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Queer Songs

A couple of days ago, I was helping Slightly to prepare a lecture he gave for LGBT History Month. I knew there was going to be a sound system on the night and thought I would quickly put together a playlist of gay songs to play in the background while people were arriving.

In doing my selection, I have deliberately moved away from the usual disco and dance anthems which are supposed to be favourites in the community but ultimately only speak indirectly about our experience. Since the event, I have done a little research and my (non-exhaustive) list has now grown to 55 songs, all of which directly and explicitly talk about the gay, lesbian, bi or trans experience. The only possible exceptions to this being three same-sex duets. It is interesting to notice, by the way how, many songs with a Trans theme seem to be out there.

The last four tracks at the bottom are two songs with and a translation.

The list of songs can be found below in blocks of 10 and in alphabetical order by artist first name. Please, feel free to submit other titles fitting my criteria.

You Are My Sister (feat Boy George) - Antony & The Johnsons
I Fell in Love with a Dead Boy - Antony & The Johnsons
You Don't Know Me - Armand Van Helden
Sexual Revolution - Army of Lovers
Si Demain - Turn Around, Total Eclipse (feat. Kareen Antonn) - Bonnie Tyler
Why - Bronski beat
Smalltown Boy - Bronski Beat
I Was Born This Way - Carl Bean
Ziggy - Celine Dion
Beautiful Boyz (feat. Antony Hegarty) - CocoRosie

Pour ne pas vivre seul - Dalida
Rebel Rebel - David Bowie
I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross
Jesus by 45 - Ebony Tay
Jet Boy, Jet Girl - Elton Motello
Glory Box - Faith No More (Portishead Cover)
Micheal - Franz Ferdinand
Outside - George Michael
I Am What I Am - Gloria Gaynor
Freaks - Imperial Teens

The Devil's Mollies - Joel Gibb
Wig In a Box - John Cameron Mitchell
The Origin of Love - John Cameron Mitchell
Angry Inch - John Cameron Mitchell
Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed
Stereosexual - Mecano
Sans contrefaçon - Mylène Farmer
Maman à tort - Mylène Farmer
Tuesday, 3 am - Nita Whitaker
Another Beautiful Day - Nita Whitaker

The Night I Fell in Love - Pet Shop Boys
It's A Sin - Pet Shop Boys
Can You Forgive Her? - Pet Shop Boys
Homosapien - Pete Shelly
The Killing Of Georgie (Part I And II) - Rod Stewart
The Art Teacher - Rufus Wainwright
Gay Messiah - Rufus Wainwright
She's My Man - Scissor Sisters
Shut Up (And Sleep With Me) - Sin With Sebastian
Let Me Be A Drag Queen - Sister Queen

Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover - Sophie B. Hawkins
Freaks - Stephen Trask
Lola - The Kinks
I Can Make You A Man - Tim Curry
Sweet Transvestite - Tim Curry
All Mine (feat. Divine Comedy) - Tom Jones
Glad To Be Gay - Tom Robinson Band
Real Men - Tori Amos
What More Can I Say (Falsettoland) - Michael Rupert
Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other - Willie Nelson

Adam et Yves - Zazie

What Makes A Man - Charles Aznavour
Comme ils disent - Charles Aznavour
Une Femme Avec Une Femme - Mecano
Mujer Contra Mujer - Mecano

For those interested, the Queer Heritage Music website might prove valuable.
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Comments

  1. Anonymous4/05/2008 6:51 am

    Thank you for this list of gay-themed songs. I just watched Proteus and afterwards searched for Joel Gibb's song Devil's Mollies... google brought up your site. I'll keep reading.

    ReplyDelete

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