distinct selves. I've opted for "Pull Up to the Bumper" from Jones's catalogue - a song with lyrics that are often interpreted as a metaphor for anal sex.

Pete Shelley | Homosapien ( New Wave, Synthpop )
And speaking of anal sex, apparently this song was banned by the BBC for explicit lyrics like "homo superior / in my interior".

Boys Town Gang | Cruisin' the Streets ( Disco )
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts  | Crimson and Clover ( Power Pop, Hard Rock )
Ferron | Ain't Life a Brook ( Singer-Songwriter )

1982

Culture Club | Do You Really Want to Hurt Me ( Pop, Pop Reggae )
The lyrics were written about Boy George's relationship with Culture Club drummer Jon Moss. They had an affair for about six years.

Joe Jackson | Real Men ( Singer-Songwriter, Art Pop )
Many of Joe Jackson's songs have interesting commentary on sexuality and gender. This one seems to be about the breaking down of traditional roles, and about the damaging effect of making clear distinctions between self and other.

Visage | Anvil (Night Club School) ( New Romantic, Synthpop )
Visage's album The Anvil was named after a gay New York nightclub, and this song sets out to capture the atmosphere of that nightclub. There's definitely a vibe of gay prowling while partying to early 80s synthpop.

The Passage | Xoyo ( Synthpop, New Wave )
A call for sexual liberation over a bouncy dance beat. "For any girl and girl, boy and boy, and boy and girl / forget about who and why and how and where and what you take".

The Psychedelic Furs | Love My Way ( New Wave )
Frontman Richard Butler explained in an interview with Creem that the song was addressed to "people who are fucked up about their sexuality", and that the message was that "they shouldn't worry about it".

Klaus Nomi | Simple Man ( Classical Crossover, New Wave )
Klaus Nomi was a gay countertenor noted for his wide vocal range, unusual costumes, and theatrical live performances. "Simple Man" is an apt example of how he applied elements of classical music into a pop context.

Maxx Mann & Paul Hamman | Leather Man ( New Wave )
MDC | Dead Cops - America's So Straight ( Hardcore Punk )

1983

The Smiths | This Charming Man ( Jangle Pop )
The LGBT content of the Smiths' lyrics is often presented in subtle ways. You'll probably need to read the lyrics to "This Charming Man" a couple of times to realise that the two male protagonists likely had a bit of action on the smooth leather of the passenger seat before talking about going out that evening, and about the disadvantages of getting married.

The Waterboys | A Girl Called Johnny ( Pop Rock )
There are many ways to interpret this song. And it's quite easy for me to get the interpretation that it could be about a girl who wants to be a boy, and who has to leave town to allow for the transition from girl to boy.

David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto | Forbidden Colours ( Art Pop )
This song is the vocal version of the theme from the film Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, and the title of the song is taken from Japanese writer Yukio Mishima's novel Forbidden Colors. Although the film and novel are not directly related, both works deal with repressing homosexual love for religious reasons.

Original Broadway Cast of La Cage aux Folles | We Are What We Are / I Am What I Am ( Musical Theatre )
La Cage aux Folles is a musical that focuses on a gay couple, one of whom is the manager of a nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and the other one is the main drag act at the nightclub. It may be a cliché to use phrases like "be true to yourself" or "don't let them get you down", but that's exactly the kind of positive sentiment that both "We Are What We Are" and "I Am What I Am" exude.

Bananarama | Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye ( Pop )
Another cover version of a song where traditional notions of sexuality are ignored because of a refusal to change the pronouns used in the orginal song.

1984

Frankie Goes to Hollywood | Relax ( Pop )
A song about delaying sexual gratification to increase pleasure ("Relax, don't do it when you want to come"). It was probably not only written about gay sex, but the allusion to gay sex was obvious thanks to the original music video and the ads placed about the song in the British music press, which were accompanied by the phrase "All the nice boys like sea men".

Bronski Beat | Smalltown Boy ( Synthpop )
An upbeat synthpop song with lyrics about LGBT experiences in smalltown 1980s society that are the opposite of upbeat. Themes include family rejection, homophobia, bullying and loneliness.

The Replacements | Androgynous ( Pop Rock )
To me, it seems to be a song about how gender identity shouldn't matter when two people love each other, and about how gender will become more fluid and less binary in future (although some people seem to think it's a satirical song about androgyny).

The Smiths | William, It Was Really Nothing ( Jangle Pop )
This song chronicles a love triangle between two men and a woman.

Ken Laszlo | Hey Hey Guy ( Italo-Disco )
A song depicting a "love for hire" scenario between two men.

Divine | You Think You’re a Man ( Hi-NRG )
Harris Glenn Milstead was a performer mostly known for his appearances in cult films as female drag persona Divine. As Divine, Milstead also had a music career as a singer. On "You Think You're a Man" Divine berates a male lover for ending their romantic relationship.

1985

Book of Love | Boy ( Synthpop )
Book of Love were a band who weren't afraid to write lyrics dealing with sexual orientation and gender roles. Songwriter Ted Ottaviano said in an interview with Village Voice that "Boy" was written about Boy Bar, which was an exclusive gay club in the East Village of New York that often allowed only men to enter. The song describes the frustrations of a girl who has a crush on a boy who is gay.

Hüsker Dü | Green Eyes ( Post-Hardcore )
Considering that one of the three band members was gay and another one bisexual, it's maybe a little bit surprising that there's very little LGBT-related things going on in their lyrics (or maybe it's not that surprising if you keep in mind that LGBT themes were mostly frowned upon in 1985). Their love songs also tended to be ambiguous with gender-neutral pronouns being used. You have to search as deep as songs like "Green Eyes" for a hint at a possible LGBT interpretation.

The Smiths | The Boy With the Thorn in His Side ( Jangle Pop )
Morrissey has said that the thorn in the title refers to the music industry that treated him badly and wanted to get rid of him. But many people have interpreted the song as having a narrator who is gay and who has a strong desire for love, but lives in a society in the 1980s that doesn't believe in the existence of same-sex love. So the thorn in the narrator's side becomes a metaphor for the burden of being gay in an unsympathetic world.

1986

George Michael | A Different Corner ( Ambient Pop )
George Michael wrote this emotional song about heartbreak after a brief but intense relationship he had with a man had come to an end. He later explained in an interview with Gay Times, "It’s amazing how emotional you can get in a short period of time and how long it can last. Someone can really shake you up and it takes you a long time to get yourself back on your feet."

The Blow Monkeys | Digging Your Scene ( Sophisti-Pop, Pop Rock )
Another song where upbeat music is at odds with grim lyrics. This was one of the first songs that dealt with AIDS and the hatred and disgust that was directed at individuals who contracted the illness.

Martin Stephenson | Coleen ( Singer-Songwriter, Folk Pop )
A sweet song about a brother being supportive of his love-struck lesbian sister.

1987

Pet Shop Boys | It's a Sin ( Synthpop )
Vocalist and co-writer Neil Tennant has said that the song expressed his frustrations with his Catholic upbringing. He explained in an interview that "it always seemed to be taught that everything was a sin. Everything you wanted to do was a sin. And so I put that in a song." Because of an element of camp in the production and Tennant's vocal delivery (and because Tennant himself is gay) many people have interpreted the sin in the title as referring to homosexuality and the church's negative view of it.

Labi Siffre | (Something Inside) So Strong ( Pop, Soul )
An empowering song inspired by a TV documentary on apartheid in South Africa, but also influenced by Siffre's experiences as a gay man.

The Communards | For a Friend ( Pop )
This song was written in the memory of Mark Ashton, a gay rights activist and friend of the pop duo, who died of complications related to HIV/AIDS a few months before the song’s release.

1988

Erasure | A Little Respect ( Synthpop )
Reportedly, at live concerts lead singer Andy Bell sometimes referred to the song as having a personal, gay context. The song is sometimes interpreted as a plea for respect and acceptance, but it also has another universal theme about giving everything in a relationship and not getting much in return.

Billy Bragg | Tender Comrade ( Singer-Songwriter )
It goes without saying that it's not only LGBT people who fight for LGBT rights. Straight singer-songwriter Billy Bragg wrote this song about a romantic bond formed between two soldiers after he had participated in a LGBT-related protest in 1988.

1989

Indigo Girls | Closer to Fine ( Folk Pop )
This was the lesbian duo's first hit song, with a things will get better theme that many people who identify as LGBT can relate to. The song was written by band member Emily Sailers, who explained that "it's about being confused but looking for the answers, and in the end knowing that you're going to be fine."

The B-52's | Roam ( Pop Rock, New Wave )
Although B-52's songs don't necessarily deal directly with LGBT themes, four of the band's five original members identified as LGBT, and their kooky aesthetic combined with their surreal lyrics resonated with a queer audience. But the band never tried to hide their queerness. Band member Keith Strickland said in an interview, "We were just trying to be ourselves. Being gay was just a part of it. That’s really how we wanted the world to be." I'm selecting "Roam" from their discography as it's my favourite song of theirs and because of the implied meaning of freely exploring your sexuality. "Roam if you want to!"

1990

Madonna | Vogue ( Dance-Pop )
A song inspired by ball culture, an underground LGBT subculture that was popular in the US. Vogueing was a dance craze associated with ball culture. During the dance, elaborate hand gestures were used and the dancers frequently stopped to pose. It's also interpreted as a song about finding escape from the realities of the AIDS epidemic that burdened the gay community in America in the 1980s, as exemplified by the opening lyrics: "Look around, everywhere you turn is heartache."

Sinéad O'Connor | I Am Stretched on Your Grave ( Trip Hop, Alternative Dance )
"I Am Stretched on Your Grave" is a 17th-century Irish poem that was first released as a song by the band Scullion in 1979. The lyrics describe the narrator overcome with grief "for the girl that I loved as a child." Because O'Connor's cover doesn't change the gender of the narrator's deceased loved one, the song comes across as a tragic lesbian romance.

Pet Shop Boys | Being Boring ( Synthpop, Sophisti-Pop )
This song is a reflection on bygone youth in the face of the AIDS crisis. In an interview with ITV, songwriter and primary vocalist Neil Tennant said, "For me it is a personal song because it's about a friend of mine who died of AIDS, and so it's about our lives when we were teenagers and how we moved to London, and I suppose me becoming successful and him becoming ill."

1991

R.E.M. | Losing My Religion ( Pop Rock, Jangle Pop )
This one is often interpreted as a biographical account of Michael Stipe's struggles as a closeted gay man, particularly from the point of view of trying to make sense of (and questioning) your religion as a homosexual. I couldn't find any quotes by Stipe to support this interpretation. What I did find, though, was quotes by him stating that it's a song about unrequited love and obsession.

Army of Lovers | Crucified ( Europop, Dance-Pop )
It would be scandalous to exclude the biggest hit by this camp Swedish group!

1992

k.d. lang | Constant Craving ( Folk Pop, Singer-Songwriter )
This was lesbian icon k.d. lang's hit during the year she came out. To many people it sounds like a song about craving of a sensual nature, but k.d. lang herself has said that it's about saṃsāra, the repeating cycle of birth, life and death (reincarnation) within Buddhism and other religions.

Sophie B. Hawkins | Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover ( Pop Rock )
Another song about unrequited love, this time written about a woman by a woman.

Janis Ian | Ride Me Like a Wave ( Singer-Songwriter, Contemporary Folk )
Although Janis Ian was outed as a lesbian in 1976 by the Village Voice, her sexuality was largely ignored until the release of her album Breaking Silence when Ian herself brought it to the forefront because of her concern with suicide rates among gay and lesbian teenagers. The sensual "Ride Me Like a Wave" is my favourite song from the album.

U2 | One ( Pop Rock )
At its heart, it seems to be a song about how people need to stand together despite their differences. There are various accounts of what the inspiration was behind the song, ranging from the reunification of Germany, to the band putting their differences aside to work together, to a conversation between an AIDS victim and his father. In an interview with Rolling Stone, songwriter and lead vocalist Bono confirmed that the song was partly intended to be a father-and-son story. He said, "I tried to write about someone I knew who was coming out and was afraid to tell his father. It's a religious father and son."

Ben Harper | Mama's Got a Girlfriend Now ( Folk Rock, Singer-Songwriter )
Mama has had enough of Papa's bad ways and leaves him for a woman.

Jonathan Richman | I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar ( Pop Rock, Singer-Songwriter )
This song is about the singer enjoying the liberating feeling of dancing freely in a lesbian bar as opposed to the controlled, self-conscious dancing in the straight bar he had visited before.

1993

Suede | Animal Nitrate ( Britpop, Glam Rock )
The title is a play on the drug amyl nitrite, and the repeated mention in the lyrics of being turned on has made many people think that it's a euphoric song about uninhibited, drug-fuelled sex. Drugs and sex are involved, but if you read the lyrics properly there's not much euphoria in the song's portrayal of domestic violence in a gay relationship and the emotional consequences of it.

Pet Shop Boys | Can You Forgive Her? ( Synthpop, Dance-Pop )
A song about a man who is in a relationship with a woman but is (also?) attracted to men. The woman is aware of this and humiliates him, adding to his feelings of unease.

Melissa Etheridge | Come to My Window ( Pop Rock )
This was Melissa Etheridge's first single after coming out as lesbian. The song implicitly alludes to her sexual orientation and evokes a sense of activism with lyrics like "I don't care what they think / I don't care what they say / What do they know about this love anyway?"

Bikini Kill | Rebel Girl ( Riot Grrrl, Punk Rock )
It's a song about a girl's unconditional love for (and slight obsession with) her best friend, who is lesbian. This is only one example of a song with a lesbian bend from riot grrrl, an underground feminist punk rock movement that started in the early 90s.

Living Colour | Bi ( Hard Rock )
Discussing the song in an interview with BOMB Magazine, guitarist and co-writer Vernon Reid said, "It’s looking at the whole idea of being yourself. Sexuality is looked at as so polar: straight or gay. You’re in one camp or you’re in the other camp. There are so many shades of gray in between. When you come to someone who’s bisexual, their desire cuts both ways, they’re not uncomfortable in either situation."

The Lemonheads | Big Gay Heart ( Country Rock )
There are various ways to interpret this song. I can buy into the interpretation that it might be about a relationship between a more feminine gay man and a self-hating, abusive, closeted gay man. To me, it mostly has a kind of pro-acceptance, anti-bullying feel to it. In the text of the CD copies of Come On Feel the Lemonheads, under the title of the song it says "against violence".

1994

Blur | Girls & Boys ( Britpop )
Who knows what's going on in that chorus. I've come across bisexual forums where it’s hailed as a classic about bisexual fun or experimentation on holidays, and I've seen posts in transgender forums where it's praised for its flexible, fluid depiction of gender roles in sex acts. Either way, it can clearly be interpreted as a song about freedom of sexual preference and expression.

Bruce Springsteen | Streets of Philadelphia ( Pop Rock, Singer-Songwriter )
This was of course the main single from the film Philadelphia. While doing research about the song, I came across some impassioned comments regarding the song's emotional resonance from people who had lost loved ones, family and friends to AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s; comments about the discrimination against gay people who had the disease, about confusion and pain, and about watching the people you care for waste away while nobody else seemed to care.

Green Day | Coming Clean ( Pop Punk )
The band's lead vocalist, Billie Joe Armstrong, has said that this is about his coming out as bisexual.

Chumbawamba | Homophobia ( Dance-Pop )
Throughout their career, the band Chumbawamba regularly spoke out about inequalities faced by the LGBT community. The music in this song may be cheerful but the lyrics are hard-hitting. According to the album liner notes, "Homophobia" is "the true tale of a young gay man who was kicked to death outside a toilet".

1995

Team Dresch | Fagetarian and Dyke ( Queercore )
Queercore is a genre that has its roots in punk music and alternative rock, but with lyrics that explore themes of oppression, prejudice and same-sex attraction, and with a spirit that refuses to cave in to the moral majority's definitions of what is right and natural. Team Dresch is one of the genre's key bands.

Sta-Prest | Double Your Chances ( Queercore )
Another queercore band. This song is about doubling your chances for a date as a bisexual.

Underworld | Born Slippy .NUXX ( Tech Trance )
Althought the main theme isn't LGBT-specific (it's a frenetic song about alcoholism) there's a lot of androgyny going on in the lyrics.

Jill Sobule | I Kissed a Girl ( Folk Pop )
Same title, but not the same song as the Katy Perry one. Also, unlike the Katy Perry song, it's not merely about experimenting; it's about feeling a romantic connection with the girl she kissed.

Tracy Chapman | The Promise ( Singer-Songwriter, Folk )
Another artist who prefers to separate her personal life from her professional life. As far as I can tell, Chapman has never disclosed her sexual orientation but has dated women and her music is loved by many lesbians. This is a song of hers that I've seen on a number of lesbian-related lists (particularly lists about lesbian love songs).

1996

Meshell Ndegeocello | Leviticus: Faggot ( Neo-Soul, Contemporary R&B )
Bisexual artist Meshell Ndegeocello often infuses her songs with social commentary. In this song, she describes a man who is rejected by his devout mother because she doesn't approve of his gay lifestyle.

Belle and Sebastian | She's Losing It ( Indie Pop )
You wouldn't think so when you listen to the sunny melody, but this seems to be about a girl who has been abused and then starts a relationship with another girl, but struggles to hold herself together.

Placebo | Nancy Boy ( Alternative Rock )
On the surface, it appears to be about a thrill-seeking nancy boy (effeminate man). But band member Brian Molko has said that the song is also an observation of certain people's reasons for sleeping with someone of the same sex, especially people who do it because they think it's hip or cool.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | Stagger Lee ( Alternative Rock, Dark Cabaret )
A song about that bad motherfucker Stagger Lee and his bisexual tendencies. The song was inspired by the popular American folk song with the same title.

Weezer | Pink Triangle ( Alternative Rock, Power Pop )
A song about a boy who falls for a girl who is lesbian.

1997

Sleater-Kinney | One More Hour ( Indie Rock )
Female band mates Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker dated when Sleater-Kinney was formed, and this song is about their breakup.

White Town | Your Woman ( Pop, Indietronica )
White Town's sole band member, Jyoti Prakash Mishra, has stated that the lyrics could be read from the perspective of a girl who is in love with a guy who is "a lying, two-timing, fake-arse Marxist". But he added that he also intended the lyrics to be read from the perspective of a gay guy who is in love with a straight guy.

Janet Jackson | Together Again ( Dance-Pop, Contemporary R&B )
Janet Jackson | Free Xone ( New Jack Swing )
Two songs from Janet Jackson's album The Velvet Rope. "Together Again" was a dedication to all of the friends and colleagues she lost to AIDS, while "Free Xone" was about freeing yourself from homophobia and being with whomever you want to be without feeling shame.

Of Montreal | Tim I Wish You Were Born a Girl ( Indie Pop )
Blurring the boundary between bromance and romance.

Ocean Colour Scene feat. P.P. Arnold | It's a Beautiful Thing ( Folk Pop )
A song about frontman Simon Fowler's struggle to accept his homosexuality ("Oh it's a beautiful thing / Oh it's a terrible thing").

Cyndi Lauper | Ballad Of Cleo & Joe ( Alternative Dance )
RuPaul | A Little Bit of Love ( Eurodance )

1998

George Michael | Outside ( Dance-Pop )
It was George Michael's first single after being arrested for trying to get it on with an undercover policeman in a public toilet. Hey, some people find lovemaking behind closed doors a bit boring and are more excited by an alfresco sex life.

Rufus Wainwright | In My Arms ( Singer-Songwriter, Folk Pop )
Rufus Wainwright wrote this song when he was hanging out a lot in bars in Saint-Laurent, Quebec. He had a brief relationship with a guy he'd met at the time. Even though the relationship didn't last very long, he clearly felt a deep enough connection to write such an impassioned song about wanting him in his arms.

Tori Amos | Raspberry Swirl ( Art Pop, Dance-Pop )
A song about Tori Amos's experiences of being in love with some of her women friends, and also a kind of defiant response to previous relationships with men.

Ani DiFranco | Two Little Girls ( Indie Folk )
Bisexual singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco wrote this song about the aftermath of a dissolved relationship with a woman. In the song, the ex-girlfriend gets into an unhealthy relationship with another woman and starts doing hard drugs. It culminates in her standing over her ex, who is slumped on the bathroom floor, and she doesn't know how to help her.

Terrorvision | Josephine ( Alternative Rock )
The male protagonist in the song has a friend called Joe, who later becomes a trans woman called Josephine. It takes him a while to get used to it, but then he falls in love with her.

1999

The Magnetic Fields | Underwear ( Indie Pop )
The Magnetic Fields | When My Boy Walks Down the Street ( Indie Pop, Indie Rock )
These are two tracks from the group's album 69 Love Songs. Primary songwriter and vocalist Stephin Merritt is gay, and many of the songs have gay or bisexual undertones. It's not always that easy to tell, though, as the gender roles portrayed in the songs are sometimes neutral or atypical. For example, the song "Papa Was a Rodeo" is often interpreted as a gay-themed song, but the person called Mike that the singer communicates with in the song turns out to be a woman. I've selected a song that is more obviously bisexual-themed ("Underwear") as well as a song that appears gay-themed but where the gender roles are atypical again ("When My Boy Walks Down the Street").

Skunk Anansie | Secretly ( Alternative Rock )
Bisexual lead singer Skin has a vocal style that can alternate between being powerful and subtle, as can be heard on "Secretly", a song in which the narrator is having a secret affair with a closeted bisexual woman.

2000

Melissa Ferrick | Drive ( Pop Rock, Singer-songwriter )
A rather steamy song by this lesbian singer-songwriter.

2001

Garbage | Cherry Lips ( Pop Rock, Electropop )
Garbage | Androgyny ( Pop Rock, Alternative Dance )
Two tracks from the band's album Beautiful Garbage. "Cherry Lips" is a song inspired by JT LeRoy, a literary persona who was transgender and a truck stop prostitute from a young age. About "Androgyny", singer Shirley Manson said, "So proud we were ahead of the curve in encouraging the mainstream acknowledgement of non-binary gender and sexual identities. We also fully support the LGBTQIA community. Always have. Always will."

Le Tigre | Keep On Livin' ( Dance Punk, Indietronica )
Band member Kathleen Hanna started writing this song about her traumatic memories of sexual abuse. Fellow band member JD Samson read the verses that were written up to that point and saw a link between the lyrics and what she felt when she tried to come out as lesbian, and they finished writing the song together.

Rufus Wainwright | Greek Song ( Chamber Pop )
This song is about a guy Rufus Wainwright met in Greece. Under the warm Mediterranean sun, a chemistry developed between the two of them. But the guy had a girlfriend, and when Wainwright leaned in a for a kiss the guy freaked out and responded aggressively.

2002

Junior Senior | Chicks and Dicks ( Alternative Dance )
A pop duo consisting of one gay member and one straight one. It starts off as a song about… well… one of them liking girls and the other one liking boys, but by the end of the song it seems like anything or anyone will do.

t.A.T.u. | All the Things She Said ( Pop/Rock, Electropop )
The duo has been criticised for only acting as lesbians to generate media attention. Nonetheless, the song clearly has a LGBT theme of two women trying to make sense of their romantic feelings for each other.

Bright Eyes | Lover I Don’t Have to Love ( Indie Rock )
This song has been interpreted in various ways. The interpretation that makes most sense to me is that it's about a drug-addicted guy who oscillates between needing love that is meaningful and interactions that are primal and meaningless. And he doesn't seem to care if it's with a girl or a boy.

2003

Rufus Wainwright | 14th Street ( Chamber Pop )
I seem to regularly change my mind about what my favourite song is by gay singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright. At the moment it's this one. I have a soft spot for songs that have melancholic lyrics but a happy tune. So despite the lyrics "But why'd you have to break all my heart / Couldn't you have saved a little bit of it" I can't help but feel a sense of joy because of the rousing music.

The Knife | Pass This On ( Electropop )
Vocalist and co-writer Karin Dreijer (a.k.a. Fever Ray) has referred to themself as queer and genderfluid. "Pass This On" paints a picture of desire, but there seems to be something unusual about the situation in which this desire takes place. The hints at bisexuality as well as the music video, which features a drag queen performing the song at a local football club meeting, add to the intrigue the song creates around queer sexuality.

Peaches | I U She ( Electro-Techno )
She doesn't have to make a choice: she likes girls and she likes boys. And come on, let's add some "whips, crops, canes, whatever".

Electric Six | Gay Bar ( Dance Rock )
Totally silly, but fun.

John Tartaglia & Rick Lyon | If You Were Gay ( Musical Theatre )
This is from the musical Avenue Q. In the song, a straight puppet tries to help another puppet (who is a friend of his) to accept that he is gay.

The Decemberists | The Soldiering Life ( Indie Pop, Indie Folk )
A second song (the other one being Billy Bragg's "Tender Comrade" from 1988) that is about a relationship nurtured between two men on the battlefield.

The Hidden Cameras | The Man That I Am with My Man ( Chamber Pop )
Despite the raunchy sex references, this is actually a heart-warming song about a guy feeling totally at ease with his boyfriend.

2004

Scissor Sisters | Take Your Mama ( Pop Rock )
Scissor Sisters | Filthy / Gorgeous ( Electropop )
The band took their name from the lesbian sex act called scissoring. "Take Your Mama" is about frontman Jake Shears' coming out to his mother as gay and trying to explain to her what it's all about, while "Filthy / Gorgeous" is about the gay kink/fetish club scene at the time.

Franz Ferdinand | Michael ( Rock, Post-Punk Revival )
This one is about a guy in a club who is attracted to another guy who is a good dancer.

The Ditty Bops | There's a Girl ( Indie Pop, Folk Pop )
A song about a secret relationship between two women.

Xiu Xiu | I Luv the Valley OH! ( Experimental Rock, Art Pop )
Founding band member Jamie Stewart identifies and bisexual and queer. The band has an experimental sound and the lyrics are often hard-hitting. Their most popular song "I Luv the Valley OH!" vividly refers to Steward's family history of depression, abuse and mental health issues.

2005

Antony and the Johnsons | For Today I Am a Boy ( Chamber Pop )
Antony and the Johnsons | Hope There's Someone ( Chamber Pop )
Band leader Anohni is transgender and uses the pronouns she/her. "For Today I Am a Boy" is about a trans girl still living in a boy's body, looking forward to becoming a beautiful woman one day, and the band's most famous song "Hope There's Someone" poignantly describes a longing to not die alone.

Sufjan Stevens | The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us! ( Chamber Folk )
I've come across various interpretations of this song. Sufjan Stevens has said that the song is based on an experience with a friend at summer camp, where they invented a predatory wasp/bird creature to scare each other. So the interpretation that makes most sense to me is that the majority of the song is about two boys at summer camp who have an innocent yet strongly felt crush on each other, and in the last verse the (then more mature) narrator remembers the terrible sting he felt when his friend ran away.

2006

The Gossip | Standing in the Way of Control ( Dance Rock, Garage Punk )
This song was written by lesbian frontwoman Beth Ditto as a response to the US government's stance on same-sex marriage during George W. Bush's presidency. Fortunately, things have changed since 2006. Same-sex marriage is now legal in the US.

Willie Nelson | Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other ( Country )
A rare LGBT-themed song in the genre of country music. The song was originally released by Ned Sublette in 1981, but I prefer this 2006 version by Willie Nelson.

Mika | Billy Brown ( Pop )
It was all going according to plan for Billy Brown: he had a wife, two kids and a dog. Then he fell in love with another man.

The Shins | Phantom Limb ( Indie Pop )
Songwriter and lead singer James Mercer has described this song as "a hypothetical, fictional account of a young, lesbian couple in high school dealing with the shitty small town they live in."

Grizzly Bear | Plans ( Indie Folk, Chamber Pop )
The band wasn't actually named after the furry North American animal; it was named after the nickname band member Ed Droste had for an ex-boyfriend. Understandably, the band doesn't like to be referred to as a queer band considering that only one of the band members is gay. But some of their songs have a subtle queer bend, like this one about Juan from Argentina.

2007

Bloc Party | I Still Remember ( Pop Rock, Post-Punk Revival )
Ah, the regret of not taking action when you knew there was chemistry between you and someone. Frontman Kele Okereke has told The Observer that this song was inspired by observations he made in high school - observations about unspoken desires between boys who were not necessarily gay. He said in the interview that he could see it "in the way that guys would need to be touching other guys. You could see there was something they couldn't say aloud."

Jens Lekman | A Postcard to Nina ( Indie Pop, Chamber Pop )
We had a supportive brother to a lesbian sister in Martin Stephenson's "Coleen" from 1986. This time round it's Jens Lekman being supportive of his lesbian friend, whose Catholic father wouldn't understand her sexuality.

Original Broadway Cast of Legally Blonde: The Musical | There! Right There! (Gay or European) ( Musical Theatre )
Some over-the-top stereotyping going on here, but it's quite funny.

2008

Black Kids | I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You ( Indie Pop, New Wave )
This song is sung from the perspective of a girl who has a crush on another girl and therefore doesn't want to teach this other girl's boyfriend how to dance with her.

La Roux | Quicksand ( Electropop )
The act's vocalist Elly Jackson identifies as gay but rejects labels. "Quicksand" is a song about romantic yearning. In an interview with the London Paper, Jackson said, "It's about having an intense moment with someone, when maybe you're watching a film or listening to music, and both of you are yearning for the other one, and it's almost painful to sit next to them."

Katy Perry | I Kissed a Girl ( Pop Rock )
Katy Perry has described her sexuality as fluid. "I Kissed a Girl" is about bisexual experimentation.

2009

Jordaan Mason & The Horse Museum | 1990 Was a Long Year and We Are All Out of Hot Water Now ( Indie Folk )
This is the final track from the album Divorce Lawyers I Shaved My Head, which was written by non-binary artist Jordaan Mason. It's a concept album about the struggling relationship between two people who are both figuring out their gender and sexual identities. By the time this song appears, the relationship has failed. But despite the unhappy ending, the album has been praised for its realistic depiction of gender dysphoria and the effects it can have on a relationship.

The Radio Dept. | David ( Indie Pop, Shoegaze )
In this song, the narrator seems to be in love with a beautiful man named David, but David has been struggling to come to terms with his homosexuality for many years.

2010

John Grant | Caramel ( Singer-Songwriter )
This is one of my favourite gay love songs (especially this live version with just John Grant and his piano).

The Irrepressibles | In This Shirt ( Chamber Pop, Art Pop )
Jamie McDermott, the collective's singer and composer, is often compared with Anohni and Rufus Wainwright, both because of similarities in vocal style and because of unapologetically singing about LGBT themes. "In This Shirt", a song that expresses an inability to get over a relationship that has ended, is a lovely example of McDermott's talents as a singer and songwriter.

Vampire Weekend | Diplomat's Son ( Indie Pop, Dancehall )
In an interview with Out magazine, gay band member and co-writer of this song, Rostam Batmanglij, described it as "a six-minute dancehall song about a gay relationship", and said that he liked the idea of just sitting back and seeing how listeners interpret it.

Sufjan Stevens | Futile Devices ( Folktronica )
The narrator in this song has a strong affection for another guy, but he seems to be unsure if the love he feels is familial, platonic, or romantic.

Owen Pallett | Lewis Takes Off His Shirt ( Indietronica, Chamber Pop )
Owen Pallett has made interesting contributions to music both as a solo artist and in collaboration with other artists. It was difficult to decide which song of his to pick, but in the end I went with the song that most people who have heard of Owen Pallett would probably know.

Jónsi | Sinking Friendships ( Art Pop )
Jónsi is the vocalist and guitarist from the band Sigur Rós. This song is from his solo album Go. He explained to The Independent that the song was about growing up gay in Iceland without knowing many other gay people and falling in love with his straight friends all the time. He added: "That made for lots of... drama, a lot of awkwardness, and so much misunderstanding. I had to apologise a lot."

2011

Azealia Banks | 212 ( Hip House )
Straight-talking Azealia Banks identifies as bisexual. This song was released before she came out. But her bisexuality probably wouldn't have come as a major surprise to anyone who paid attention to lyrics like: "Kick it with ya bitch that come from Parisian / She know where I get mine from, end of season / Now she wanna lick my plum in the evening / And fit that tongue-tongue d-deep in / I guess that cunt gettin eaten."

Lady Gaga | Born This Way ( Dance-Pop )
Lady Gaga | Americano ( Electropop, Latin Pop )
Two songs from Lady Gaga's album Born This Way. The title track is about being born the way you are and is undoubtedly a tribute to Lady Gaga's huge number of LGBT fans. "Americano" is a dance song with Latin influences that portrays a lesbian love story.

Patrick Wolf | Bermondsey Street ( Pop Rock )
In this song, the same simple love story is told twice, first as a story between a guy and a girl, and later as a story between two guys. Patrick Wolf has explained that the intention is "for the straight couple to realize that the gay couple are experiencing the same emotion of love, but that it just happens to be between the same sex."

Atlas Sound | Parallax ( Neo-Psychedelia, Indie Pop )
The words "asexual", "gay" and "queer" have all been used (even by himself) to describe Bradford Cox's sexuality. I get the impression he doesn’t feel comfortable with slapping a label on it. Cox is the lead singer and guitarist of Deerhunter but has also pursued a solo career as Atlas Sound. The song I've chosen is the title track from Atlas Sound's album Parallax, a song that appears to be describing a turbulent relationship with a man.

Deep Dark Robot | No One Wakes Me Up Like You ( Indie Rock )
Lead vocalist and songwriter Linda Perry has written songs for many famous artists including Christina Aguilera, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Adele and Alicia Keys. But she performs this track herself. It's from the album 8 Songs About a Girl, which is a concept album that tells the story of Perry's relationship with a woman who broke her heart.

Hunx and His Punx | Lovers Lane ( Garage Rock, Girl Group )
Well, it's really more like Hunx and His Punkettes as gay artist Hunx (real name Seth Bogart) is joined here by an all-girl backing band to perform this lusty song about a boy taking another boy to Lovers Lane, his favourite place in town.

2012

Frank Ocean | Forrest Gump ( Neo-Soul )
Frank Ocean | Bad Religion ( Contemporary R&B )
The media certainly made a big deal out of it when Frank Ocean revealed that he had been in relationships with both men and women. It gave the song "Thinkin Bout You" a different dimension, but I'm going with two more obviously LGBT-themed songs from his album Channel Orange: the playful "Forrest Gump" (which served as a metaphor for the feelings he still harboured for the first man he loved) and the emotionally raw "Bad Religion".

The Irrepressibles | Two Men in Love ( Chamber Pop )
The Irrepressibles | Arrow ( Chamber Pop )
Two more gorgeous gay love songs by The Irrepressibles.

Zebra Katz feat. Njena Reddd Foxxx | Ima Read ( Hip House )
The word "read" in the title is about education/educating, but it's also a homage to the 1980s ballroom scene of New York (see Madonna's "Vogue" from 1990). In the ballroom scene context, "read" means to cut someone down to size. Katz has a clear message for the homophobes: "I'm a read that bitch / I'm a school that bitch / I'm a take that bitch to college / I'm a give that bitch some knowledge."

Mykki Blanco | Wavvy ( Hip Hop )
Mykki Blanco is the female alter ego of transgender rapper Michael David Quattlebaum. The word wavvy usually means a state of drunkenness somewhere between tipsy and wasted, but in the music video wavvy is a drug. If you like good hip hop, you won't need alcohol or drugs to get excited by the sharp delivery and equally sharp synths.

Le1f | Wut ( Hip Hop )
As is evident in the enjoyable music video of "Wut", gay rapper Le1f is not afraid to engage in some flamboyant posing, dropping and twerking. Fortunately, the quick-fire flow, the looping horn sample and the bass give the song itself as much personality as the video.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert | Same Love ( Pop Rap )
A pro-LGBT rights song that was unofficially adopted as an anthem by many supporters of same-sex marriage in the US. Straight rapper Macklemore has explained that the song was also inspired by his frustration with hip hop's view of homosexuality.

2013

Kacey Musgraves | Follow Your Arrow ( Country Pop )
In this song, Kacey Musgraves pokes fun at society's double standards and encourages people to do what they want and be true to their sexuality ("Kiss lots of boys, or kiss lots of girls, if that's something you're into").

Arcade Fire | We Exist ( Alternative Dance, Indie Rock )
This song has been described by lead singer Win Butler as being about a gay kid coming out to his straight dad. The video, featuring Andrew Garfield, portrays the song as a person's struggle with gender identity.

Hozier | Take Me to Church ( Chamber Pop )
Hozier wrote this song after a bad breakup with his girlfriend. But he has explained in interviews that the song was also inspired by his frustrations with the Catholic Church, including the way it teaches shame about sexual orientation. He has said that "sex and humanity are incredibly tied. Sexuality — regardless of orientation — is just natural." The music video for the song depicts a gay couple being subjected to a violent homophobic attack.

Goldfrapp | Annabel ( Chamber Pop, Chamber Folk )
This is a song about a man or boy who dreams of being Annabel and who is probably bigender ("why they couldn't let you be both").

Cakes da Killa | Goodie Goodies ( Hip Hop, Hip House )
Cakes da Killa, also known as Rashard Bradshaw, is another refreshingly flamboyant rapper, but with plenty of bounce and swagger. And his lyrics are pretty raunchy. Don't underestimate the power of his goodie goodies.

Willam Belli feat. Detox & Vicky Vox | Boy Is a Bottom ( Musical Parody, Pop )
Speaking of raunchy lyrics, this list wouldn't be complete without a bit of light-hearted vulgarity from a drag act. Although the idea that every gay (or bisexual) man has to be either a "top" or a "bottom" is another misconception (many gay men are a bit of both, and some gay men don't have anal sex at all), the top-bottom thing can be a humorous, frivolous topic, like in this song.

Panic! At The Disco | Girls/Girls/Boys ( Pop Rock, Electropop )
Julia Weldon | All I Gave Her ( Indie Pop, Singer/Songwriter )
Devendra Banhart | Daniel ( Indie Folk, Singer-Songwriter )
Studio Killers | Jenny ( Dance-Pop )
Sara Bareilles | Brave ( Pop )
Mary Lambert | She Keeps Me Warm ( Singer-Songwriter, Pop Rock )
Steve Grand | All-American Boy ( Contemporary Country )

2014

Against Me! | Transgender Dysphoria Blues ( Punk Rock )
Against Me! | True Trans Soul Rebel ( Punk Rock )
Laura Jane Grace is a trans woman who is the founder, lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of Against Me! "Transgender Dysphoria Blues" is about Grace's strong discontent with the sex she was born with and her physical appearance as a trans woman. About "Trans Soul Rebel", Grace told Elle, "To me, this song is coming from the darkest of places, questioning whether even God has love for a transsexual soul when the overwhelming majority of societies in the world see trans people as disgusting, sick, or diseased."

Perfume Genius | Queen ( Art Pop )
In this slightly avant-garde gay anthem, Perfume Genius (real name Mike Hadreas) declares himself queen and questions the perception that gay otherness threatens family values (“No family is safe when I sashay”).

St. Vincent | Prince Johnny ( Art Pop )
St. Vincent (real name Annie Clark) has stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that she believes "in gender fluidity and sexual fluidity. I don't really identify as anything. I think you can fall in love with anybody." She told NME that "Prince Johnny" is a "love letter to a tragic character and the New York downtown freak, weirdo, queer scene."

Hercules and Love Affair feat. John Grant | I Try to Talk to You ( House, Electro-Disco )
Hercules and Love Affair was formed by gay musician Andy Butler. Butler collaborated with John Grant on this song. Grant wrote lyrics about becoming HIV positive and how it affected him. He said in an interview with Mojo, "The lyric is an inner dialogue; why couldn't I love myself more? There are many gay men like me who feel ashamed, dirty and unlovable because of it, and I want them to know they have someone on stage that's dealing with this too."

Courtney Barnett | Pickles from the Jar ( Indie Rock, Singer-Songwriter )
This song is about Barnett's relationship with her then-partner Jen Cloher.

Sam Smith | Stay with Me ( Pop Soul )
Sam Smith identifies as non-binary. Smith has said that this song (and most of their album In the Lonely Hour) was inspired by a complex relationship with a straight guy they fell in love with, but who couldn’t love them back the same way.

Toya Delazy | Forbidden Fruit ( Hip House, Contemporary R&B )
Even though South Africa is the only country in Africa where LGBT people have pretty much the same rights as heterosexual people, beyond the country's major cities the view still prevails that homosexuality is “un-African” or “un-Christian”. It is therefore a breath of fresh air to have a popular (lesbian) South African performer like Toya Delazy challenge that view.

Kadie Elder | First Time He Kissed a Boy ( Synthpop, Indie Pop )
Conchita Wurst | Rise Like a Phoenix ( Pop )

2015

Shamir | Call It Off ( Synthpop, Electro-Disco )
Shamir identifies as androgynous and genderqueer, and said in an interview with Out that "I don't identify as gay because I don't identify as male or female". This song is about the relief that is felt after ending relationships or experiences that are bad for us.

Years & Years | King ( Dance-Pop, Synthpop )
Like many other songs by this synthpop trio, "King" is inspired by gay frontman Olly Alexander's past relationships.

Declan McKenna | Paracetamol ( Indie Pop )
This song was inspired by transgender teen Leelah Alcorn, who committed suicide after she had been rejected by her mother and had been compelled to undergo transgender conversion therapy. Declan McKenna felt sickened by the sensational media coverage of the story. In an interview with the Guardian, McKenna explained that he wrote "Paracetamol" from the perspective of an "authoritative figure, talking about somebody they are oppressing, in a sort of disconnected tabloid speak" in an attempt to demonstrate how harmful that kind of media coverage can be.

Villagers | Hot Scary Summer (Indie Folk)
This wistful song describes a same-sex couple on the verge of breaking up.

Cavetown | This Is Home ( Indie Folk )
Singer-songwriter and YouTube star Cavetown (real name Robin Skinner) is transgender and has stated that they are aromantic asexual. "This Is Home" describes their anxiety about not being able to fall in love as well as their experience of gender dysphoria.

The Internet feat. KAYTRANADA | Girl ( Alternative R&B )
The Internet is fronted by lesbian DJ/MC Syd Tha Kyd, and in the song she sings about wanting to be the object of affection of a girl she likes.

Holly Miranda | All I Want Is to Be Your Girl ( Indie Pop, Singer-Songwriter )
Another song with a female protagonist telling a woman that she wants to be her girl.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra | Multi-Love ( Psychedelic Pop )
Who Is Fancy feat. Meghan Trainor, Ariana Grande | Boys Like You ( Pop )

2016

Sia | The Greatest ( Dance-Pop, Electropop )
The song (and music video) is a tribute to the victims of a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando in the USA in June 2016. It celebrates the spirit of being defiant and trying to be the best you can be in the face of adversity, which is something the LGBT community have managed to do for many decades.

Blood Orange | Augustine ( Alternative R&B, Synthpop )
Speaking of the Orlando shooting, "Augustine" and the album it comes from (Freetown Sound) was released in the aftermath of that shooting. Blood Orange (also known as Dev Hynes) dedicated the album to the marginalised in society and said that the album is for everyone who’s “not black enough, too black, too queer, not queer the right way”.

Tegan and Sara | Boyfriend ( Electropop, Synthpop )
Tegan and Sara are identical twins who both happen to be lesbian. The song “Boyfriend” was inspired by a former girlfriend of Sara’s. This girlfriend had never been with another woman before and was also seeing a guy from time to time. Sara felt that she was being treated like a boyfriend and wanted to make their relationship official, but realised that her girlfriend wasn’t ready for that.

Japanese Breakfast | Everybody Wants to Love You ( Indie Pop )
Band leader Michelle Zauner has said that she wrote this song for a woman she had a relationship with, but the women had no idea that she wrote it for her.

Jenny Hval | Female Vampire ( Art Pop )
Jenny Hval has described herself as being outside the gender binary. On "Female Vampire" a fictional time-travelling vampire looks for fresh blood on the dancefloor, and expected gender roles are questioned and blurred.

Shura | What’s It Gonna Be? ( Synthpop, Dance-Pop )
Kaytranada | Lite Spots ( Alternative R&B, Funky House )

2017

The xx | I Dare You ( Indietronica, Dream Pop )
Co-leads Madley Croft and Oliver Sim both identify as gay. On "I Dare You" Croft and Sim explore feelings of being infatuated with someone.

Julien Baker | Appointments ( Singer-Songwriter, Slowcore )
This song by lesbian singer and guitarist Julien Baker likely describes the difficulties of being in a relationship while having mental health issues ("Appointments" in the title and lyrics presumably refers to appointments with a doctor or psychiatrist). And it's about holding on to hope under such difficult circumstances ("Maybe it's all gonna turn out all right / Oh, I know that it's not, but I have to believe that it is").

Orville Peck | Dead of Night ( Alt-Country )
Gay country musician Orville Peck told The Boot that this song is about unrequited love. As the narrator in the song sees other boys walk past him, he remembers with both joy and sadness the time he spent with his love interest in the desert and towns of Nevada.

Big Thief | Pretty Things ( Indie Folk )
Quite a few of the songs written by vocalist and guitarist Adrianne Lenker reflect on gender fluidity. In an interview with The Brag, Lenker said, "I feel within myself a constant dialogue between my masculinity, my femininity and the part of me that is neither of those things." The song "Pretty Things" is an apt example of how Lenker challenges preconceived notions of gender.

MUNA | Crying on the Bathroom Floor ( Synthpop )
MUNA is an electronic pop group consisting of three women who all identify as queer. The band has said that they wanted the lyrics to "Crying on the Bathroom Floor" to be about "the concept of traumatic bonding". Traumatic bonding refers to the phenomenon of survivors in abusive relationships forming strong attachments to their abusers.

Halsey feat. Lauren Jauregui | Strangers ( Synthpop, Electropop )
Both Halsey and Lauren Jauregui identify as bisexual, and this song is overtly about a relationship between two women. Halsey has said "I just love that Lauren and I are two women who have a mainstream pop presence doing a love song for the LGBT community, it's unheard of. It's very rare to see it from a female perspective."

Fischerspooner | Have Fun Tonight ( Electropop )
This song is another throwback to the 1980s. One half of the duo, Casey Spooner, has said that he wanted the song (as well as the album it comes from) to be "unabashedly homosexual". It's obviously a song about having a fun evening, but it's probably also about open relationships ("I want to hold you near / Now go have fun without me / You know that I'll be here").

Perfume Genius | Slip Away ( Art Pop )
Leon Else | What I Won't Do ( Synthpop, Electropop )
Hayley Kiyoko | Feelings ( Electropop, Dance-Pop )
Frank Ocean | Chanel ( Alternative R&B )
First Hate | The One ( Synthpop, Dance-Pop )
Sakima | Daddy ( Electropop, Alternative R&B )
Girl in Red | I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend ( Indie Pop )
Marika Hackman | Boyfriend ( Indie Rock )
Sufjan Stevens | Mystery of Love ( Indie Folk )
Alex G | Bobby ( Indie Folk )
Cub Sport | O Lord ( Indie Pop, Gospel )
Chastity Brown | Whisper ( Pop Soul )
Parson James | Only You ( Pop Soul )
Kehlani | Honey ( Contemporary R&B )
Kelela | LMK ( Alternative R&B )
Rubby | Know Me ( Alternative R&B )
Jay Som | Baybee ( Dream Pop, Neo-Psychedelia )
Partner | Play the Field ( Indie Rock )
La Louma | Tin Roof Now ( Indie Rock )

2018

Janelle Monáe | Make Me Feel ( Synth Funk, Art Pop )
After years of refusing to define her sexuality publicly, in an interview in 2018 Janelle Monáe came out as pansexual (being attracted to people regardless of their sex or gender identity) … and as "a free-ass motherfucker." It elevated "Make Me Feel" to an even higher status as a powerful song about sexual liberation.

Christine and the Queens feat. Dâm-Funk | Girlfriend ( Synthpop )
Christine and the Queens (real name Héloïse Letissier) identifies as pansexual. But in 2018 it wasn't her sexual orientation but her gender identity that drew attention. In an interview she explained, "I'm a woman but I just decided to deconstruct the narrow definition of what a woman could be. I'm saying that I'm fluid because I do believe that my femininity is made of hints of masculinity."

Car Seat Headrest | Bodys ( Indie Rock )
Originally released in 2011 when Car Seat Headrest consisted solely of Will Toledo, the song was re-recorded and re-released in 2018. It's part of the album Twin Fantasy, which tells the story of a troubled teenage gay romance. The song "Bodys" appears at the point in the story when the narrator seems to be tired of thinking too much and of trying to find meaning in the relationship, and he just wants the two of them to embrace their youth and be intimate.

Ezra Furman | Suck the Blood From My Wound ( Indie Rock )
Ezra Furman is a bisexual transgender woman. In this song, the narrator has a partner who is growing wings and turning into an angel. He is distrusted and stigmatised for being different, and the couple go on the run together.

Sophie | Faceshopping ( Bubblegum Bass, Deconstructed Club, Post-Industrial )
Experimental musician and trans woman Sophie challenged boundaries not only with her music but also when it came to gender identity. These challenges are arguably most noticeable in the song "Faceshopping" (and its video). It bends gender to the point of totally blurring it, and (to my ears and eyes at least) makes a strong point that trying to categorise gender is futile.

Idles | Samaritans ( Post-Punk )
Vocalist and co-writer Joe Talbot has said that this song is about toxic masculinity, which involves cultural pressure for men to behave in a certain way and the mental health issues this creates. The band wanted to encourage a conversation about gender roles by writing this song. Talbot once introduced the song at a live performance at Glastonbury by stating, "This song is about men and women and people who are non-binary, and people who wanna call themselves whatever the fuck they want who were brave enough to express themselves for a better future."

Brandi Carlile | The Joke ( Americana )
Lesbian singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile wrote this song as a comment on the socio-political climate following the 2016 US presidential election. She wanted to highlight that many people (including people in the LGBT community) felt misrepresented. She explained to NPR that the song is "for people that feel under-represented, unloved or illegal."

Rina Sawayama | Cherry ( Synthpop, Contemporary R&B )
King Princess | 1950 ( Alternative R&B, Pop Soul )
CupcakKe | Crayons ( Hip House, Pop Rap )
Troye Sivan | My My My! ( Electropop, Dance-Pop )
Ah-Mer-Ah-Su | Heartbreaker ( Electropop )
Big Freedia | Rent ( Bounce )
Snail Mail | Pristine ( Indie Rock, Indie Pop )
Alex Aris | Can You Feel It ( Pop )
Alextbh | Still Mine ( Contemporary R&B )
Leo Kalyan | The Edge ( Art Pop, Alternative R&B )
Nakhane | Interloper ( Electropop, Gospel )
Shea Diamond | American Pie ( Soul )
Brockhampton | Something About Him ( Alternative R&B )
LP | Girls Go Wild ( Pop Rock )
Mary Gauthier | It's Her Love ( Americana )
MNEK | Tongue ( Electropop )
Matt Fishel | LGBTQIA (A New Generation) ( Pop Rock )

2019

Brittany Howard | Stay High ( Pop Soul )
Lesbian musician Brittany Howard is the lead vocalist of the band Alabama Shakes but also performs as a solo artist. Howard has said that "Stay High" is about "spending time with your loved ones or doing something you love or whatever keeps you positive in life, doing what makes you feel joy."

Clairo | Sofia ( Bedroom Pop )
This song was inspired by Clairo's first experiences of having crushes on older women whom she saw in the media, and in the process discovering her bisexuality. Clairo has named Sofia Vergara and Sofia Coppola as examples.

Tove Lo feat. Alma | Bad as the Boys ( Dance-Pop, Contemporary R&B )
"Bad as the Boys" is about Tove Lo's first summer relationship with a girl. In the song, the female narrator has developed a strong crush, but the girl she has fallen for only saw it as a summer fling and later goes back to dating boys. The emotional cruelty of the girl is recounted as being just as bad that of boys she has been with.

Michael Medrano | Fluids ( Dance-Pop, Funktronica )
A retro-tinged song about sexual fluidity. The narrator in the song gets drunk and gets it on with whomever. Michael Medrano explained about the song, "Sometimes you just wanna kiss a hottie on the dance floor and it doesn't matter if they're a boy, girl, or anything in between".

Todrick Hall | Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels ( Dance-Pop, Hip House )
A sassy gay anthem from singer and choreographer Todrick Hall. You better drop, tongue pop, twirl and snap for him!

Taylor Swift | You Need to Calm Down ( Electropop )
In this song Taylor Swift calls out haters and anti-gay protesters. Speaking on Apple Music 1, Swift explained that the song came from her observations of people who devote a great deal of time basking in negativity. It made her feel like telling them, "This seems like it's more about you than what you're going off about. Like, just calm down."

Katie Pruitt | Loving Her ( Singer-Songwriter, Contemporary Country )
The Japanese House | Something Has to Change ( Synthpop )
dhruv | Double Take ( Alternative R&B )
Crimson Riot | Lola ( Punk Rock )

2020

Miley Cyrus | Midnight Sky ( Synthpop )
Lyrically, this disco-tinged bop is about independence, self-confidence and personal growth. Miley Cyrus, who identifies as pansexual, revealed in an interview in Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast that she also wanted the song to be an anthem that normalized pansexuality and provided visibility for those living in fear of rejection over being their authentic selves.

Arlo Parks | Green Eyes ( Bedroom Pop )
In this song, bisexual singer and songwriter Arlo Parks reflects on a relationship she had with a woman, and how the relationship didn't last because her ex-lover couldn't be herself due to the homophobia she encountered. Ultimately, it's a song that is hopeful about self-acceptance.

Tyler, the Creator | Best Interest ( Neo-Soul )
Despite making numerous references to having experienced same-sex attraction, Tyler, the Creator (real name Tyler Okonma) is mostly private about his sexuality. People sometimes interpret the love interest in his songs to be male, even though this is implied rather than directly stated in the lyrics. "Best Interest" tells the story of a love triangle in which Tyler expresses his willingness to be “a third-wheeler, a side-better, and a homewrecker” ... until he realizes that he doesn't want to play that part anymore.

The 1975 feat. Phoebe Bridgers | Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America ( Indie Folk )
This song finds vocalist (and LGBT ally) Matty Healy pondering religious faith and love from the perspective of a LGBT person. The narrator in the song describes how he has to hide his sexual identity because of his religious beliefs. The band is joined on this song by bisexual musician Phoebe Bridgers.

Dodie | Rainbow ( Chamber Folk, Singer-Songwriter )
On "Rainbow" Dodie sings about the struggles that individuals who identify as part of the LGBT community face, including herself. Dodie explained in an interview that although she was initially excited to come out as bisexual, as she grew older she began to realize that she grappled with inner biphobia, which led to her writing this song.

Joy Oladokun | Breathe Again ( Singer-Songwriter, Chamber Pop )
Perfume Genius | On the Floor ( Psychedelic Pop, Art Pop )
Troye Sivan | Easy ( Synthpop )
ALMA | LA Money ( Contemporary R&B, Dance-Pop )
Adam Lambert | Velvet ( Synth Funk, Pop Rock )
Joesef | The Sun Is Up Forever ( Neo-Soul, Indie Pop )
Raveena | Headaches ( Neo-Soul, Psychedelic Soul )

2021

Lil Nas X | Montero (Call Me by Your Name) ( Pop Rap )
Considering that not so long ago queer male musicians risked losing their careers for as much as wearing a dress, the fact that Lil Nas X was one of the most successful artists in 2021 despite his explicit gay lyrics and promiscuous, homoerotic videos is enough to give you gay whiplash.

Serpentwithfeet | Same Size Shoe ( Alternative R&B )
This track by Serpentwithfeet (real name Josiah Wise) about the contentment he feels after finding a man who fits him in all the right ways radiates warmth.

Adeem the Artist | Reclaim My Name ( Americana, Singer-Songwriter )
In this song, non-binary, pansexual country musician Adeem the Artist (born Adem Bingham) recalls painful memories associated with their identity and expresses a desire to comfort their younger self: "I've been trying to build a machine / That can convert shame into celebration / I'll go back in time and reclaim my name".

Allison Ponthier | Cowboy ( Alt-Country )
"Cowboy" references lesbian singer-songwriter Allison Ponthier's move from the Bible Belt region in the US to New York City, and how she accepted her sexuality when she got there.

Ethel Cain feat. lil aaron | Michelle Pfeiffer ( Dream Pop, Slowcore )
Ethel Cain is a trans woman who (like Allison Ponthier, mentioned just above) grew up as a devout churchgoer in the deep South. Cain has said that she has "always idolized Michelle Pfeiffer and thought she was a picture-perfect bombshell". This idealized perception of the iconic film star has helped Cain to achieve confidence within herself.

Maggie Lindemann | She Knows It ( Pop Punk, Emo-Pop )
Kim Petras | Future Starts Now ( Dance-Pop, Electro-Disco )
Demi Lovato | The Kind of Lover I Am ( Pop )
Let's Eat Grandma | Hall of Mirrors ( Synthpop )
Aurora | Cure for Me ( Electropop )
Rebecca Black | Girlfriend ( Dance-Pop )
Remi Wolf | Sexy Villain ( Contemporary R&B, Indie Pop )
Orion Sun | Concrete ( Alternative R&B )
Tasha | Perfect Wife ( Contemporary R&B, Contemporary Folk )

2022

Lucy Dacus | Kissing Lessons ( Indie Rock )
This song was inspired by a true story of pre-teen Dacus learning how to kiss from her female neighbourhood friends. Dacus explained in an interview with WYEP that she didn’t think of it as a gay thing at the time – she and her friends were just preparing for future relationships with boys – but that she looks back at that experience through a different lens since coming out as queer.

Steve Lacy | Bad Habit ( Neo-Soul )
Lacy identifies as bisexual. Throughout much of “Bad Habit,” he regrets not having made a move on someone. But by the end of the song the two of them get to explore their mutual attraction.

Angel Olsen | All the Good Times ( Americana, Alt-Country )
Olsen has said that she wrote the album Big Time during an emotional period of self-acceptance and change. She had come out to her parents as gay, but tragically both parents passed away shortly thereafter. “All the Good Times” captures that sense of loss, heartbreak and moving on from a past version of yourself.

Kae Tempest feat. Kevin Abstract | More Pressure ( UK Hip Hop, Slam Poetry )
Acceptance is a theme that is also prevalent in non-binary artist Kae Tempest’s album The Line Is a Curve. In an interview with Apple Music, Tempest explained that the song “More Pressure” is about using the pressure you’re under in a galvanising way to create change and cultivate greater acceptance.

Rina Sawayama | This Hell ( Dance-Pop )
Sawayama identifies as both bisexual and pansexual. She has said that she wrote “This Hell” when she was “thinking about the rights being taken away from the LGBTQ community in the name of traditional religious beliefs. When the world tells us we don’t deserve love and protection, we have no choice but to give love and protection to each other. This Hell is better with you.”

black midi | Eat Men Eat ( Avant-Prog )
This song tells the story of two men (likely a couple) who are trying to escape a situation where their stomach acid will be used in the production of a bastardized blood red wine that is sold and loved in the region they find themselves in… Yes, really.

Oliver Sim | Hideous ( Art Pop )
Sim wrote this song about the fear and shame he felt due to being HIV positive. He explained in an interview with Rolling Stone, “I’ve been living with HIV since I was 17 and it’s played with how I’ve felt towards myself, and how I’ve assumed others have felt towards me, from that age and into my adult life.”

Ezra Furman | Come Close ( Indie Pop )
Tove Lo | No One Dies From Love ( Synthpop )
King Princess | I Hate Myself, I Want to Party ( Alt-Pop )
Willow | Hover Like a Goddess ( Pop Punk )
Fletcher | Becky’s So Hot ( Alt-Pop )
Dove Cameron | Boyfriend ( Alt-Pop )
Hayley Kiyoko | For the Girls ( Dance-Pop, Alternative R&B )
Beyoncé | Pure / Honey ( House, Alternative R&B )
Kendrick Lamar | Auntie Diaries ( Hip Hop )
Brockhampton | The Ending ( Soul, Hip Hop )
Omar Apollo | Evergreen ( Neo-Soul )
Adeem the Artist | For Judas ( Alt-Country )
Sunken Screens | There Are Worse Things I Could Do ( Chamber Pop, Jazz Standard )
Orville Peck | C'mon Baby, Cry ( Contemporary Country )
Shygirl | Coochie (A Bedtime Story) ( Alternative R&B )

And here's a Spotify playlist...

Last edited by Dan on Thu Feb 02, 2023 5:49 pm, edited 234 times in total.
...will keep us together.
User avatar
Pierre
Into the Groove
Posts: 2205
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:21 pm

Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Pierre »

I've always been intrigued by the way societies deal with gay and transgender people. I personally never cared about the sexual orientation of people, although I did have trouble for a time with the idea of transgenders, but a certain video which was famous a while ago about a boy's transition to girlhood made me turn my mind about it. Anyway, in the case of music, I've sometimes found it funny how critics say "Over the Rainbow" is a gay song just because Judy Garland's a gay icon (or other artists such as the ones you mentioned). Personally, I consider a song a gay song when the theme of the lyrics is overtly about gayhood, and I do love a healthy amount of music that is perceived as "gay" by other people without being gay myself. Strange. Great topic, here are a few more songs you might like:

Charles Aznavour - Comme ils disent (As They Say) (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOjsaS-tfaY
Although not gay himself, Charles Aznavour made this breathtaking and moving song about a man (working as a transvestite dancer) suffering from how people perceive his homosexuality. It was surely influential in France on our perception of gay people at the time.

Funkadelic - Jimmy's Got a Little Bit of Bitch in Him (1974)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDUyAqZwBSA
As Ned Raggett put it in his review of "Standing on the Verge of Getting It On" for allmusic, it's great to see that the founding fathers of funk had an open-minded view of gay sex, when you see how the hip-hop culture often showcased a disgusting homophobia while sampling those same funk acts.

Buzy - Body Physical (1985)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPXKl-bL7Ss
The song's main subject is not exactly gay love, but rather the girl narrator's wanderings in filthy places of Bangkok. But the lyrics and to some extent the video showcase a peripheral attraction from the girl narrator to another girl.

Indochine - 3ème sexe (3rd Sex) (1985)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWtiCRntA-E
The song's protagonist is ranting about gender stereotypes, claiming in the chorus that he loves both "that girl with blonde hair and that boy who would be free to say no".

Mecano - Mujer contra mujer/Une femme avec une femme (A Woman With a Woman) (1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-SKt4OPSsE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jeku7ADr0Q
A sweet pop ballad from Spanish pop group Mecano about lesbian love. The song was a hit in both Spain and France in two different language versions, as the band had the good idea to record it in both languages.

In France, a high profile gay artist is Étienne Daho, although he only touched the subject of gay love sporadically in his songs. An underground one was the late Alain Kan, who was much more open about it (he was a glam rocker in the 70s) but remained little-known because of his provocative lyricism and behaviour. Mylène Farmer is also a gay icon here, but she's not lesbian herself, and her songs are ambiguous enough (except perhaps her first hit "Maman a tort" which is hard to not understand as a lesbian love song).
Nassim
Full of Fire
Posts: 2789
Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:35 pm
Location: Lille (France)

Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Nassim »

Comme Ils Disent is a very beautiful French standard and the only old "chanson française" song I see about being gay.

Electrelane - On Parade
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBDH3oEMq20
I think the girls in Electrelane have various sexual orientations but the drummer is openly gay, they have a very strong lesbian fanbase and they often cover "Small town boy" live.
Anyway, lots of their lyrics are ambiguous enough to be possible for both a same sex or opposite sex lover (see In Berlin, Cut and Run...), but On Parade is one of the more openly gay ones, being an hommage to the lesbian novel "The Well of Loneliness".
Brad
Higher Ground
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Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 10:38 pm

Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Brad »

Awesome post Dan! (and follow-up Pierre!)
Very impressive & informative stuff.
hectorthebat
Unquestionable Presence
Posts: 547
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:53 pm

Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by hectorthebat »

1967: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQTFRq1hjtM Arnold Layne - Pink Floyd

1974: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcvL2lvdWJc Another Love - Stories

1986: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnQeexb8bB8 ¿A quién le importa? - Alaska y Dinarama

1990: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnvFOaBoieE Pet Shop Boys - Being Boring

1997: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybx6x8EiP4o Ballad of Cleo and Joe - Cyndi Lauper

2000: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4YHDPsgUx8 Affirmation - Savage Garden

2001: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVs6Fekh0RY Garbage - Androgyny

2002: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAfyFTzZDMM Beautiful - Christina Aguilera

2005: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4F1WDW_hZ0 Mystery Jets - Alas Agnes

2011: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHGKG9dyTKI Lady Gaga - Americano

2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTMvtzhtVwk Matt Fishel - Behind Closed Doors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCjpVfO1N9s BEN - Adair Lion

2013: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjiyjYCwNyY Steve Grand - All-American Boy
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by DocBrown »

Great list, Dan, as usual, with some of my personal favourites. I used to have a live recording of Tom Robinson's "Glad to be Gay" (not on the album I thought, however) where, just before the final chorus he stops and says deadpan "You don't have to be gay to sing along.... but it helps".

Some other suggestions:

Long John Baldry's cover of "A Thrill's a Thrill"(1979). On the verge of being a star in Britain in the 60's, Baldry emigrated to the (relatively) more liberal Canada in 1978, where I was fortunate to meet him, in Halifax, shortly thereafter, and again here in Edmonton not long before his death in 2005. A gentle giant of a man with a huge laugh. The song has a kind of louche, behind closed doors 1960's feel.

Jonathan Richman's "I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar" (1992). I remember in the late 70's, early 80's being invited by friends to join them at the gay bars, and felt quite honoured to be included in the party, because the party always seemed a little more fun there. Richman captures that feeling of privilege.

Kacey Musgraves "Follow Your Arrow"(2013). It's sad that a one-liner about kissing whoever you like is still controversial in country music today, but I love her delivery, as if to casually poke holes in the rednecks' balloon.

Thanks for sharing, Dan!

Almost forgot! Mary Lambert's vocal in "Same Love" was NOT a sample, but she later expanded her "I Can't Change" riff into a track "She Keeps Me Warm" with this delightful video.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by HRS »

Great thread! I'd add:

1. Laura Nyro - Emmie from Eli and the Thirteenth Confession: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3_mdy9VfCs
Critics at the time decided to overlook its theme and declare it a song about a mother and its daughter or sisters. Nyro was bissexual, died by the company of her female partner. Emmie is known as one of the first songs to deal with homossexual relationships. The slower moment before the ultimate change of pace always warm my heart.

2. Kate Bush - Kashka From Baghdad from Lionheart: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqxn4Fg8Vg8
I recently dedicated this one to my very own boyfriend. It's a very tender number from Lionheart about a male homossexual relationship happening in secrecy. Bush tenderly sings of the joy the both cherish and how much she would like to join a similar happiness someday along with someone. I posted the original demo that called the attention among others of David Gimour before Bush was signed, because it sounds more intimate than the original recording. I've always admired Kate Bush and there are not many fifteen year olds having this sensitivity in song.

3. Arthur Russell - Soon to be innocent fun/Let's see from World of Echo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzr0K_m9VnI

4. Ani DiFranco - In or Out Imperfectly (1993) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxljZhtMrgQ
Ani Difranco has plenty of songs that address her bissexuality from her 90s albums and this one is a rather straightforward number dealing with labels.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by jamieW »

Awesome thread, Dan! So many favorites of mine, including a few that I never caught the meaning (especially “Standing In the Way of Control”) that I now have an even deeper respect for. Really glad that Army of Lovers was included. They may be campy, but “Massive Luxury Overdose” is a fun album that I still love.

At first, I was surprised “Take Me To Church” wasn’t included, given its powerful video depicting homophobia. But after reading the lyrics, they really are ambiguous (as you said in your introduction) and Hozier has stated that they were inspired by a breakup with his girlfriend, so, as a song, it doesn’t seem to have a LGBT theme.

Growing up in the 80s, there were two other bands that I thought might be worth mentioning. Book of Love, a new wave/dance act somewhat similar to Army of Lovers, was an artist that often recorded songs about sexual orientation. Much more explicit, direct, and controversial, though, was the Canadian band, Rough Trade. Lead singer Carole Pope recorded many lesbian-themed songs, including “High School Confidential” which became a surprise hit in Canada. I’ve read that she was an inspiration to k.d. Lang, amongst others. Rough Trade’s song “All Touch” is one of my favorite songs from 1982. Thanks for posing this great list! (I'm looking forward to hearing the songs I'm not familiar with.)
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Miguel »

Thanks for this excellent thread, Dan.

I don’t think there are many songs in the Spanish pop-rock music that speak of this question, but we can mention some very interesting.

“María y Amaranta”, by Cánovas Rodrigo Adolfo y Guzmán - a "supergroup" in the vein of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young -, from "Señora Azul" (1974), considered among the best Spanish albums ever made. This song - btw, if I'm not mistaken, a favorite of our friend Honorio - talks about the lesbian relationship between the two women mentioned in the title. This is the final verse:

Sacerdotisas de algún paraíso
que no alcanzamos todos los mortales
se sumergieron en una liturgia
de mil caricias casi celestiales
Y en la fascinación irresistible
que las atrajo desde que se vieron
como dos gotas, como dos estrellas
María y Amaranta se fundieron.

(Priestesses of some paradise
that not all mortals can reach
they were immersed in a liturgy
of thousand almost celestial caresses
And in the irresistible fascination
that attracted them since they met
like two drops, like two stars
María y Amaranta merged together.)


“Canço d'amor” (Love Song), by Lluís Llach. From “Campanades a morts” (1977). Some people think that this song represents his "coming out from the closet". The first verse is quite telling:

Si avui parlo d’amor
és per dir-vos, potser
sense força ni traça,
que he fet tantes cançons
amagant veritats
sota un joc de paraules.
És potser per això
que me cal dir-ho ara.

(If today I speak about love
is perhaps to say you
without force or skill
that I wrote a lot of songs
hiding truths
under a pun.
Maybe I have no reason,
but now I need to say it.)


“Don Marcial” by Vainica Doble. From “En familia” (2000).
This song is about a married, middle-aged, pathetic, yet endearing clerk, that after work goes to Chueca to flirt (unsuccessfully, of course). The final verse:

Cuando se va el personal
se toma otra copa, se cambia de ropa
Ceñidos vaqueros, camiseta azul
ay! recuerdo de Cancún
Tras colocarse un atroz peluquín
ah! que figurín
como una gallina clueca
se va a la plaza de Chueca
Nadie le hace caso
ni se inmuta a su paso
Se pasea por la plaza
de terraza en terraza
En aquella babel, nadie se fija en él
Están sonando las tres
Don Marcial vuelve a casa
El corazón herido
El rimel corrido
El peluquín de través

(When staff leave
another drink is taken, changes clothes
Tight jeans, blue shirt
ah! souvenir of Cancun
After putting an atrocious toupee
ah! that dandy!
as a brood hen
he goes to Chueca square
Nobody pays attention
nor flinch in its path
He walks through the square
from terrace to terrace
At that babel, nobody notices him
It's three o'clock
Don Marcial returns home
The wounded heart
The mascara run
The toupee upside down)


Colerete y quitasueño (Rouge and Dark Circles Makeup), by Nacho Umbert y La Compañía, from “Ay…” (2010). When the farce is over:

Niño marica, solían llamarte, las ratas del pueblo.
Mierda de infancia, esquivando pedradas, paletos, animales.
Fin de semana, se encienden las luces, se acaba la farsa.
Te vistes de negro, tacones y pluma, colorete y quitasueño.
Noches de colores, de secretos en los baños.
Apareces cada viernes puntual como un reloj en La Divina
reputada discoteca clandestina.
Te hablan, te miran, te adoran, susurran que te quieren
ladrones, princesas, payasos, macarras, modernas y actores … tan guapos

(Sissy boy, they used to call you the rats of the town.
Shit childhood, dodging stones, bumpkins, animals.
Weekend, the lights come on, the farce is over.
You dress in black, heels and camp, rouge and dark circles make up.
Nights of colors, of secrets in the bathrooms.
You show up on time every Friday like clockwork in The Divine
reputed clandestine disco.
They talk to you, they look at you, they adore you,
they whisper that love you,
thieves, princesses, clowns, thugs, moderns and actors... so handsome)


And finally a song already mentioned by Hectorthebat:
”A quién le importa”, (Who Cares) by Alaska y Dinarama, from “No es pecado” (1986). Not strictly a LGBT-themed song, like “Dancing Queen” or “I Will Survive”, but usually considered the main Spanish pop gay anthem. Here is a translation.


(Obviously my English is not very good, so I'm not sure that the translations are quite correct)
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by DocBrown »

jamieW wrote:Much more explicit, direct, and controversial, though, was the Canadian band, Rough Trade. Lead singer Carole Pope recorded many lesbian-themed songs, including “High School Confidential” which became a surprise hit in Canada.
How could I have forgotten Carole Pope, who was (according to her biography) in a relationship with Dusty Springfield in the early '80's... that alone should give her AM cred. But JamieW reminded me of another great Canadian artist from that time period who can't be ignored, Lorraine Segato. This is possibly the cheesiest video ever.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Honorio »

Absolutely wonderful thread, Dan!! A goldmine that I still got to savour slowly (I'm still listening right now to the 1974 songs), I will return later when I got more listening done.
The only comment I'm going to do now is about the LGBT-themed Spanish songs. When I first saw the thread I began to think about some Spanish songs about the subject but some other AMers (Pierre, hectorthebat and especially Miguel) did it before. And perfectly! So I will only add two more songs and make some additional comments about the Spanish songs already posted.


Three names for two songs. Rafael de León (first picture) was a Spanish poet that teamed up with Antonio Quintero y Manuel Quiroga to write the most renowned songs of the style Canción Española (Spanish Song) during the 30s, 40s and 50s. Rafael was homosexual and wrote lyrics about passionate, desperate and tortuous loves, almost always addressing male lovers. Since most of the songs were sung by female singers (especially Concha Piquer) there were no suspicious for the conservative society of the post-war period.
But that's when these songs were sung by male singers (despite some changes in the lyrics designed to disguise the thornier aspects) when the songs achieved their real meaning. That was the case of Miguel de Molina (second picture), the first openly gay singer in Spain (Dan, we talked about him when we were at the cue for the flamenco concert, do you remember?). It was a star during the 30s (the Spanish Republic period) but after the Spanish Civil War he suffered the ostracism of the Franco's regime. After being severely beaten after a concert he exiled in Argentina. One of his most significant songs (written by Rafael de León after an evening chatting in a bar with Miguel de Molina and Federico García Lorca, probably the most important Spanish poet, also gay) is Ojos verdes ("Green Eyes," live version from the 1930s), a story of a one-night love story between a prostitute and a green-eyed young boy. Despite the changes in the lyrics (now it was sung from the point of view of the young boy) it was inevitable to see the gay thematic at the time.
The trick was repeated some years later by Bambino (third picture), another gay singer (in his case even more against the current being a gypsy). He made his version of Rocío Dúrcal's Mi amigo ("My Friend", 1971), also changing the point of view but leaving little space to doubt about his real intentions, at least in the eyes of his true followers.
Note for Dan: these songs can't be really included on your list because these changes on the lyrics to avoid the polemic transformed the songs in (passionate) but straight love songs.

About the songs pointed by Miguel, Pierre and hectorthebat:
- Cánovas, Rodrigo, Adolfo y Guzmán - "María y Amaranta" (1974). Yes, Miguel, it's one of my favourite songs by the band. The most interesting aspect is the way they achieved the overlook of the strict censorship of the late Franco period, they used metaphors as "drops" or "rays" that fooled the censors (they probably didn't understood the lyrics).
- Lluís Llach - "Cançó d'amor" (1977). Yes, the first (and only) song by Llach about his homosexuality, other verses of the song are more explicit: "I will talk about the ones / that have bodies as prisons / of condemned passions, / and on a clandestine bed / when it's night time at last / they hide and caress."
- Alaska y Dinarama - "A quién le importa" (1986). The lyrics don't mention explicitly the gender but the proud statement of independence and the fact that both song-writers Carlos Berlanga and Nacho Canut were openly gay left no space to doubt. Carlos Berlanga was much more explicit in a posterior solo song, Vacaciones ("Holidays", 2001), with lyrics like "Love of latex and rubber / holidays in Sodom."
- Mecano - "Mujer contra mujer" (1988). Apart of this song about lesbian love Mecano sometime created some gender confusion because the boys wrote the songs from a male point of view but the songs were sung by a girl without changing the gender on the lyrics.
- Vainica Doble - "Don Marcial" (2000). Didn't know that song before, good call, Miguel.
- Nacho Umbert y La Compañía - "Colorete y quitasueño" (2010). One of the songs that I wanted to point out, a LGBT-themed song if there's one.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Hymie »

Jet Boy, Jet Girl - Elton Motello

My Girl Bill - Jim Stafford
A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash :=)
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Sweepstakes Ron »

Dan wrote: Lady Gaga | Born This Way ( Dance Pop )
This song about being born the way you are is undoubtedly a tribute to Lady Gaga's huge number of LGBT fans, especially the gay ones.
A little story about this one. A few years ago, my middle school's chorus performed this song. However, after the second chorus, the singers went right to the outro, effectively eliminating any direct references to the LGBT community. And somehow, I doubt the cut was because of time constraints. My town is known among its community as being super liberal, so this censorship shocked me more than it would normally.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Miguel »

Honorio wrote:Carlos Berlanga was much more explicit in a posterior solo song, Vacaciones ("Holidays", 2001), with lyrics like "Love of latex and rubber / holidays in Sodom."
Don't forget the third sentence of the verse :) :

Amor de latex, caucho y goma / vacaciones en Sodoma / ¿qué prefieres, mantequilla o tulipán?
Love of latex, rubber and gum / holidays in Sodom / which do you prefer, butter or margarine?
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »

Thanks very much for your comments and excellent recommendations, Pierre, Nassim, Brad, hetorthebat, DocBrown, HRS, jamieW, Miguel, Honorio, Hymie and Sweepstakes Ron.

Belated responses…

Brad: I still feel a little bad about once taking the side of You Know Who at your expense. I pledge not to do such a thing again. :D

jamieW: I’ve been meaning to say for quite a while now that I love your measured comments and amiable temperament – they are real assets to this forum.

DocBrown: thanks for epitomizing the kind of relaxed liberal attitude that makes it easy for me to post a thread like this. The straight guys that have posted in this thread so far (and many other regulars) contribute to making this an LGBT-friendly site. Of course, we have Henrik to thank for establishing an open-minded, unbiased atmosphere (in fact, the many LGBT-related songs, albums and films in his personal lists and recommendations are part of what I’ve always liked about him, and was one of the main things that attracted me to this forum in the first place).

Miguel: I’ve always liked the surprising things we have in common about our taste in music.
HRS wrote:I recently dedicated this one to my very own boyfriend.
Well, I didn’t know about this development. I feel a Skype chat coming on.
Honorio wrote:Miguel de Molina... (Dan, we talked about him when we were at the cue for the flamenco concert, do you remember?)
Yes, I remember this well, Honorio. I think I will have fun exploring more of his music and history, which I plan to do (thanks also for your other recommendations in this thread and your enlightening descriptions of them). On a side note, I find it kind of curious that some of my favourite Spanish discoveries for the 70s poll have been albums and songs by Lluís Llach and Bambino, and I had no idea they were both gay.
Sweepstakes Ron wrote:
Dan wrote: Lady Gaga | Born This Way ( Dance Pop )
This song about being born the way you are is undoubtedly a tribute to Lady Gaga's huge number of LGBT fans, especially the gay ones.
A little story about this one. A few years ago, my middle school's chorus performed this song. However, after the second chorus, the singers went right to the outro, effectively eliminating any direct references to the LGBT community. And somehow, I doubt the cut was because of time constraints. My town is known among its community as being super liberal, so this censorship shocked me more than it would normally.
I know, right. Either embrace the whole meaning of the song or don’t bother doing it at all. I guess even in liberal communities people are still scared to upset parents who might be worried that their kids will turn queer if they sing the lyrics "No matter gay, straight, or bi, lesbian, transgendered life".
Pierre wrote:I personally never cared about the sexual orientation of people, although I did have trouble for a time with the idea of transgenders, but a certain video which was famous a while ago about a boy's transition to girlhood made me turn my mind about it.
Thanks for your honesty about this. I can understand why people sometimes find it difficult to get used to something. Our brains sometimes work in a peculiar way, making us feel squeamish or uncomfortable about certain things we perceive as “unnatural” or repulsive. In the LGBT context, it’s a shame that some people take this discomfort they feel about LGBT people and then turn it into something hateful. It can even make them feel superior and that they have the right to make decisions about LGBT people’s freedoms. Fortunately, there are many people who realize that enduring discomfort and not externalizing it and lashing out is a strength; people who come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter if someone is LGBT because it doesn’t impinge on them in any way (it’s like getting upset about someone liking chocolate cookies more than ginger ones); people who know that tolerance can eventually lead to acceptance or even celebration of diversity.

I’m not sure which transgender video you are referring to, but this video (which I also posted a link to in my first post) is another one that has helped some people to get a better understanding of transgenderism.
Pierre wrote:I do love a healthy amount of music that is perceived as "gay" by other people without being gay myself. Strange.
I can totally relate to this. I feel the same way about many “straight” songs/themes. :mrgreen:
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Maschine_Man »

I like a few GSM artists, but it's not something I really look for in music. Scissor Sisters, Peaches and John Grant all have albums centered around these themes and they are some of my favorites. I identify as asexual even though have a boyfriend (sexual and romantic attraction are two different things, though for most they will be the same). Now that I think about it, this is probably how you would describe Morrissey.

I can only think of Janelle Monae to offer at this time. She has been pretty private about her sexuality/home life so nothing would surprise me. I like how she used "android" as a stand in for a range of oppressed groups, giving it almost universal appeal. Mushrooms and Roses, Q.U.E.E.N and the end of Givin Em What They Love are songs that stand out to me.

Oh and Stagger Lee by Nick Cave...
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Henrik »

Dan wrote:jamieW: I’ve been meaning to say for quite a while now that I love your measured comments and amiable temperament – they are real assets to this forum.
I second this! Also, I've been meaning to say for a while that this is a fantastic thread. It is, in fact, Honorio-class on all levels, which is my highest rating. Great suggestions from everyone as well!
Dan wrote:Of course, we have Henrik to thank for establishing an open-minded, unbiased atmosphere
Thanks Dan! This is really what I hope people will think of this forum, so it means a lot to me.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Rob »

Great topic this.
Pierre wrote:I do love a healthy amount of music that is perceived as "gay" by other people without being gay myself. Strange.
It's not that strange if you think about it. There are a few patterns to discern in gay themes in lyrics. They are usually about standing outside the norm of society, celebrating differences or they are about plain old love or love lost. Those last two are universal topics that we find in hundreds of songs and the emotions the bring with them isn't really any different whether the people are same sex or of two different genders. Those first two topics can also easily be enjoyed by people who have felt different one way or another.

Of course there are also certain types of music that are thought of as gay, such as (early?) disco or musicals. Usually it concerns a certain kind of exuberance or sense of melodrama, as well as perhaps very feminine singing men or very tough singing women. It's a bit meaningless to look at it like that, but it reminds me of high school, when for certain kids my age listening to songs that might be gay was "suspicious". At the time I was listening to the radio with a friend and The Final Countdown by Europe came on. This friend of mine than proclaimed it the greatest song ever made (yes, without irony). No less than a month later the song came on the radio again and he turned it off as soon as he could. I asked him why he did that, after having recently stating it was the best thing ever. He said he didn't like it anymore, because he found out it was a gay song and he wasn't gay. This is the only time I've heard The Final Countdown being described as gay, but that is beside the point. We were both still in our early teens and it was the first time I heard that a song good be gay. When I found out that some of my earliest musical interests (Elton John, for example) were gay I thought it was strange I could relate to it, but it soon started to make sense, since these artists simply where either expressing a good time or sharing their emotions. Music, like all the arts actually helps making it more relatable to straight people, for whom the world of LBGT can be a strange and new world.

My favorite "gay" song hasn't been mentioned here yet, though the artists have been: It's a Sin by the Pet Shop Boys. They don't mention what the sin in their song is, but I always thought being the Pet Shop Boys homosexuality made a lot of sense, also looking to the hints the song gives. I love how the lyrics are about the theme of trying to do penance for your sins and failing to do so and then put it over an exuberant dance song, that ultimately celebrates sins like these. What's more fun than dancing to lines like: "At school they taught me how to be/ so pure in thought and word and deed/ they didn't quite succeed"? An all time top 50 song for me for sure.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Nassim »

A few other French ones :

1970 : Dave - Copain, Ami, Amour (Mate, Friend, Love) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFQl8n4ZrPo
In the 60s and 70s in France the few songs about gay were from straight singer. The Dutch singer Dave was one of the first successful singers in France to be openly gay, but most of his songs are about heterosexual love stories. This is one of the few exceptions, and it is very sudbued.

1970 : Juliette Gréco - Les Pingouins (The Penguins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mPhqYm5vnQ
Ok that's a bit of a strange one. First let's say that technically "Un Pingouin" is an auk, but we often confuse the name with Penguins (not helped by the English word to be honest) and the lyrics seems to be more about Penguins than auks...
Anyway, the songs is about Male Penguins who stay together, wear make up and dress well and Female Penguins who tend to hide together, never wear wake up and avoid males... so quite a bit cliché, but it also says the Penguins and Humans are basically the same and should get along... so it's cliché and caricature but I guess it was the only way back then to both get your message received and be vague enough not to get censored.

1978 : Fabienne Thibault - Un Garçon Pas Comme Les Autres (A boy not like the other) from the Starmania musical
A song about a girl who loves a gay guy called Ziggy. There's not that much gay topic beside saying "Yes I know he loves boys" but I'm pretty sure that's the first French hits openly about a gay character.
There is also a song called "La Chanson de Ziggy" (Ziggy's song) where Ziggy talks about his childhood and how his mother wanted him to be a classical dancer and how David Bowie changed his life, but there's no open nod to his homosexuality.

1980 : Francis Lalanne - La Plus Belle Fois qu'on m'a dit "Je t'Aime" (the most beautiful time someone told me "I Love You") www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-cyhi9HNHk
Francis Lalanne is a straight singer, but he recalls the time another man told him he loved him, how it was the most sincere and touching time anybody told him that and how he regrets not having found a better way to react. It is in a way a bit lame because it says "we did not have him and I much more to say. We saw each other another day, we didn't say anything" but it ends with a message of tolerance "To each his love, that's not mine that's all. Love girls or boys, love is love anyway".

1983 : Marc Lavoine - Tu Me Divises Par Deux (You divide my by 2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d0aODrl2iQ
Once again this is by a straight singer (I don't know regarding the song composer), this time about bisexuality.
"I have the heart between 2 chairs, and love between 2 sexes (could be translated as "2 genders", we have the same word for both meanings). If it makes you uncomfortable, keep your finger for yourself."

1984 : Serge Gainsbourg - Kiss Me Hardy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5rv7L9dD6g
It's a bit surprising Gainsbourg did not talk about it earlier, at least seeing how much he liked to tackle conventions and social taboos. Not much to say about this song, about hooking up with other men.

1986 : Pigalle - Homosexuel (couldn't find this one on Youtube)
French gay community had to wait for a punk rock band to get a profound song about homosexuality. This is about the long struggle of a gay man before finding happiness, it goes through teenage turmoil, denial, acceptance, lying to others to protect yourself etc...
It took you a long time before finding serenity
it was so long, so long
Affirmation, certainty : he loves you, you love him, no more solitude
No more shame when they understand
You feel his soft badly shaved cheek
Your hand on his hard flat chest
It was long, so long

Go over the bridge, go over the bridge
Keep your head high, love yourself, love him


Starting in 1990 you see much more songs about LGB (not much T) in France, even a few singles by high profile successful artists (Adam et Yves by Zazie and La Différence by Lara Fabian for instance, both by straight singers).
The sadly high number of people on the street against gay wedding last year shows that homophobia is still very present in France, but music (and the others arts) have lead the progress made in the past decades.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Luke JR68 »

:teasing-lurk:
Seriously, thank you for creating this thread Dan, it has been an absolute pleasure to read through the 4 decades of carefully selected material that you have provided, and while I can't really add any further examples, I look forward to listening to everything that has been mentioned by you and the our fellow forumers :music-listening:
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by jamieW »

First, thank you, Dan and Henrik, for your kind words regarding my participation on the forum. From day one, my goal was to feel free to express my opinion while making an effort not to offend anyone. I always want to keep in mind that individual tastes vary greatly and what might not appeal to me may be very special to somebody else.

Secondly, the discoveries I’ve made from this thread have been amazing. From the original post to the recommendations that followed, I’ve found so many unfamiliar songs that became instant favorites (and I still have much more to hear). Threads like this that have introduced me to so much great music (and the friendly people that participate in them) are the reason why I enjoy checking into the forum each night after a long day at work.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by JR »

A few more off the top of my head that could fall under the LGBTcategory:

Elton John, "The Last Song" (1992)
A man tries to come to terms with the sexuality of his gay son, who is dying of an AIDS-related illness

Madonna, "Deeper and Deeper," "Why's it So Hard," "In This Life" (1992)
It's no wonder the Erotica album is so loved by some in the gay community. "Deeper and Deeper" has lines like "This feeling inside, I can't explain... but my love is alive, and I'm never gonna hide it again." "Why's it So Hard" asks "Why's it so hard to love one another," and what people have to do to be accepted, respected, feel they're equal, worthy, and who should get to say what they believe in, etc. "In This Life" is about friends of hers who died of AIDS.

Janet Jackson, "Free Xone," "Tonight's the Night," "Together Again" (1997)
In spots, The Velvet Rope took some cues from Erotica. "Free Xone" is about love of all kinds and freedom to be who you are. In the Rod Stewart cover, she kept the pronouns in tact for some of it, turning it into a lesbian romp, before a man comes along for a threeway. :mrgreen: "Together Again" is an upbeat song about friends who have died of AIDS, but it also works as a general tune about lost loved ones.
Last edited by JR on Fri Sep 19, 2014 7:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Jirin »

I'm not gay but I have several not distinctly masculine qualities about myself so I know how that causes some people to treat you. Especially when you're younger. It's absurd how people react to gender nonconformity of any kind.

The question of transgender is an interesting one. Personally I have no problem with transgender people, but if I found out a woman I was dating was transgendered I'd probably be pretty pissed off. The fear of violence they have to go through right now is probably just as bad as the fear of violence gay people had to live with decades ago, and that is simply ridiculous.

Also I have trouble understanding why people need to define their identity as one gender or another rather than just being themselves and not giving a damn about social constructs. Having surgery because your personality conflicts with your biological gender seems extreme.

All of the LGBT songs I would have mentioned have already been listed.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »

Maschine_Man wrote:Stagger Lee by Nick Cave
Whoa. I can't believe I forgot to include this song about that bad motherfucker Stagger Lee and his bisexual tendencies. The song was inspired by the popular American folk song with the same title, but the most quoted line from the song ("I'll crawl over fifty good pussies just to get one fat boy's asshole") is actually from a Snatch and The Poontangs song called "Two-time Slim". And I like the suitably homoerotic video of the Nick Cave & Bad Seeds song.
Maschine_Man wrote:Janelle Monae... I like how she used "android" as a stand in for a range of oppressed groups
Thanks for this. Just to elaborate, she said in an interview with London Evening Standard that you can compare the android in this context to "being a lesbian or being a gay man or being a black woman... What I want is for people who feel oppressed or feel like the 'other' to connect with the music and to feel like, 'She represents who I am'".
Henrik wrote:It is, in fact, Honorio-class on all levels
Wow. Thanks!

Rob, thanks very much for your eloquent contribution to this thread. I enjoyed reading it. Same to you, Jirin, although I just want to point out that some people who undergo sex reassignment surgery do it because they absolutely hate the sex organs they were born with.

And Nassim, I enjoyed listening to your French recommendations and your descriptions of them.

Hey, thanks for your kind words, Luke JR68 and jamieW. People's reaction to this thread has made the time spent on it worthwhile.

Also, thanks for your suggestions, JR. I wasn't familiar with the LGBT context of the songs you mentioned. And I'm sure Moonbeam will be pleased that Janet Jackson got another mention in a thread. :D
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

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Henrik wrote:It is, in fact, Honorio-class on all levels, which is my highest rating.
Wow, that was really the best of compliments. Many thanks, Henrik!! :romance-kisscheek:
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by DocBrown »

Dan, thank you again for starting this discussion. I hope that those who don't wish to contribute have also read something to add to their understanding here.
While I am far too cynical to believe in a John Lennon world with no religion, race or nation states, I like to think we're within reach of a time when we can all agree that gender identity and preference is not an either/or but a continuum. Our friends here certainly typify that.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by hectorthebat »

1979: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMhFyWEMlD4 Boys Keep Swinging - David Bowie

1993: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMprpu0et9M Bi - Living Colour

2005: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r21Qza6vadU Bleed Like Me - Garbage

2008: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvRegdR61DU Better - Boyzone

2010: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzxoQ9rbDAA The Best Thing About Me is You - Ricky Martin

2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO-msplukrw Chow Down - Willam Belli featuring Detox and Vicky Vox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2UmvFozwLY Ci Vediamo a Casa - Dolcenera

2013: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4 Brave - Sara Bareilles
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

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My college has recently set up a feminist discussion group discussing issues of sex, gender and equality. I've now volunteered to run a talk on the relationship between music and issues of gender (so including things like female icons, LGBT or not (e.g. Janis Joplin/Debbie Harry sort of figures). So in advance, I'd like to thank you for setting up this thread, as it will be valuable and enjoyable hours of research!
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

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Zorg wrote:My college has recently set up a feminist discussion group discussing issues of sex, gender and equality. I've now volunteered to run a talk on the relationship between music and issues of gender (so including things like female icons, LGBT or not (e.g. Janis Joplin/Debbie Harry sort of figures). So in advance, I'd like to thank you for setting up this thread, as it will be valuable and enjoyable hours of research!
Zorg, I could provide a diagram with the percentage of female artists per year on AM, if that would be of any interest for your talk.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by BleuPanda »

As one of the gay members of this forum I should really take a better look through this topic sometime, but thanks for the work put into it!

Also, quick shout-out to Perfume Genius's new album Too Bright. "Queen" is one of the best gay anthems ever written, and the whole album is phenomenal.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Zorg »

Henrik wrote:
Zorg wrote:My college has recently set up a feminist discussion group discussing issues of sex, gender and equality. I've now volunteered to run a talk on the relationship between music and issues of gender (so including things like female icons, LGBT or not (e.g. Janis Joplin/Debbie Harry sort of figures). So in advance, I'd like to thank you for setting up this thread, as it will be valuable and enjoyable hours of research!
Zorg, I could provide a diagram with the percentage of female artists per year on AM, if that would be of any interest for your talk.
that sounds amazing! Thank you!
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

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Here is a diagram showing the amount of points over the years, broken down by gender and albums/songs.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Henrik »

And here is a diagram of the percentage of female score by year. It seems that during the first half of the 1960s the thought was that women could only sing (male-written) songs, not make albums...

Also, what I haven't really realized before is how much the 65-73 period was a male-only peak.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Jirin »

Is anyone else disturbed that it seems every time there is a peak in the overall critical success of a year, there seems to be a valley in the female percentage?

If I look at my own favorite female performers and my own favorite male performers, it seems like the male performers are critically acclaimed and the female performers are largely ignored other than PJ Harvey and Joni Mitchell. You don't see a lot of acclaim for the likes of Mary Margaret O'Hara, Anais Mitchell, Jenny Hval, X-Ray Spex, etc.

I suppose Grimes got some acclaim.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »

Edit: This post was about additions to the selection of 2014 songs, which can now be seen in the main post.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Kenton11 »

Hey I didn’t know that LGBT stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender”. Thanks for telling dear!! Well there are a lot of themed songs that have been composed for bisexual / lesbian. You know there is a big list of gay actors list that got more importance in the theme songs.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

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Dan, maybe you should include in your list for 2014 "Espada" by Javiera Mena. Quoting MTV Iggy: "Mena came out as a lesbian many years ago, but for the first time, gay pride is very evident in her work. She collaborated with Spanish visual artist Luis Cerveró, who formerly worked with Canadá Electoral — a visual production team praised for their fantastical juxtapositions in music videos. Luis directed the very pop, lipstick-lesbian video for "Espada," which has been dubbed the "gayest video of all time" by AutoStraddle (in one scene, a hand emerges from Mena's crotch). "The main premise is that it's packed with double entendres," she says. "But of course, when I sing it to a gay chick, then it sounds pretty sexual: 'La espada que me atraviesa' / 'The sword that goes through me.' Luis wanted to give it lots of sexual symbolism, something a bit more explicit, so a sword enters in between the girl's legs."

The clip
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by hectorthebat »

1920: Kurt Schwabach - Das Lila Lied https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_a3UkF3aTI

1967: The Jam - David Watts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tLIZsijVwg

1981: The Boys Town Gang - Cruisin' The Streets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwxCLRLtBXQ

1987: Aerosmith - Dude (Looks Like a Lady) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf0oXY4nDxE

1998: Marilyn Manson - The Dope Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R682M3ZEyk

2008: Mylene Farmer - Dégénération https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1WKm8jAiSs

2009: Ru Paul - Cover Girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3RB_56WziA
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »

Honorio wrote:Dan, maybe you should include in your list for 2014 "Espada" by Javiera Mena.
Thanks Honorio. I'm pleased that there's another song I could include in the 2014 part (which I did). It's certainly a catchy pop song (and I like the 80s feel of the video). At some point I thought of including everyone's suggestions in the main list, but then that first post would probably be too long. People's recommendations have definitely provided this thread with a more comprehensive account of LGBT songs than just the main list.

Edit: I deleted "Espada" from the main list as I didn't have any other songs not sung in English on the list. It will definitely be included once other non-English songs are added!
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »

I’ve kept an eye on this thread over the past month, and it seemed to get a few views every week despite being on page 6 or something, which suggests to me that people are accessing it in ways other than trawling through all of the forum posts. So I thought to myself that if more and more people are going to read this thread, then I could make it better by providing more detail about the variety of sexual orientations and gender identities that exist. Maybe it will help people to listen to some of the songs differently.

Below are descriptions of a number of gender identities and sexual orientations (and some thoughts on them). This post might be too long for some people to read, in which case I’d just say that it all basically comes down to this:
DocBrown wrote:...gender identity and preference is not an either/or but a continuum.
First off, I should say that I’m no doctor, psychologist or sociologist who specializes in gender identity or sexual orientation. This post is simply the result of me researching/reading about the topic due to an interest in it combined with some personal experiences. Another thing to bear in mind is that there is no fixed definition of any sexual orientation or gender identity. One person who is, say, pansexual will have a different definition of what it means to be pansexual and experience it in a different way than someone else who is pansexual. So there might be people who disagree with the definitions provided below. But the beauty of self-identifying with a label is that you can make it your own and identify with it any way you like. Fuck the Gender and Sexuality Definition Police.

I’m sure some people will wonder if all these labels, labels, labels are really necessary. Can’t we just be who we are without having to be labelled? In an ideal world, that would be great. But I do think there are a couple of advantages to highlighting the seemingly infinite possibilities that exist in the realm of gender identity and sexual orientation: it can be educational because it teaches us more about the nuances of human nature, and, perhaps more importantly, it might help some people reach the realization that there is a sexual orientation or gender identity that resonates with them deeply; they just didn’t know that there was a name for it. Many people come across definitions of a gender identity or sexual orientation and think, “Hey, that’s exactly how I feel. I thought I was the only one who felt that way. I didn’t know there were others like me.”

Gender Identity

It’s probably best to start off by pointing out the difference between sex and gender in the English language. Sex refers to biological characteristics that distinguishes male and female from each other, such as genitalia (males have a penis, females have a vagina), chromosomes and hormones. Gender, on the other hand, is a social construct and refers to social roles based on the sex of a person. Social roles in relation to gender have traditionally been perceived from a cisnormative perspective – cisnormativity is the belief that people fall into two distinct genders of man and woman, and that men have masculine roles while women have feminine roles in society. This creates a gender binary of masculine man at the one end and feminine woman at the other end, and nothing in-between. Traditionally, masculine roles are associated with strength, aggression and dominance, while feminine roles are associated with passivity, nurturing and subordinance.

In many of today’s societies, such a strict binary between masculine and feminine is not as applicable as it used to be. Being, for example, strong-willed, determined and energetic aren’t solely masculine characteristics and can apply to both binary genders. Similarly, being understanding or showing empathy and compassion are not only feminine characteristics but can apply to both binary genders. Also, these days men and women who are in a relationship contribute fairly equally to the income of a household; men and women share duties around the house that are traditionally affiliated with women, such as cooking and cleaning; and many heterosexual couples raise children in an environment where fathers aren’t always the stronger and stricter parent, and where mothers aren’t the only parent providing emotional support to the children.

However, there are still certain behavioural traits that we attribute to either male or female: girls play with dolls, boys play with cars; women paint their nails, men don’t; women wear dresses and trousers, men wear trousers but not dresses; women can have graceful hand movements and sway their hips when they walk, men can’t; men can fix cars, women can’t; men are heroic, women are damsels in distress… etc. These roles/stereotypes are ingrained in us from a young age, to the point where we live our lives on a daily basis thinking that these roles are natural when in fact they are false.

There are many people whose behavioural traits do not match these gender roles/stereotypes. This nonconformity with gender roles has an effect on some people’s gender identity (the internal awareness one has of one’s own gender). People who feel a strong disconnect between their own behavioural traits and the traits that society says you should display in relation to your gender, are often called gender variant. The term gender variant is very broad, and people who are gender variant are not necessarily transgender. Getting confused? I’ll try to explain…

Just to throw another term into the mix, gender identity (again, the internal awareness one has of one’s own gender) can roughly be divided into two main categories: cisgender and transgender. You are cisgender if your gender identity is in alignment with the sex you were assigned at birth. Conversely, you are transgender if your gender identity isn’t (either wholly or partly) aligned with the sex you were assigned at birth.

So why did I say that people who are gender variant aren’t necessarily transgender? Because some people who might not like or might not relate to the gender binary and stereotypical gender roles still feel that their gender identity is aligned with the sex they were assigned at birth. Examples of this are femme cisgender men (men who are feminine but who identify as male, which is the sex they were assigned at birth), butch cisgender women or tomboys (women who are masculine but who identify as female), cross-dressers (people who dress in clothes usually associated with the opposite sex for personal gratification or to express their feminine/masculine side, but who identify with the sex they were assigned at birth – as a side note, cross-dressers are sometimes referred to as transvestites, but transvestite is an outdated term that both cross-dressers and transgender people often find offensive), drag queens (men who wear clothes usually associated with women for the purpose of entertainment, most of whom – though not all – identify as male), or simply anyone who feels a strong mismatch between their gender identity and society’s gender roles, but still align their gender with the sex they were assigned at birth.

How, then, do you know if you’re transgender? Although it’s not a prerequisite to being transgender, the majority of people who identify as transgender experience gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a feeling of distress, anxiety, or even depression that you can experience when you feel that your gender identity does not align with the sex you were assigned at birth or the gender roles associated with that sex. Some transgender people feel that their gender identity is only sporadically out of sync with their assigned sex, others experience gender dysphoria more frequently, while still others feel that they are trapped in the wrong body. Some scientific studies indicate that gender nonconformity is something that is already established in nonconforming individuals’ brains at birth and that most people know what their gender identity is as early as the ages of between 3 and 5.

I should probably mention at this point that not all people who feel that their gender identity is not aligned with their sex relate to the term transgender. Other umbrella terms similar to transgender are non-binary and genderqueer. Some people prefer non-binary over transgender or genderqueer, others prefer genderqueer, still others feel comfortable using both non-binary and transgender. Whatever. Like I said before, I think everyone is free to self-identify with whichever label or labels they relate to. But for the purpose of keeping things simple, I will use the umbrella term transgender for the rest of this post.

So, what are some examples of gender identities under the transgender umbrella? Obvious examples are trans men and trans women. A trans man (sometimes called a female-to-male transgender person, or simply a FTM) is a transgender person who was assigned female at birth but whose gender identity is that of a man. However, some trans men don’t feel comfortable with the acronym FTM because they don’t like to be referred to as female-to-male when they have felt that they were male all along, and therefore they prefer the acronym MTM (male-to-male). Similarly, a trans woman (or male-to-female transgender person, or MTF, or FTF) is a transgender person who was assigned male at birth but whose gender identity is that of a woman. I should also point out that many trans men and women don’t like the trans part in trans man or trans woman and prefer to be simply called a man or a woman, because that’s what they’ve felt like since a very young age: a boy/man or a girl/woman, regardless of being assigned the opposite sex at birth.

Many trans men and women choose to transition, which is the process of changing one's gender presentation permanently to accord with one's gender identity. Transitioning may involve hormone replacement therapy (or HRT), which is the process of receiving the dominant hormones of the sex one wishes to transition into. Trans men are typically given testosterone, while trans women are given estrogen. Transitioning may also involve sex reassignment surgery (or SRS), which is the surgical procedure of changing someone’s sex to that of the opposite sex. Transgender people who undergo hormone replacement therapy or sex reassignment surgery have traditionally been called transsexuals. However, many transgender people who transition by means of HRT or SRS don’t like the term transsexual because of negative portrayals of the word in the media and because of connotations that they perceive as too clinical, so they choose to continue to identify as transgender.

To many trans men and women it is important to pass as the gender they have transitioned into – in other words, some trans men want people to look at them and see them as a cisgender man, and some trans women want people to look at them and see them as a cisgender woman. Many trans men and women do pass very successfully. However, not all trans men and women want to (or think it’s important to) pass as cisgender. This is where it’s imperative to highlight the difference between gender identity and gender expression. Gender expression refers to people’s appearance and clothing in relation to societal gender roles. There are trans men and women who don’t feel that it’s necessary to take hormones or undergo sex reassignment surgery to be a trans man or woman. Some transgender people who were assigned male at birth still identify as a woman despite having the outward appearance of a man (hell, some even have a beard). Others were assigned female at birth but identify as a man despite feeling absolutely no need to bind (binding is the act of flattening your breasts by using cloth, bandage or other materials). There are trans men who undergo top surgery to flatten their chests and take testosterone to pass as a cisgender man, but don’t go for bottom surgery and therefore still have a vagina. Similarly, there are trans women who take estrogen to produce a feminine look and form breasts, but don’t go for bottom surgery and therefore still have a penis. It doesn’t make their identity as a trans man or woman (or simply a man or woman) any less valid.

In addition to trans men and women, there are many other gender identities under the transgender umbrella. Some of these gender identities fall somewhere in-between identifying as a man or a woman, while other identities fall outside of the gender binary. There are, for example, transgender people who do not view themselves as either a man or a woman and identify as third/other gender. There are also people who are very disillusioned with gender as a social construct and feel that they have no gender and identify as agender, genderless, genderfree or neutrois (neutrois is slightly different here in the sense that although it is still a gender identity that relates to having no gender, people who identify as neutrois sometimes undergo medical treatment to make themselves look more physically neutral).

Some transgender people feel that they are both male and female, and identify as bigender. There are bigender individuals who express two distinct female and male “personas”, feminine and masculine respectively, and can move between these two identities; others find that they identify as two genders simultaneously. Identifying as bigender is usually seen as different from identifying as genderfluid. Bigender people move between a masculine gender expression and feminine gender expression with little middle ground, while genderfluid people don’t go back and forth between fixed gender identities and may experience an entire range or spectrum of identities over time. That said, there are people who identify as both genderfluid and bigender.

Then there is androgyne, which is a gender identity associated with androgynous people (people of indeterminate sex; partly male and partly female in appearance). People who identify as androgyne therefore have a gender which is simultaneously feminine and masculine, although not necessary in equal amounts.

The gender identities mentioned above are all Western explanations of binary and non-binary identities. Some non-Western ethnic groups have different views on gender. For example, the Bugis people of Indonesia divide their society into five separate genders. When comparing these Bugis genders to Western genders, two of the five Bugis genders are similar to cisgender men and women, two can roughly be compared to transgender men and women, and the remaining fifth identity is a more abstract identity. The Bugis people have traditionally treated all five genders with respect, and they value the contributions that each of the five genders make to their society.

Another example of non-binary gender identities being treated with respect in non-Western societies could be found in pre-colonial North America. Among the Native Americans in the US and the First Nations in Canada lived people who were seen as two-spirit. People who were two-spirit were believed to have both male and female spirits within the one body, and therefore had two identities occupying one body. Their dress was usually a mixture of traditionally male and traditionally female articles, or they dressed as a man one day and a woman on another day. Other people in their societies did not make them think that there was anything “wrong” with them. Two-spirit as a gender identity is experiencing a revival in North America, mostly among natives but also among non-natives.

Sexual Orientation

The sexual orientations that most people are familiar with are heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual. However, as is the case with gender identities, there exists a spectrum or continuum of sexual orientations beyond those three.

But let’s start with those familiar ones. People who are heterosexual (or straight) are both sexually and romantically attracted to people of the opposite sex or gender. People who are homosexual (or gay if they’re male and lesbian if they’re female – though some lesbians don’t like the word lesbian and prefer to be called gay) are sexually and romantically attracted to people of the same sex or gender.

Most of the time, when people say they are bisexual, they refer to being sexually and romantically attracted to both males and females. This doesn’t necessarily mean that bisexual people are precisely equally attracted to both genders. Some bisexual people might profess to being, say, 65% attracted to women and 35% attracted to men. But they are still significantly attracted to both genders and can form a romantic relationship with either a man or a woman. However, many bisexual people point out that bi means “two”; therefore, bisexuality refers to being attracted to two genders, and those could be any two genders on the gender spectrum. Other bisexual people say that they are attracted to multiple genders on the gender spectrum and justify the “two” in bi by saying that they are attracted to two kinds of people: people of their own gender, and people of other genders.

I feel that bisexuality is still frequently misunderstood. Portrayals of bisexuality in the media, TV shows and movies don’t help – when a person or character displays attraction to someone of the same gender, they are immediately assumed to be gay, despite clear evidence that they have a history of being attracted to both men and women. This tendency to question or deny the existence or legitimacy of bisexuality is called bisexual erasure. Bisexuals often have to read or listen to myths and misconceptions about their sexuality: bisexuals are indecisive or confused about their sexuality; people who claim to be bisexual are really just gay; you can’t be bisexual and be faithful to one person; bisexual people are greedy; bisexual people are slutty and love a threesome in bed. I think this is all just silly. If there are people on one end of the spectrum who are attracted to people of the same sex, and there are people on the other end of the spectrum who are attracted to people of the opposite sex, then it only makes mathematical sense that there are people who are fairly equally attracted to both sexes somewhere around the middle of the spectrum.

The orientation pansexual is often seen as similar to being bisexual. However, many people claim that pansexuality is more inclusive of transgender people than bisexuality. People who identify as pansexual are sexually and romantically attracted to people of any sex or gender identity. Pansexual people assert that gender and sex are insignificant or irrelevant in determining whether they will be sexually attracted to others. The emphasis is on feeling attracted to the personality of a person – sexual attraction will then follow, regardless of what that person’s sex or gender identity is.

There are a number of sexual orientations that are very similar to or interchangeable with being bisexual or pansexual, such as omnisexual, ambisexual, multisexual and polysexual. They may all seem like exactly the same thing to some people, but others see subtle differences in each orientation and choose to identify with the label they relate to the most.

A term for someone who sees themselves as “mostly straight” but not bisexual is heteroflexible. Heteroflexibility is characterized by minimal homosexual activity by someone who primarily engages in heterosexual activity. Heteroflexible people acknowledge occasional sexual attraction to someone of the same sex, but it’s only occasional and (unlike bisexual people) they don’t feel a desire to form a romantic relationship with someone of the same sex. Similarly, there are people who are homoflexible.

Being asexual or ace is another misunderstood sexual orientation that people generally don’t seem to know much about. One of the first things that asexual people usually point out is that being asexual is very different from being celibate. People who are celibate abstain, by choice, from having sex, typically for religious reasons. Someone who is ace, on the other hand, naturally has a low or absent interest in sexual activity and lacks sexual attraction to anyone. This doesn’t mean that asexual people never engage in sexual activity. Some ace people masturbate occasionally, and others will sporadically have sex with a partner to fulfil their partner’s needs. I feel that I should mention at this point that some sexual people (as opposed to asexual people) experience sexual desires but just don't need to have sex very often - this doesn't make them asexual. From what I’ve read, what distinguishes asexual people from sexual people is that ace people very rarely think about sex, feel alienated by it, don’t understand what the big deal is, would rather cuddle than have sex, place more emphasis on their partner’s personality than their level of sexual attractiveness, or simply don’t like sex and even find it repulsive.

Asexual people sometimes distinguish between romantic attraction and sexual attraction. The difference between asexuality and sexuality in this sense is that people who more regularly engage in sexual activity are often sexually and romantically attracted to their partners simultaneously, while asexual people place much more emphasis on romantic attraction than sexual attraction. As a result of this, asexual orientations often include variations of the word “romantic” in them. For example, someone who is asexual but romantically attracted to only people of the opposite sex is heteroromantic asexual. Someone who is asexual but romantically attracted to only people of the same sex is homoromantic asexual. An asexual person romantically attracted to both men and women is biromantic asexual. And an asexual person romantically attracted to any sex or gender identity is panromantic asexual.

Somewhere in-between the binary of identifying as asexual and sexual are people who identify as gray asexual. Gray asexuality is considered to be the gray area between asexuality and sexuality in which a person may occasionally experience sexual attraction, yet still relate to asexuality. Within this realm of gray asexuality are people who identify as demisexual. Those who identify as demisexual only experience sexual attraction after achieving a close emotional connection with a partner or potential partner. Even then, sex is something that happens rarely. Similar to asexual identities, there is a distinction between romantic attraction and sexual attraction, and demisexual people can be heteroromantic demisexual, homoromantic demisexual, biromantic demisexual or panromantic demisexual.

The distinction between romantic attraction and sexual attraction is something that not only asexual or demisexual people can relate to, but also some people who identify as heterosexual or homosexual. It might be difficult to comprehend, but there are some heterosexual and homosexual people who have romantic feelings for someone who is not of the gender they feel sexually attracted to; feelings that go beyond a deep friendship. There are, for example, people who identify as biromantic heterosexual. This means that they are sexually attracted to people of the opposite gender but romantically attracted to people of both the same and opposite genders. They can form a romantic connection (and even fall in love) with someone of the same sex, and could be intimate with someone of the same sex to the extent of hugging and kissing them, but can’t get themselves to have sex with them. Similarly, there are people who are biromantic homosexual, panromantic heterosexual and panromantic homosexual.

That’s it for now. I’m sure I’ve left out gender identities and sexual orientations that I’m not aware of. Feel free to let me know of others, and please also let me know if you think I’ve totally misrepresented a sexual orientation or gender identity.

I hope this has helped to broaden your understanding of these things. If your brain is now fried or your mind fucked, I hope it’s in a good way.
Last edited by Dan on Sun Jul 17, 2022 12:04 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

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Very interesting comments, Dan! You may not be a doctor, psychologist or sociologist but your opinions and comments got a solid foundation and are very well informed and articulated. Surely better than many writings from experts. I learned a lot on a field I admit not being too informed before. Many thanks, Dan!
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »

Thanks very much, Honorio.

I have edited my last post above to include more gender identities as well as a number of sexual orientations.

I will be back at the end of the year with LGBT recommendations of 2015. Suggestions are welcome, of course.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by bonnielaurel »

The first song that came to mind was "Nikita" by Elton John. That sounds like a girl's name, but in Eastern Europe it's a boy's name, think Khrushchev. There must be other examples of hits of which people didn't realize they had homosexual content.

And of course I kissed a girl by Katy Perry, about a heterosexual girl who takes a sidestep, like girls who practice on each other to learn how to kiss.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

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Dan, I haven’t had much time to participate on the forum lately, but I had to take time to thank you for your thoughtful and informative post. You mentioned concerns people might have about labeling, but I think what you’ve done is brought a spirit of caring and understanding for many people who have gone through much of their lives feeling a lack of it from society. It strikes a personal chord with me, since I grew up in a small, conservative community where I witnessed that lack of understanding—as well as outright hostility—toward the gay community. (And not just the gay community, but others within the continuum of gender identity that you so eloquently discussed. Basically, anyone who deviated even slightly from what the community labeled as “normal.”) Even before I was ten, their viewpoints felt wrong to me; but I often kept my opinions to myself, because I knew I was in the minority and feared the consequences of speaking up.

That all changed in junior high when my best friend told me he was gay. Since he was very open with me regarding his feelings and personal struggles, it gave me the courage to be more vocal against the homophobia surrounding me. Although I lost touch with him many years ago, I still view him as one of the key people in shaping my life, since he not only helped me continue along an open minded path, but also taught me to feel comfortable expressing my feelings—even if they weren’t held by the majority of those surrounding me. Although people in general seem to be more accepting now, I still hear negative comments from time to time, particularly regarding transgender individuals. I’ve always believed that education leads to understanding, which has been a major means of breaking down prejudicial barriers in the past, and will continue to be in the future. The people who write honest, intelligent essays—as you have—help to accomplish this goal, and I wanted to tell you that I very much appreciate and admire what you’ve done.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

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Yesterday afternoon I looked at this thread and wondered if my post about gender identities and sexual orientations wasn’t a bit too much. I wanted to draw people’s attention to things that they might not have been aware of, but there are always those who say things like “yeah, OK, you’re gay… we get it” or “enough of this gay propaganda”.

Then I woke up this morning, visited this forum and read jamieW’s post. And I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried. I cried because his comments embodied so much kindness and compassion. It’s wonderful that more and more people who do not identify as LGBT can be so understanding. So thank you, jamieW. To me (and I’m sure to other LGBT people reading this) your comments mean more than you realize.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by jamieW »

Thank you, Dan. Your very kind words mean a lot to me, as well.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »

I've updated the main post with songs from 2015.
Last edited by Dan on Tue Aug 30, 2022 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Maschine_Man »

It would be nice to include Villagers - Hot Scary Summer from last year.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »

Beautiful song - thanks for bringing it to my attention, Maschine_Man. I have now added it.
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Re: LGBT-themed Songs

Post by Dan »

2016 songs added. Please let me know if you think I've missed a song that really needed to be added. ;)
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