I had an idea to put a compilation together that covered the history of gay music...

The idea would be to include songs that were landmarks in gay culture, key songs by gay artists, prominent songs dealing with gay issues, important songs by gay-friendly artists, etc....

I'd love some input and ideas. I'd like for it to cover a wide range of styles and time-periods.

Were there any artists recording in the 60's who either at the time or later came out as gay? I know the 70's and forward there is plenty to choose from... but I want the most important and "landmark" songs. Like an audio history of "gay culture", whatever that means, over the past 40+ years..

some ideas:

Pet Shop Boys - "Liberation", perhaps..?
Erasure - "Hideaway"
David Bowie - "Rebel Rebel" maybe? "Queen Bitch"?
Madonna...
some disco stuff.... Sylvester?
Elton John - "The Last Song", perhaps
Queen
Melissa Etheridge
KD Lang
AIDS songs like "Tomorrow, Wendy" maybe by Concrete Blonde, or "Hold On" by Sarah McLachlan..
"Smalltown Boy" by Bronski Beat was a huge one, I know...
there's gotta be some Cher on there, as well!!

what are some suggestions?

Try to go back as far as possible.
Sylvester
Lime
Grace Jones
Village People

and come forward

K.D.Lang
Melissa Hethridge
George Michael
David Morales
Scissor Sisters...

NorthernLad said:

Queen??? I know their frontman was gay, but I never really considered them to be a gay band, but thats just what I think Now if the other members were gay, which I dont think either of them are, than maybe so...




Now what about WENDY AND LISA???


[Edited 1/18/07 21:24pm]

lonelygurl8305 said:

Freddie Mercury was the only gay person in Queen.
[Edited 1/19/07 0:40am]

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

you should include Tori's "Merman"

Gay music...



The singer of Judas Priest is gay.

I find the term "Gay Music" very limiting! Music is not determined by sexual orientation

MikeMatronik said:

Agreed. It's not like they have "straight music." How utterly PATHETIC.

Cheek said:

Wasn't that a surprise!
I always wondered what the true metalhead thought about Rob being gay,
Heavy Metal is a macho world.
And if it came out in the70's

Cheek said:

You know what I mean. Music that was important to gay culture and gay history throughout the years. For example, I know that music played a huge part for many people in coming out, etc. (myself included)

Hey, I just thought of I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross... that's got to be on there!
[Edited 1/19/07 5:20am]

IstenSzek said:

Very true... when I saw her perform that live she dedicated it to Mathew Shepherd, and it was very very moving. Such a beautiful song

lonelygurl8305 said:

Freddie Mercury was a high profile gay artist, and I think he was very important when it came to awareness of AIDS and how it touches so many different people.

"I Want to Break Free" might be a good song to include...

NorthernLad said:

Don't tell that to the people of Argentina. In some latin american countries, that song is seen as a political anthem.

Freddie was a high profile Bisexual artist. He never raised awereness about AIDS, because the public only knew that he had AIDS in the day that he died
People confuse I want to break free as a gay song because of the Camp video. Camp is not necessarily a sinonim of gay.

Sorry about some errors in words...I'm now doing the laundry and behind schedule
[Edited 1/19/07 5:36am]

MikeMatronik said:

A song can have many different connotations and interpretations, and there are no easy, written in stone definitions. I am looking to compile a history of gay culture and important songs to gay culture via music. Not every artist included will be gay. Not every song included will have been specifically written about gay causes, but many will have been adopted for various reasons.

Freddie's death DID raise awareness of AIDS in general.

damn
[Edited 1/19/07 5:56am]

Just picture-google HOMO TOP 100 CD and see what you get

NorthernLad said:

I was going to suggest I Want To Break Free, too. I just want to add Freddie was bisexual.

HamsterHuey said:

I will, to fill in the gaps. It'll be the same ol' stuff though. I'm interested in hearing from other people - gay folks in particular - what songs were important to them personally for various reasons, that might not be on the "standard" type list.

I know I have some songs that were important to me. "Hideaway" by Erasure was huge for me because my mom was a big fan of Erasure, and the song really helped her open up and be more comfortable with me being gay.

I remember watching "Behind the Music" on VH1 when they did a show on Culture Club with my mom, and she told me that she thinks "people are born gay" and that they shouldn't be discriminated against. I wasn't out to her at the time, so that was really nice to hear.

NorthernLad said:

http://members.lycos.nl/h...20Back.JPG



75% of the Homo Top songs are horrible

Paisley4u said:

It's so funny, looking back now at the old Judas Priest stuff it seems really obvious... but that was just the whole metal shtick at the time, and nobody really connected it with "gay". At least, I didn't... maybe some did.

Heavy Metal IS a macho world, and yet it was acceptable for bands like Poison and Motley Crue to go prancing around on stage in bright colors, big hair and make-up. It was very glam.... but because they were "metal" it was somehow considered OK by the macho metal heads. It's all very strange looking back.

MikeMatronik said:

Why would they include the Geri Halliwell version of "It's Raining Men" instead of the Weather Girls????

Although they do include Grace Jones, which is cool.... Grace will HAVE to be on there somewhere.

I will make my list. It is a bit weird, though.

My 'gay'list is songs that were important to me, not really gay bands.
At the time Jesus To A Child by George Michael was very important to me, as it was about GM losing his bf, something I had to deal with as well.

I've Never Been To Me, by Cherelle.

Shoot Your Shot by Divine.

First hits by The Communards, Soft Cell, Culture Club and stuff like You Spin Me 'Round by Dead or Alive were important to me, cuz these guys dared to push the borders of sexuality by being open, even though their image was not what I wanted to conform to. But I liked that they did, esp Smalltown Boy by The Communards. Wow.

You cannot leave out the great Klaus Nomi, who was one of the first (if not the first) prominent person to die of AIDS; he died in 1983. I did a thread on him some months ago.

Not too much footage of him, though you can find some videos at youtube.

Among his most beloved songs/interpretations are:
- Total Eclipse - http://www.youtube.com/wa...a1D3bAniXQ
- Cold Song (Purcell) - http://www.youtube.com/wa..._A6IR58Htg
- Lightning Strikes - http://www.youtube.com/wa...LknoJC2WEQ

and of course:
SIMPLE MAN - http://www.youtube.com/wa...FaZyHxQGYQ

SenseOfDoubt said:

Very cool - - - I had forgotten about him. I saw him recently when VH1 Classic broadcast the "Urgh! A Music War" Concert film. He will definitely be included. He was one of a kind, that is certain!!

NorthernLad, here are the songs I consider that should be included in the anthology:

Kashka from Bagdad - Kate Bush
A Quién le Importa - Alaska y Dinarama
Canção do Engate - António Variações
Ballad of Cleo & Joe - Cyndi Lauper
You don't Know - Cyndi Lauper
John, I'm Only Dancing - David Bowie
Brand New Lover - Dead or Alive
Outside - George Michael
My Mother Had a Brother - George Michael
Better the Devil You Know - Kylie Minogue
Your disco needs you - Kylie Minogue
Walk on the wild side - Lou Reed
Cupcake - Nellie McKay
Can You Forgive her? - Pet Shop Boys
It's a Sin - Pet Shop Boys
Dreaming of the Queen - Pet Shop Boys
Discoteca - Pet Shop Boys
Closer to heaven (the 3 versions from the musical!) - Pet Shop Boys
In denial - Pet Shop Boys
Being Boring - Pet Shop Boys
Billy Don't Fall - Terence Trent D'Arby
Electrobix - Scissor Sisters
Return To Oz - Scissor Sisters
Take Your Mama - Scissor Sisters
The Other Side - Scissor Sisters
Si lo Sabe Dios Que Se Entere el Mundo - Fangoria

MikeMatronik said:

Awesome list!! Some great ones in there. Just out of curiousity - why "Kashka from Baghdad"?