Music - top ten gay anthems?

Bard

Hey - I do a radio show on Friday nights and we do a different top ten every week... examples from previous weeks have been Essential Albums of the Eighties, best Country Artists of all time, top Summer Songs, Rock and Roll Rivalries, One Hit Wonders, TV Theme Tunes, TV Stars to become Singers, Girls Night Out songs, Man Songs ... to name but a few (!)

What I'm looking to do this week (or maybe next week - depends on if I get a good list compiled in time) is the Top Ten Gay Anthems of all time... so I'm looking for a wee bit of feedback. What would you guys consider to be your top (say 3 or more) songs you'd consider to be "Gay Anthems"?

Yeah, I'm asking you to do my "homework" for me but I'm also researching it myself. It'd just be handy to have the input of actual gay people for it too

Cheers,

Hmm_Messiah

It'd just be handy to have the input of actual gay people for it too

Input: no such thing as "gay anthem" other than some songs whose lyrics might have a resonance with advocacy/rights much as many Nina Simone songs would be seen as anthemic by american blacks.

Otherwise I think you might be visualising dance/crass classics by Donna Summer, Jimmy Somerville etc. Here what gay people like is no different than any other group, some people's top 3 would be would be kylie/madonna, some Manic Street Preachers, some (god bless then ) Bon Jovi, some Debussy ( )

I would admit though being "affected " by Jimmy Somerville singing "It ain't necessarily So" - what it says in the bible etc. Given my background it seemed very subversive to criticise the bible (despite the song being many decades old!) and also it somehow seemed a sure, proud statement about his own life, and being gay.

Madonna's "Skin" is great to have sex too or sinead o connor's "Am I not your girl" on a rainy Sunday morning.....but...erm... thats not what you asked :rolleyes:

damien

I'm sure there was an actual list posted recently here on the same topic. Pity the George doesn't post their playlist up online. It's the same week in week out so that should give you an idea.

Bard

Well no- Im not really looking for cheesy kitsch stuff - I'm not looking to take the p*ss out of gay people by any means (- although certain obvious ones like oh, I dunno... Culture Club, Prince or George Michael may well get a look in).

I am looking, however, to find a list of songs that - well - either "define" homosexuality, or just have a particularly special meaning to members of the gay community.

As an aside, examples of the top ten's we've done before on the radio show can be seen here.

biko

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054969453

Aard

Among my Top 10 G*A*Y Anthems!!1! (...) will be some Tool. Play "Stinkfist" or "Hooker with a Penis" for extra credit.

>_>

<_<

gary the great

You have to have Placebo-nancy boy on that list, its probly the gayest song of all time.

merritt

Mmmm, avoid the cheese if you can. How about these? Some indie goodness, some pop thrills, and perhaps a little fromage too?

Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy
Tom Robinson - Glad To Be Gay
Carl Bean - Born This Way
Placebo - Nancy Boy (good choice!)
Hidden Cameras - Boys of Melody
Magnetic Fields - When My Boy Walks Down the Street (or nearly anything by them...)
Sylvester - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)
George Michael - Outside
k.d. lang - Miss Chatelaine
Dana International - Diva
Antony & the Johnsons with Boy George - You Are My Sister
Man Parrish meets Man 2 Man - Male Stripper
The Lemonheads - Big Gay Heart
Divine - You Think You're A Man (lol)
Zrazy - I'm In Love With Mother Nature

Brain hurts now. Stopping....

snappieT

Er, does YMCA not qualify?

And I believe channel 4 elected Scissor Sister's the gayest album, so yank Filthy Gorgeous from that too

Stark

Nothing better for accompanying Sharpy McShiny down the railroad tracks than Gloria Gaynor I find. Ah fond memories of nights out in Taboo down in Cork.

damien

The Pogues - The Old Main Drag

When I first came to London I was only sixteen
With a fiver in my pocket and my ole dancing bag
I went down to the dilly to check out the scene
But I soon ended up upon the old main drag

Crimson...

No.1 = Gloria Gayner - I Am What I Am...

Aard

So Bard have you made a shortlist yet?

Bard

Nope. Went with the top ten most distinctive voices in music (as featured on AskMen.com) on last week's show. Don't think I'll end up doing the gay anthems top ten at all to be honest.

The Bollox

YMCA and Macho Man

Px

Ian Dury and the Blockheads: 'I Want To Be Straight'..?

Px

Bard wrote:

What I'm looking to do this week (or maybe next week - depends on if I get a good list compiled in time) is the Top Ten Gay Anthems of all time... so I'm looking for a wee bit of feedback. What would you guys consider to be your top (say 3 or more) songs you'd consider to be "Gay Anthems"?

Is that the question? "...songs you'd consider to be gay anthems"

Because there are many songs considered by others, especially straights, to be gay anthems; you've seen examples, YMCA, I will survive, It's raining men, etc., blah, etc. but is it more what songs have a special resonance to me (or whoever this question is asked of), that relates to my (their) sexuality?

Can you name me some straight anthems..?