Friday iPod Challenge, the Equality Rocks Edition

OK, you all can do the challenge the normal way, by posting your playlist with or without commentary, but I'm going to have a little twist on mine.

This will still be completely random, but I'm only going to include the first ten songs I come across that are in some way gay - gay subject matter, gay artist, some little same-sex twist. Just in honor of the New York State Court of Appeals which, as I might have mentioned, can kiss my ass. If you want to do the gay thing too, though, please be my guest, but you don't have to.

This challenge was stolen from Roxanne and stolen by JeffB, and you can win an iPod by playing his version so, hey, get over there!

How it works: Set your MP3 player or program (like iTunes) to randomly shuffle all the music in your library. Without editing (except this week when you can do a queer edit), post the first ten songs. NO CHEATING! No matter how dark the truth, you have to let it out into the light of ridicule day.

Here's my Randomly Gay Ten:

1. What's Your Name? by Depeche Mode
OK, this is hysterically funny - this was actually the VERY FIRST SONG that came up, and this is like, the gayest song on earth. It's from Depeche Mode's first album, Speak and Spell, and it's sung by a very very young, 80s-coiffed David Gahan, and the chorus goes, "Hey, you're such a pretty boy, you're so pretty, P-R-E-double T-Y, hey you're such a pretty boy, so pretty." And despite that, it's not a bad little pop song.

2. Here Comes Another One by Groove Terminator
As far as I know the artist isn't gay, although who knows, this is one of those DJ things and not really a band, but this was a big club hit and it's from the soundtrack of Queer as Folk. And I only had to skip one song to get to it. Great rockish dance song. "Lately I've been feeling strange, maybe it's because of my wicked ways."

3. Crying by KD Lang
The great Roy Orbison classic sung live by the most beautiful lesbian voice of all time. She got a standing ovation while wearing motorcycle boots with a dress. I'm just saying.

4. Saturday Night by Erasure
Vocalist Andy Bell is out and gay and looks really cute in a tutu and motorcycle boots. What IS it about gay people and motorcycle boots? (That's a rhetorical question.) The song is kind of synthy and forgettable.

5. When You Were Mine by Ani diFranco
The Prince song sung by out bisexual singer Ani DiFranco. This song gets covered a LOT. I think Cyndi Lauper's version is my favorite, even better than the Prince version. But this version is pretty hot too. "When she was there, sleeping in between the two of us." And it's the WAY she says it.

6.  You Can Sleep While I Drive by Melissa Etheridge
I'm incapable of even talking about this song. It turns my brain to goo. It is lesbianism set to music. I also have a duet of this she did with KD Lang that is probably illegal in South Dakota.

7. Bad Boyfriend by Pansy Division
A little of old thrashy Pansy Division goes a long way with me, but the stuff they did on their last two albums was really good and very under-rated. Absurd Pop Song Romance is a GREAT ALBUM. Go get it. This song is just a very cheerful little three minute rock song about being, well, a bad boyfriend. One of their less filthy songs.

8. Jean Genie by David Bowie
A song about gay French writer Jean Genet (sort of, not really) by David Bowie during his outrageous androgynous phase.  The lyrics make NO SENSE unless you spent a lot of time in New York in the 70s, which I didn't since I was in, you know, grade school. But I'm sure it seemed really deep to Bowie when he wrote it.

9. The Night I Fell in Love by the Pet Shop Boys
OMG, I'm so glad this one came up! This is the song that the PSB  wrote when rapper Eminem was spewing homophobia (I've since forgiven him, for a variety of complicated reasons), basically saying that it was justified because he was telling a story or creating a character with the song. So Neil Tenant told this little story about a character he created and had an affair with: Eminem. No one can bitchslap you like a gay boy.

10. Girls Want to Be With the Girls by Talking Heads
Do I really have to explain why this one is here?

OK, that cheered me up. Your turn.

Comments

[Alison Brendel]

Here goes:
Please by Chris Isaak
Staple It together by Jack Johnson
Unhappiness by Chrs Isaak
Keep the Faith by Bon Jovi
Lonley no More by Rob Thomas
A Minor Variation by Billy Joel
Hey God by Bon Jovi
Champagne Supernova by Oasis
The Winding Stream by Carlene Carter
Novacaine by Bon Jovi

Seems a bit heavy on the Bon Jovi and Chris Isaak, but that's the random part I guess:-).

Alison

[nancy]

Ok-I tried to play for the first time last week but I hit send to cyber space key, so here goes....

Mostly Gay solidarity version-

I will survive. Gloria Gaynor
Most likely written about a man, but come on, gay men love this song!

I'm Bored Iggy Pop
Not exactly gay, but we all know Iggy and Bowie had their thing way back when
Who know Iggy would one day be the voice of cruise lines. Not me that's for sure

In Hollywood (everybody is a star) Village People
What can I say. I was in high school in the late 70's. We slammed danced on Friday nights and went to the roller disco on Saturdays.

Heroes David Bowie
If I hadn't been playing this game, I wouldn't have skpped ahead to hear one of my fav. Bowie songs.
"I-I will be king and you, you can be my queen". doesn't get any gayer than that!

Closer to Fine Indigo Girls
Love that song

Jackie Onasis Human Sexual Response
Back in the 80's this was one of Boston's hottest bands that didn't live up to all the hype that touted them as the next big thing. lead singer was way gay.

Strobe light B52's

the love you save Jackson 5
I looked up the lyrics and I didn't realize that the song was about saving your virginity. (s is for save it)

Waiting in Vain Bob Marley Ok, not exactly gay, but I have a life and need to finish this

Night Club The Specials

[Mara57]

OK, my turn.... just as I head off for vacation.

1. Exactly Like You, Tony Bennett and kd lang. Not only is it kd, but the song itself is sweetly ironic if you're gay. Or maybe not so sweetly...

2. Freedom, 12 Girls Band. Anything with 12 girls has to be gay.

3. Woman, Pele Juju. I think some of the women in this band were gay, and me and my lesbo friends danced to it.

4. Fare Thee Well, Indigo Girls. Nuff said.

5. Moondance, Suede. The Van Morrison classic sung by a lesbian torch singer.

6. For Once in My Life, Michael Buble. This is not the Frank Sinatra version, or song.... this is Michael Buble's song, and he's a hit with the gay boys I know.

7. I Love the Nightlife, Alicia Bridges. Reminds me of disco dancing at the Rubiyiat in Ann Arbor, MI before the days of AIDS.

8. Hymn to Her, Pretenders. Ummm, OK, Chrissie Hynde is not gay, but oh, if she were... and this song is pretty lesbionic.

9. Paint a Rumour, Eurhythmics. Gay enough.

10. Simple, kd lang. It begins and ends with kd.