Not sure if this has been posted before, but in this months British gay mag, Attitude, The Scissor Sisters front man Jake Shears voted Prince's "Controversy" as his top gay album. heres what he had to say:

"When I was 10, left alone at a cousins house for a day, I cam across a stash of white cassette tapes. One was labelled Controversy. The sound was brash, and I couldnt make much sense of it, but listening to Jack U Off for the first time was like uncovering a stash of my aunt's Playgirl magazines. Who in their right mind would listen to this stuff?

Years later when I started writing songs, I revisited Controversy and what I heard on that album gave me the juice and inspiration I needed at that moment. Nothing can stand next to the opening cut, and the frankness of the lyrics ("Am I black or white, am I straight or gay?") that must have been so shocking at the time and are just as blunt as they ever were. "Some people want to die, so they can be free" is on of the most heartbreaking lyrics ever written in a pop song. And his image was so provocative - thong, flasher mac and mascara - he would get bottled off stage and called a fag. Prince's arrival was guaranteed to simultaneously freak you out and turn you on."

CrozzaUK said:

"Some people want to die, so they can be free" is on of the most heartbreaking lyrics ever written in a pop song."

That has always been a stand-out line to me as well.

"Prince's arrival was guaranteed to simultaneously freak you out and turn you on."

Controversy is not a gay album,but it's 1 of my faves 2!

sexxydancer said:

Controversy is a really gay album.

I wish I didn't read this thread.... I don't like the idea of sharing a favourite album with Jake Shears.

New Power Soul is the gay one!

miguelbulcao said:

Miggy, you know that ain't so!

'Controversy' is gay, gay,gay.

Right on, Jake!

Justin1972UK said:

Sorry but lyrics like:

Get freaky, let the head bob

Shoo-bed-ooh, shoo-bed-ooh, ooh!

R uber G A Y!

NouveauDance said:

same here.....and this is my favorite album.....

OK its not a gay album

BUTTT..
1. You can interpret lyrics in songs such as do me baby, Private Joy, Lets Work and Jack U off to a gay audience (nowhere does Prince mention, she her etc0

2. It may not be a gay album, but a lot of gay people sure loved it.

3. How sure are you that Prince isnt a bit bi himself.

I think I can understand where Jake is coming from

Why are people getting so uptight about an album being labelled 'gay'? Didn't P say it right back at the time? Frankly, who cares? Prince celebrated the 'confusion' he created and now we have people reacting to it. Bizarre. Be happy that Prince appeals to all people, regardless of height, width and depth.

Justin1972UK said:

If you don't think it is, you've been listening to it with earplugs in.

BoySimon said:

Nothinbutjoy said:

The heartbreak isn't tied to any strict definition though. It's a line that can be interpreted in so many different ways. Three that come to mind:

1. Want to die to go to whichever heaven/paradise a religion subscribes to.
2. Want to die to escape misery of life.
3. Dying in the name of political/national "freedom", i.e. soldiers in wars.

It doesn't get gayer than Controversy. Brilliant album.

I hadn't seen this, thanks for posting!

SpecialEd said:

Thats how I understand that line. I live in a very politicized country.

And I dont think that line is gay.

dammme said:

Being gay, especially as a teenager and not feeling accepted by society could relate to that line. I'm not saying that's what he's saying in the line, but gay people can definately relate.

So the fact that a gay person relates to something makes it gay. Huh.

FruitToAttractBears said:

No songs like Jack U Off make it gay

Once again, people show how threatened they are by the idea of something being called gay.

BoySimon said:

This post should be quoted on the home page. Brilliant.

jayaredee said:

I'm not threatened. I'm just trying to understand because I think it's bullshit, personally. But that's just what I think, kinda like the way some people will swear up and down that the album is gay.

FruitToAttractBears said:

Read the initial post. Jake Shears is a gay man and found an album that he highly relates to. It's his gay album of choice. That doesn't mean it has to be gay to you. It's just an album. Call it whatever you want.

jayaredee said:

That was my point.

dammme said:

That line in particular isn't specifically gay, but can hold a lot of meaning for a young gay person, or anyone else who might be unhappy with their lot. But I don't think Jake pointed out that line to highlight it's queerness. I read his comment more as an aside that it's a sad, beautiful line in a very queer album.

Which it is.

jayaredee said:

I agree!

Hey mods -whaddya say?

FruitToAttractBears said:

He wasn't saying the album itself is gay or Prince has to be gay ebcause he made the album. That's not what's meant by referring to Controversy as a gay album.

Chill. Have a cookie. And stop fussing about who thinks what's gay and why. Will it shatter your album experience if somebody else sees Controversy as potentially having queer subtext or meaning? No.

meow85 said:

And where the fuck did I ever say that? Geez, ya'll just want to make your point regardless of the acutal argument, don't you?



I really couldn't care less about the potential queer subtext and meanings of the album, and I don't deny they exist, but it's patronizing comments like that that piss me off.

Are y'all sure it's a gay album? It might be a straight album! It might be a black or white album!