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Okay lezzzbehonest. We are all tired of the winter. We loathe (or most of us anyway) the snow, the lack of Vitamin D, and of course that wretched bish Rona that’s been around now for almost two years and has put a massive damper on our social lives!
What better way to jump-start a path to normalcy and to the (dance!) club than to honor a few of our favorite queer music anthems that have helped us through some of our darkest times.
Starting in sequential order – let’s take it back 40 plus years to Sylvester’s 1978 hit song, “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).” The track was originally recorded as a mid-tempo piano-driven gospel song, but after the producer saw the rehearsal at San Francisco’s City Disco, he offered to remix the song which resulted in a sexy disco beat, infused with elements of electronic instrumentation and effects. Sylvester was known for his flamboyant and androgynous appearance, falsetto singing voice, and hit disco singles in the late 1970s and 1980s. He was an activist who campaigned against the spread of AIDS. He died from complications arising from the virus in 1988, leaving all future royalties from his work to San Francisco-based HIV/AIDS charities.
Fast forward to the 90’s and to Madonna Louise Ciccone otherwise known as MADONNA! Madame X is considered one of the most influential figures in pop culture and a major supporter/advocate of the LGBTQ community – even when it was NOT En Vogue. She’s known for pushing the boundaries of artistic expression in mainstream music, and a lot of her songs which incorporate social, political, sexual, and religious themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim – which of course, us gays LOVE. In 1990, “Vogue” was first released from the album ‘I’m Breathless.’ Madonna was inspired by members of her dance team that were also part of the house ballroom community, and they introduced “vogueing” to her at the Sound Factory Club in New York City. The House of Xtravaganza is one of the most publicly recognized “houses” to emerge from the New York City underground ballroom scene and is among the longest continuously active. House of Xtravaganza members and the collective group is recognized for their cultural influence in the areas of dance, music, visual arts, nightlife, fashion, and LGBTQ community activism.
Another major hit in the 90’s was produced by legendary singer-songwriter and LGBTQ activist Melissa Etheridge. “Come to My Window” was released in 1993 from her album ‘Yes I Am.’ The title of this album is generally thought to refer to Etheridge’s coming out as a lesbian, confirming long-standing rumors about her personal life. “Come to My Window” was the first song on this album to become a hit after Etheridge publicly came out. The song’s lyrics describe the intense love that Etheridge has for another person and describes situations that she is willing to endure just to see that person again. “I would dial the numbers just to listen to your breath. And I would stand inside my hell and hold the hand of death. You don’t know how far I’d go to ease this precious ache and you don’t know how much I’d give or how much I can take just to reach you.” The song implicitly alludes to the singer’s sexual orientation and activism by these powerful lyrics: “I don’t care what they think. I don’t care what they say. What do they know about this love, anyway?”
The Scissor Sisters
emerged early Y2K (2001 to be exact). Forged in the gay nightlife scene of NYC, the band took its name from the female same-sex sexual activity tribadism (google it if you don’t know what it means!). Scissor Sisters’ music can be generally described as a mixture of glam rock, house, disco and alternative music. Many of the band’s songs highlight various themes related to the LGBTQ community, most notably because three of the band members, including the two founders, are gay. “Let’s Have a Kiki” was released in 2012 as the third and final single from their fourth studio album ‘Magic Hour.’
Queerguru Music Editor ALLISON ANANIS is a graduate of Bowdoin College and also holds a Master of Public
Administration from Suffolk University. Currently, she works in Health and Human Services in Boston where
she also resides with her wife Meg. Weekends are spent in Provincetown where the incessant playing of her
eclectic choice of music very loudly brought her to the attention of Queerguru’s Editor
Labels: 2022, Allison Ananis, Madonna, Melissa Etheridge, queer anthems, Scissor Sisters, Sylvester
