Monday, October 12, 2009

Week 20: HARD GAY.

So yesterday was National Coming Out Day in America, which for you foreign readers is exactly what it sounds like—a day for closeted homosexuals to tell their friends, family, coworkers, etc. In honor of that, I've made a mixtape of really gay music. To clarify, when I say "really gay music" I don't mean "music by gay artists" or "effiminate music" or "campy music"...I mean music that specifically and explicitly deals with homosexuality. Some of these songs are slutty, cynical homages to promiscuous sex, poppers, and sweaty all-night dance parties; some are campy boys' night out anthems that will make most laugh and a few squirm; others are stunningly heartfelt works about the pain and tenderness of living as an outcast.
A quick word about that latter category:
Regardless of our ethnicity, creed, or background, it is nearly impossible for us heterosexuals to understand the casual cruelty that is inflicted daily on homosexual men and women, not just by strangers but by friends and family, both purposefully and unwittingly. It is a difficult life filled with tough choices, frequent disappointment, and the potential for great loneliness. Of course it's worse in Idaho or Jamaica or Iran than it is in London or San Francisco or Amsterdam, but being born gay and having to deal with the resulting social circumstances is a shitty hand to draw, wherever you're from. Let's use the recent holiday as a reminder to show a little compassion—not just today, and not just to openly gay people, but year-round and to everyone.
Anything less than that would be totally gay.

Chrissy Murderbot's Year of Mixtapes Week 20: HARD GAY.
  1. Gloria Gaynor; I Am What I Am (Silver Blue Records)
  2. Green Velvet feat. Jamie Principle; LaLaLaLaLa (Nside My Mind) (Cajual)
  3. Carl Bean; I Was Born This Way (Chrissy Murderbot Re-Edit) (Motown)
  4. Ssion; Warm Glove (Sleazetone)
  5. The Boys Town Gang; Cruisin' The Streets (Moby Dick)
  6. Man2Man; Sex Symbol (Recca)
  7. Paul Lekakis; Boom Boom (ZYX Records)
  8. Glam feat. Pete Burns; Sex Drive (Radikal Records)
  9. Pet Shop Boys; Can You Forgive Her? (EMI)
  10. Erasure; Hideaway (Little Louie Vega Remix) (Mute)
  11. Jamie Principle; Cold World (Steve "Silk" Hurley 12" Mix) (Atlantic)
  12. Pet Shop Boys; It's A Sin (Ian Levine Mix) (EMI)
  13. Boytronic; Man In A Uniform (Mercury)
  14. Bronski Beat; Small Town Boy (Metronome)
  15. Frankie Knuckles presents Jamie Principle; Bad Boy (Trax)
  16. Man2Man feat. Man Parrish; Male Stripper (Chrissy Murderbot Re-Edit) (Recca)
  17. The Village People; Sex Over The Phone (Metronome)
  18. Le Jeté; La Cage Aux Folles (Megatone)
  19. Modern Rocketry; Homosexuality (Megatone)
  20. Chris & Cody; Touch Me I'm Sick (unreleased)
NEXT WEEK: '90s Dance Pop.

12 comments:

  1. this mixtape got me through the very butch task of mudding and sanding drywall in my loft. thank you chris, you're the best - jack in kc

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  2. glad to be of service jack :)
    I'd make some joke about your tool belt but it's early here and I'm lazy. I'll be in town the week of thanksgiving...will you guys be around the 21st-26th?

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  3. This is incredible. Wish I'd had this on the 11th. I was at the National Equality March, and this mix would have put a little sashay in my step.

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  4. can't wait to hear this!!!!

    my fave Village Poeple song ever is "Sleazy" the lyrics are so raunchy!

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  5. Thank you for introducing me to Man2Man. What a find.

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  7. <--for the record, is a Sister, not a Mister :)

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  9. word uP murderbot. i totally started making my own all-gay mixtape today. NO SHIT! i think you are the only person i've ever met that has Man2Man records, surprised you didn't sneak in Tom Wilson!!

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  10. Wow. Thanks for the compassion you show. I'm hetero, but am a big ally for all my gay relatives and friends. Another amazing mix.

    M

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  11. Village People ~ I'm a Cruiser.
    This mix is lacking an essential ingredient.
    :(

    Thanks for the thought though.
    :)

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  12. http://zefrog.blogspot.com/2007/07/gloria-gaynor-homophobic.html

    http://www.afterelton.com/blog/lylemasaki/gloria-gaynor-leaves-gay-fans-scratching-heads

    it is still a great song...
    I like it. but this leaves a hint of bitterness. no offence meant, maybe you should add, that she was just the interpreter..though she did a good job on it...the original song was made for the musical "La cage aux folles" and composed by Jerry Herman..

    maybe listen to this version...though I guess it is not that easy to remix...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lupNzpcpDRk
    but I agree with some comment in this post, the song has an universal message who is slightly different, depending on the interpreter.

    so..not a gay song, but a good one.

    thanks for this mixtape and the work you put into it... I really appreciate that as someone who hasn't much to struggle, cause I live in central europe in a bigger city.... but of course I know enough men and women who had and still have to. thanks again, a friend of mine, a DJ gave me this link.
    matthias

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