Over the rainbow and onto the charts
June 28, 2002 9:56 AM Subscribe
Over the rainbow and onto the charts Creative loafing counts down the Gay Top 40. [via What Do I Know]
I have to agree with Tin Man. I mean, YMCA at # 7? Please.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 10:06 AM on June 28, 2002
posted by monju_bosatsu at 10:06 AM on June 28, 2002
All "best of" lists are inherently arbitrary, but this list somehow seems even more arbitrary than usual. Every gay friend of mine, incidentally, rightly loathes Cher's "Believe."
posted by Skot at 10:32 AM on June 28, 2002
posted by Skot at 10:32 AM on June 28, 2002
Silly fun, but I loathe most of those songs. I'm pretty much a failure as an 'out and proud' gay man, preferring to bliss out at home to Bach's Goldberg Variations or a disc full of Two-part Inventions.
I think what is identified as 'gay culture' is actually 'nightlife culture' and, since nightlife gives me hives, who am I to judge?
Besides, the world's gayest piece of music is Ravel's Daphnis And Chloë.
posted by evanizer at 10:38 AM on June 28, 2002
I think what is identified as 'gay culture' is actually 'nightlife culture' and, since nightlife gives me hives, who am I to judge?
Besides, the world's gayest piece of music is Ravel's Daphnis And Chloë.
posted by evanizer at 10:38 AM on June 28, 2002
Careful Skot - you're setting yourself up to be flame-bait for Wolfdaddy.
And Tin Man is pretty observant, this list leaves out Ty Herndon, the county heartthrob caught in a tea room, who had songs titled "Don't tell Mama" and "Living in a Moment". The nod to Tchaikovsky was nice though.
posted by TuffAustin at 10:41 AM on June 28, 2002
And Tin Man is pretty observant, this list leaves out Ty Herndon, the county heartthrob caught in a tea room, who had songs titled "Don't tell Mama" and "Living in a Moment". The nod to Tchaikovsky was nice though.
posted by TuffAustin at 10:41 AM on June 28, 2002
At the risk of sounding like a broken record (heh) I'd like to include The Soundtrack to "Newsies"
posted by ColdChef at 11:03 AM on June 28, 2002
posted by ColdChef at 11:03 AM on June 28, 2002
I'm straight, and live in the gayest part of Toronto. This weekend, I'll be fully closeted, hiding with my clothes from the onslaught of truly awful music at Toronto's Gay Pride celebration.
posted by websavvy at 11:17 AM on June 28, 2002
posted by websavvy at 11:17 AM on June 28, 2002
I'm a straight man and I'm ashamed to admit that I enjoy a bunch of those songs on that list.
Not because they are "gay" songs, but because they are just bad songs (except for "Smalltown Boy", "1812 Overture" and "Streets of Philadelphia").
But that doesn't mean I don't privately enjoy singing/humming along to "It's Raining Men" or "A Little Respect". Boogie!
posted by grum@work at 11:25 AM on June 28, 2002
Not because they are "gay" songs, but because they are just bad songs (except for "Smalltown Boy", "1812 Overture" and "Streets of Philadelphia").
But that doesn't mean I don't privately enjoy singing/humming along to "It's Raining Men" or "A Little Respect". Boogie!
posted by grum@work at 11:25 AM on June 28, 2002
OK, so if they're going to choose a random song by Cole Porter, why not "You're the Top," which has much more suggestive gay subtext than anything else in his repertoire, I think. :)
posted by grrarrgh00 at 11:26 AM on June 28, 2002
posted by grrarrgh00 at 11:26 AM on June 28, 2002
...you're setting yourself up to be flame-bait for Wolfdaddy.
Sounds hot! Pictures please! Oh yeah, and umm without Tribe 8, Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, Imperial Teen, The Toilet Boys, and Robin Black, among many others, let us all remember that disco sucks dog dick for quarters. pardon my french
posted by RJ Reynolds at 11:32 AM on June 28, 2002
Sounds hot! Pictures please! Oh yeah, and umm without Tribe 8, Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, Imperial Teen, The Toilet Boys, and Robin Black, among many others, let us all remember that disco sucks dog dick for quarters. pardon my french
posted by RJ Reynolds at 11:32 AM on June 28, 2002
Funny, but I had you pegged as a disco bunny, RJ. Go figure.
posted by evanizer at 11:36 AM on June 28, 2002
posted by evanizer at 11:36 AM on June 28, 2002
Argh-- Q just had a top 5 gay anthems from Boy George, but I can't find it online. The only interesting choice was a Buju Banton anti-gay song. The idea being the backlash from the song made Banton a better person.
posted by yerfatma at 11:57 AM on June 28, 2002
posted by yerfatma at 11:57 AM on June 28, 2002
I would think Chances Are and Sally Go Round The Roses should have made the list.
posted by y2karl at 12:01 PM on June 28, 2002
posted by y2karl at 12:01 PM on June 28, 2002
Here's the car for you to drive whilst listening to these songs.
Anyone ever heard the thing about Losing my Religion being about coming out? New one to me...
posted by internal at 12:21 PM on June 28, 2002
Anyone ever heard the thing about Losing my Religion being about coming out? New one to me...
posted by internal at 12:21 PM on June 28, 2002
disco sucks dog dick for quarters.
You are so wrong.
Pardon my French but Va bouffer ta merde, va te faire voir!
posted by y2karl at 12:57 PM on June 28, 2002
You are so wrong.
Pardon my French but Va bouffer ta merde, va te faire voir!
posted by y2karl at 12:57 PM on June 28, 2002
Careful Skot - you're setting yourself up to be flame-bait for Wolfdaddy
Ooo, I just can't resist a little vanity. However Skot's comment isn't very tempting, but that's only because I'm old enough to have seen Sonny and Cher in concert (I was eight, but still). This: "What's so gay about Right Said Fred?", however, is a juicy morsel asked twice in seeming innocence that I simply. Must. Address.
spilon, what's so gay about Right Said Fred?
This is what's so gay about Right Said Fred. I trust you see what I mean. :)
Oh, and uh, RJ, sweetie pie? I'm more effeminate than you! :-D
As for what I'd add to that so-called Gay Top 40. Let's not even go there. Tammy Wynette.
posted by WolfDaddy at 1:17 PM on June 28, 2002
Ooo, I just can't resist a little vanity. However Skot's comment isn't very tempting, but that's only because I'm old enough to have seen Sonny and Cher in concert (I was eight, but still). This: "What's so gay about Right Said Fred?", however, is a juicy morsel asked twice in seeming innocence that I simply. Must. Address.
spilon, what's so gay about Right Said Fred?
This is what's so gay about Right Said Fred. I trust you see what I mean. :)
Oh, and uh, RJ, sweetie pie? I'm more effeminate than you! :-D
As for what I'd add to that so-called Gay Top 40. Let's not even go there. Tammy Wynette.
posted by WolfDaddy at 1:17 PM on June 28, 2002
Gee, and I had some great ideas for photos too.
*Goes home*
(PS--The "Losing My Religion" took me aback as well.)
posted by Skot at 1:22 PM on June 28, 2002
*Goes home*
(PS--The "Losing My Religion" took me aback as well.)
posted by Skot at 1:22 PM on June 28, 2002
I think the only connection "Losing My Religion" has with being gay is that Michael Stipe has come out of the closet.
Similarly I think the only connection "Streets of Philadelphia" has with gay-dom is that it was in that oh-so-earnest movie where Tom Hanks gave yet another oh-so-earnest oscar winning performance as an AIDS patient. Not that it's a bad song - it is a very good song, it's just nowhere near the gay top 10.
The big, huge, glaring, stupid omission: Sister Sledge's "We Are Family."
posted by dnash at 2:15 PM on June 28, 2002
Similarly I think the only connection "Streets of Philadelphia" has with gay-dom is that it was in that oh-so-earnest movie where Tom Hanks gave yet another oh-so-earnest oscar winning performance as an AIDS patient. Not that it's a bad song - it is a very good song, it's just nowhere near the gay top 10.
The big, huge, glaring, stupid omission: Sister Sledge's "We Are Family."
posted by dnash at 2:15 PM on June 28, 2002
23 of those 40 are in my MP3 collection right now. I wonder if I know something I haven't told me?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:28 PM on June 28, 2002
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:28 PM on June 28, 2002
Cool. Do I get a parking placard?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:44 PM on June 28, 2002
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:44 PM on June 28, 2002
Didn't you both propose to me at one time or another? I seem to have that effect on married men.
When you both decide to switch over, gimme a call. We can listen to "Newsies".
posted by evanizer at 3:04 PM on June 28, 2002
When you both decide to switch over, gimme a call. We can listen to "Newsies".
posted by evanizer at 3:04 PM on June 28, 2002
Funny, but I had you pegged as a disco bunny, RJ. Go figure.
/me freaks out, sticks safety pin in nose, turns up yeah yeah yeahs ep, window-dresses bunker to hide from gay pride onslaught.
We have to have these ridiculous gay threads at least once a month. Muy entertaining Metafilter break. I'm butchly resisting Wolfdaddy's bait... for now.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 3:18 PM on June 28, 2002
/me freaks out, sticks safety pin in nose, turns up yeah yeah yeahs ep, window-dresses bunker to hide from gay pride onslaught.
We have to have these ridiculous gay threads at least once a month. Muy entertaining Metafilter break. I'm butchly resisting Wolfdaddy's bait... for now.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 3:18 PM on June 28, 2002
But it's kind of annoying. I'm wondering if I'm the only gay man who's not a big dance music fan.
No, you're not. Not only am I "not a big dance music fan", I despise 99.999% of what's played in gay dance clubs. It's painful.
I like rock (indie/alternative especially), classical, trad jazz, blues, good roots country and alt.country, roots/trad music of almost any variety, and lots of truly danceable music, from African pop to down and dirty blues to zydeco to the Grateful Dead. I don't like Madonna, or ABBA, or the Pet Shop Boys, or Frankie Goes to Hollywood, or the Weather Girls. I also find the concept of one's musical taste being keyed in to one's sexuality to be quite bizarre (but that's just me).
I guess I'm a bit of an odd man out, musically. Sigh.
posted by chuq at 3:28 PM on June 28, 2002
No, you're not. Not only am I "not a big dance music fan", I despise 99.999% of what's played in gay dance clubs. It's painful.
I like rock (indie/alternative especially), classical, trad jazz, blues, good roots country and alt.country, roots/trad music of almost any variety, and lots of truly danceable music, from African pop to down and dirty blues to zydeco to the Grateful Dead. I don't like Madonna, or ABBA, or the Pet Shop Boys, or Frankie Goes to Hollywood, or the Weather Girls. I also find the concept of one's musical taste being keyed in to one's sexuality to be quite bizarre (but that's just me).
I guess I'm a bit of an odd man out, musically. Sigh.
posted by chuq at 3:28 PM on June 28, 2002
My tastes run toward punk, showtunes, queercore and country-western so, chuq, I see your "odd" and raise you one. ;-)
posted by bradlands at 3:46 PM on June 28, 2002
posted by bradlands at 3:46 PM on June 28, 2002
dnash, etc: I think you can explain "Losing my Religion" by the fact that it's an Atlanta pub, and you can't mention music in Georgia without discussing REM.
But I was floored to see how many out artists come from the Peach state.
And hey! Where's Bob Mould?
posted by emptyage at 4:11 PM on June 28, 2002
But I was floored to see how many out artists come from the Peach state.
And hey! Where's Bob Mould?
posted by emptyage at 4:11 PM on June 28, 2002
Hrm. I've got more of these than I expected(and I think I missed a few), but I'm not sure they count:
Relax - Kevorkian Death Cycle
Losing My Religion - Gregorian
Justify My Love - Frontline Assembly or Sleep Chamber
Smalltown Boy - Plastic Noise Experience
Dancing Queen/Ballroom Blitz - Black Sweden
Vogue - Astralasia
posted by Su at 4:38 PM on June 28, 2002
Relax - Kevorkian Death Cycle
Losing My Religion - Gregorian
Justify My Love - Frontline Assembly or Sleep Chamber
Smalltown Boy - Plastic Noise Experience
Dancing Queen/Ballroom Blitz - Black Sweden
Vogue - Astralasia
posted by Su at 4:38 PM on June 28, 2002
11. "Smalltown Boy," Bronski Beat -- This song perfectly chronicled the journey of a young gay man coming out and leaving home
How about "Strange Town" by The Jam?
But I was floored to see how many out artists come from the Peach state.
Some of the artists (R.E.M., B-52s) are from there because of the University of Georgia.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:44 PM on June 28, 2002
How about "Strange Town" by The Jam?
But I was floored to see how many out artists come from the Peach state.
Some of the artists (R.E.M., B-52s) are from there because of the University of Georgia.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:44 PM on June 28, 2002
We could probably do this forever, but-- Joan Jett! "I don't give a #@&*^% about my bad reputation!" Yeah.
She's out now too, I understand...
posted by jokeefe at 4:54 PM on June 28, 2002
She's out now too, I understand...
posted by jokeefe at 4:54 PM on June 28, 2002
"She's out now too, I understand..."
Sure, destroy another of my adolescent fantasies.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:59 PM on June 28, 2002
Sure, destroy another of my adolescent fantasies.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:59 PM on June 28, 2002
joan jett: not necessarily a dyke. fantasize onward.
posted by patricking at 5:10 PM on June 28, 2002
posted by patricking at 5:10 PM on June 28, 2002
Sure, destroy another of my adolescent fantasies.
Ah, but it depends on whose adolescence we are talking about here, no? Heh. And patricking, I read that entire article, and the evidence seems pretty straightforward: the only thing missing is her signed and sealed coming out statement. As far as everything else goes, all indications look clear--I mean, season's tickets for the WNBA! What could be more overt... So I claim priority fantasizing rights.
posted by jokeefe at 7:13 PM on June 28, 2002
Ah, but it depends on whose adolescence we are talking about here, no? Heh. And patricking, I read that entire article, and the evidence seems pretty straightforward: the only thing missing is her signed and sealed coming out statement. As far as everything else goes, all indications look clear--I mean, season's tickets for the WNBA! What could be more overt... So I claim priority fantasizing rights.
posted by jokeefe at 7:13 PM on June 28, 2002
jokeefe: if a woman buying season tickets to the WNBA is sufficient proof that she's a lesbian, what does that say about all the beer-bellied family guys with season tickets to the regular NBA?
Umm ... err ... never mind.
posted by jacobm at 8:20 PM on June 28, 2002
Umm ... err ... never mind.
posted by jacobm at 8:20 PM on June 28, 2002
what does that say about all the beer-bellied family guys with season tickets to the regular NBA
It means I am a very happy homewrecker ;-)
not really. not really much
posted by WolfDaddy at 8:35 PM on June 28, 2002
It means I am a very happy homewrecker ;-)
not really. not really much
posted by WolfDaddy at 8:35 PM on June 28, 2002
It means I am a very happy homewrecker ;-)
I don't know about you, but I can't imagine too many beer-bellied sports fans I know who'd be on my list if I decided to jump the fence. Brad Pitt, on the other hand ... or Tom Cruise ... now there's a dynamic duo that could turn me. Or the Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt, to bring the thread ever-so-slowly back towards on-topicness.
posted by jacobm at 8:46 PM on June 28, 2002
I don't know about you, but I can't imagine too many beer-bellied sports fans I know who'd be on my list if I decided to jump the fence. Brad Pitt, on the other hand ... or Tom Cruise ... now there's a dynamic duo that could turn me. Or the Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt, to bring the thread ever-so-slowly back towards on-topicness.
posted by jacobm at 8:46 PM on June 28, 2002
I've never ever heard YMCA in a gay club, but maybe I don't get out enough.
posted by kerplunk at 1:40 AM on June 29, 2002
posted by kerplunk at 1:40 AM on June 29, 2002
Gayest.Song.Ever. [Real Player File, suspiciously via jonmc]
posted by evanizer at 5:48 AM on June 29, 2002
posted by evanizer at 5:48 AM on June 29, 2002
Hel-LO!
Wait a minute, I'm straight. But, I did grow up in Chelsea and Provincetown...
posted by nicwolff at 3:18 PM on June 29, 2002
Wait a minute, I'm straight. But, I did grow up in Chelsea and Provincetown...
posted by nicwolff at 3:18 PM on June 29, 2002
Gayest.Song.Ever. [Real Player File, suspiciously via jonmc]
A note from lisa, aka mrs jonmc--
Ev, we dance to it every night... cheek-to-cheek. (Webcam, coming soon!) :)
posted by jonmc at 8:02 PM on June 29, 2002
A note from lisa, aka mrs jonmc--
Ev, we dance to it every night... cheek-to-cheek. (Webcam, coming soon!) :)
posted by jonmc at 8:02 PM on June 29, 2002
No Smiths and no Pansy Division. That says it all, doesn't it?
posted by mediareport at 1:43 AM on June 30, 2002
posted by mediareport at 1:43 AM on June 30, 2002
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I see the usual suspects are there -- I Will Survive, Vogue, Believe, etc.
But it's kind of annoying. I'm wondering if I'm the only gay man who's not a big dance music fan.
posted by Tin Man at 10:01 AM on June 28, 2002