Sue Fink - Leaping Lesbians (1977)  

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Sue Fink - Leaping Lesbians (1977)

Welcome to Part 2 of Queer Music History 101 and I'm JD Doyle. As I said at the introduction to Part 1, I'm designing this show as sort of a study guide, and I hope it appeals to those LGBT Studies courses now found at many universities around the country. This is a two-hour crash course. I'll be using short song clips, but the online version will link to where full-length songs can be heard, and also much more in-depth information. That of course is at QueerMusicHeritage.com, and there's a link on the front page to this show.

Part 2 picks up the story in the early 70s and I opened with Sue Fink, and her song "Leaping Lesbians" was from 1977. It was not the first song that I would classify as part of the Women's Music Movement, but perhaps the best one to use as an ear-catching opener. This segment will include more songs of this genre than any other I'll feature, because, plain and simple, I consider the Women's Music Movement as the most important musically for our community.

But I need to go back to the beginning, with Alix Dobkin. In 1973 she formed her own record label, called Women's Wax Works, and released the first album entirely produced, engineered, financed, and performed by lesbians. It was called "Lavender Jane Loves Women." From it is the song "A Woman's Love."

Alix Dobkin - A Woman's Love (1973)

Alix Dobkin - A Woman's Love (1973) 

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Teresa Trull - Woman-Loving Women (1977) 

More Information on Teresa Trull

Section on Women's Music Magazines

Teresa Trull - Woman-Loving Women (1977)

After you heard Alix Dobkin I jumped right into the catalog of Olivia Records, the, I think, most important record label in our music history. It came along not only when there was a real need, but it did it with exquisite talent. That song was called "Woman-Loving Woman" and was from Teresa Trull's 1977 album "The Ways a Woman Can Be." But the label really started in 1974, with its two main early talents, Cris Williamson and Meg Christian. Meg's album "I Know You Know" came first and while she was more known for sensitive ballads, her song "Ode to a Gym Teacher" struck a real chord with her audiences and became a classic.

Meg Christian - Ode to a Gym Teacher (1974)

Meg Christian - Ode to a Gym Teacher (1974) 

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Cris Williamson - Sweet Woman (1975) 

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Holly Near - Imagine My Surprise (1978) 

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Cris Williamson - Sweet Woman (1975)
Holly Near - Imagine My Surprise (1978)

After Meg Christian came Cris Williamson, and her album "The Changer and the Changed" made history, not only for the unprecedented huge sales for a release on an independent label, but for how it reached the listeners, with songs like "Waterfall" and the one you heard, "Sweet Woman." And that set finished with an artist who is still a major contributor to our music, Holly Near. The song "Imagine My Surprise" came from her 1978 album by that title, on her own label, Redwood Records, and the second voice you heard on it was by Meg Christian.

Olivia Records lasted until about 1993, when Olivia morphed into a cruise line, but I think another important contribution of theirs was to release in 1977 the first various artists album of lesbian music. It was called "Lesbian Concentrate" and was kind of a reaction to the Anita Bryant bigotry brigade of those times. On the album Olivia included their own artists and also some from albums the label distributed, like one by the Berkeley Women's Music Collective, and their song "Gay and Proud."

Berkeley Women's Music Collective - Gay and Proud (1976)

Berkeley Women's Music Collective - Gay and Proud (1976) 

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Lavender Blues - Lesbian Nation (1978) 

Click for Interview with Nikki Mortier of the Lavender Blues, part of my Australian Music Show

Lavender Blues - Lesbian Nation (1978)
Flying Lesbians - I'm a Lesbian, How About You? (1975)

I played those last two to remind ourselves that women's music in the mid-70s was not solely the product of American artists. "Lesbian Nation" was by the Lavender Blues, from 1978, and they were from Australia. That song was talking about the riff in the women's movement between straight women and lesbians, which did not only happen in the U.S. And in 1975 The Flying Lesbians released their album by that same name in Germany. Three of the ten tracks were in English, including sort of a recruiting song, "I'm a Lesbian, How About You?"

Flying Lesbians - I'm a Lesbian, How About You? (1975) 

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Of course there are many, and I mean many more artists I could sample before we leave this segment on Women's Music, but there is one I can't leave out, and I already played her on Part 1 of the show. Maxine Feldman's historic 45 rpm record came out in 1972, and it took her until 1979 before she was able to release a full album. That album was called "Closet Sale" and on it was an anthem that is still sung every year at the Michigan Women's Music Festival. The song is "Amazon."

Maxine Feldman - Amazon (1979)

And, here's your essay question assignment for this part. In the early 70s there was a strong Woman's Music Movement, but there was not, and still hasn't been a Men's Music Movement. Why not, and what made the movement for the women so strong, and why was this so important?

Maxine Feldman - Amazon (1979) 

Click to Hear Maxine Feldman Interview

David Bowie - Queen Bitch (1971) 
Jobriath - I'maman (1974) 

QMH Show on Glam Rock, Nov 2003

Jobriath Tribute Section

The early 70s was also host to a glam rock period and its leader was David Bowie. He was caught up in theatrics and hype at the time and worked it marvelously, with his Ziggy Stardust character. So, maybe it was Ziggy who was gay, or at least bisexual, instead of Bowie. Whatever the case, he was making millions. To give him credit though, I've heard many gay artists say Bowie, when he was in his I-might-be-gay period, was a big influence on their music. From his "Hunky Dory" album from 1971, here's a bit of "Queen Bitch," to be followed by a real gay glam rocker.

David Bowie - Queen Bitch (1971)
Jobriath - I'maman (1974)

In 1974 an artist just going by the name Jobriath burst onto the glam scene, amid huge publicity, including billboards of his half-naked form on buses in New York City. He tried hard, but the hype lost steam with his second album, and he died of AIDS in 1983, so we're left with a minor legend of what might have been. From his album just titled "Jobriath" was the song "I'maman."

And also in the late 70s there was sort of a pop punk gay scene, and I'm going to represent that with The Mumps, with their main members being Lance Loud and Kristian Hoffman. Here's their song from 1978, "Muscleboys."

Mumps - Muscleboys (1978)

Mumps - Muscleboys (1978) 

QMH Interview with Kristian Hoffman, of The Mumps

Rough Trade - High School Confidential (1981)  

Okay, getting this out of the way, in the early 80s Carole Pope was in a relationship with Dusty Springfield

Rough Trade - High School Confidential (1981)

Out of Canada was the band Rough Trade, led by the very out Carole Pope, singing here "High School Confidential." That song hit the Top 20 in Canada in 1981 and was one of the first lesbian-themed songs to make the charts in the world.

And up next is one of the most iconic of gay anthems. By the Tom Robinson Band from 1978 is "Glad To Be Gay."

Tom Robinson Band - Glad to Be Gay (1978)

Tom Robinson Band - Glad to Be Gay (1978) 

QMH Interview with Tom Robinson, August 2004

Charlie Murphy - Gay Spirit (1979) 

QMH Show on "Walls To Roses" LP, and Interview with Charlie Murphy

This is as close to a "Men's Music Movement" as we got

Charlie Murphy - Gay Spirit (1979)

From "Glad To Be Gay" I went to "Gay Spirit," a song I love by Charlie Murphy. For the first year or so I did QMH I used to open my show with a bit of it. It's from the landmark various artists album "Walls to Roses," and I say landmark because it was the first compilation to feature straight and men together, and the album just exuded feminism.

I mentioned cabaret in the first segment, but that was mostly singers doing the old standards, only keeping the pronouns to match their own. Oh his 1977 album Larry Paulette offered some more up to date material, including one adopted by some gay folks for its special meaning, a cover of the 60s song "Our Day Will Come." But I want you to hear his take on the Charles Aznavour standard "What Makes a Man a Man," and then musically I'm going in another direction, but asking a similar question.

Larry Paulette - What Makes a Man a Man (1977)

Larry Paulette - What Makes a Man a Man (1977) 

QMH Show featuring Larry Paulette

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Jayne County - Are You Man Enough to Be a Woman (1978) 

QMH Interview with Jayne County

Jayne County - Are You Man Enough to Be a Woman (1978)

Following Larry Paulette was the iconic rocker Jayne County, who before her sex change recorded in the 70s as Wayne County. From 1978 was her challenge "Are You Man Enough to Be a Woman."

Now next I've got a couple mellow songs from two different genres. In 1979 Tom Wilson Weinberg, then just known as Tom Wilson, released an LP called "Gay Name Game," packed full of topical songs. This album was actually the first openly gay music I ever heard, and I loved it. One of its quieter songs makes a nice statement to those who would use the Bible against us. It's called "My Leviticus."

Tom Wilson Weinberg - My Leviticus (1979)

Tom Wilson Weinberg - My Leviticus (1979) 

QMH Interview with Tom Wilson Weinberg

More on TWW Musicals

San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus - We Kiss in a Shadow (1981)

And that was a little bit of the old show tune "We Kiss in a Shadow," from the 1951 musical "The King & I." It's one of the songs in which gay folks in the 50s & 60s saw special meaning. The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus knew that, of course, and included it on their first LP, in 1981, which was the first album released by an openly gay or lesbian chorus.

Village People - Y.M.C.A (1978) 
Sylvester - You Make Me Feel Mighty Real (1979) 
Alicia Bridges - I Love the Nightlife (1978) 

QMH Show on Gay Disco Music, including Interview with Randy Jones

QMH Show with Alicia Bridges Interview

In the late 70s the disco craze really got started, and I think for a lot of gay people it represented a new freedom, and this was a genre we adopted for our own, and we found a community in the clubs playing this music. I sometimes get on my own soapbox that disco music really is not gay music, because about 95% of it is by straight artists, mostly women, and a small percent of the small percent by actual gay artists was lyrically gay. Still this music just has to be represented here, and I've picked three acts special to us. And, no, I'm not playing "It's Raining Men." I love that song, but it's just not a gay song because the Weather Girls were not gay. So, here are the Village People, where while the lead singer was straight, most of the rest were really singing like they meant it, at the "Y.M.C.A."

Village People - Y.M.C.A (1978)
Sylvester - You Make Me Feel Mighty Real (1979)
Alicia Bridges - I Love the Nightlife (1978)

Sylvester, of course, was very openly gay, and "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real" was just one of his hits. And it wasn't known much then, but Alicia Bridges is, and was then, lesbian, and her huge hit was "I Love the Nightlife."

These next two songs are both fairly obscure, and I'd be surprised if even people who follow LGBT music would know them, but I like them for the messages they tell. First is a Canadian artist who released his first album in 1981, called "Chivalry Lives," and the song I'm sharing with you gives the perspective of what it is like to be a gay teenager. Here is David Sereda and "Underage Blues."

David Sereda - Underage Blues (1981)

And the second song tells a different story. It's by Judy Reagan on her 1983 album "Old Friends," and I love that her song "Hollywood Haircut" pays tribute to the lesbians who walked before her. It was true in 1983 and now 27 years later of course it's even more true. Judy Reagan and "Hollywood Haircut."

Judy Reagan - Hollywood Haircut (1983)

David Sereda - Underage Blues (1981)  

QMH show featuring David Sereda's Music

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Judy Reagan - Hollywood Haircut (1983) 

QMH show featuring Judy Reagan's Music

Large scans of Judy's LP, with song lyrics

Christine Jorgensen - I Enjoy Being a Girl (1982) 

QMH Interview with David Cunard, who produced this album

QMH Christine Jorgensen Tribute Section

I had to set a time frame for these two shows to encompass, and I set mine to cover our musical history up though 1985, so I am pleased that this allows me to include the first well-known transsexual, Christine Jorgensen. Her famous sex-change was headline news all over the world in 1952, and afterwards she mainly became an entertainer. A very rare night club appearance of hers was recorded in 1982, though not released until 2006. Her act was more telling jokes and stories than singing but here you get to hear her introduce her theme song.

Christine Jorgensen - I Enjoy Being a Girl (1982)
La Cage Aux Folles - I Am What I Am (1983)

From 1983 that was of course a bit of "I Am What I Am," from the musical "La Cage Aux Folles," which was really the first big hit musical to have gay themes as its central plot.

La Cage Aux Folles - I Am What I Am (1983) 

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Again, that was 1983, the same year that Romanovsky & Phillips began their careers. I did a special show on them in 2003 and here's how I introduced it: They were one of the most prolific acts of gay & lesbian music. They gave us eight recordings and over one hundred songs that chronicle gay culture with their perfect balance of wit, sensitivity, humor, charm and a political passion all their own. They've given us the soundtrack of our lives. From their first full-length album "I Thought You'd Be Taller," here's "The Prince Charming Tango."

Romanovsky & Phillips - The Prince Charming Tango (1984)

Romanovsky & Phillips - The Prince Charming Tango (1984) 

QMH Interview with Romanovsky & Phillips

Automatic Pilot - Safe Living in Dangerous Times (1984) 

QMH Show featuring Automatic Pilot Music, with additional information

QMH Show on Songs About AIDS

Also from 1984 is one of the very earliest songs about AIDS. It's by the San Francisco group Automatic Pilot. It's called "Safe Living in Dangerous Times."

Automatic Pilot - Safe Living in Dangerous Times (1984)

That song was recorded in 1984 but an album project went on hiatus when the member coordinating it died of AIDS, as have several other group members. The Automatic Pilot CD was, if you will, resurrected and called "Back from the Dead," and was finally released in 2005.

Age of Consent - History Rap (1982) 

QMH Show on Gay Hip Hop, Including an Interview with John Callahan of Age of Consent

Did you know there was a rap song that fits this show? Actually it's by an act that was probably the very first to do lyrically gay rap songs. They were from Los Angeles and were called Age of Consent, and were active from 1981 to 1985. Their work was compiled on a 2004 CD called "Old School on the Down Low." I love that the song tells about the Stonewall Riot, though I had to edit a couple words in the song to make it more ready for radio. Here's Age of Consent and "History Rap."

Age of Consent - History Rap (1982)

A subject I've not addressed yet is, well, what about the B in LGBT? When you are talking music, songs are few and far between that actually tackle the subject head on, without being vague or coy, or for novelty or shock value. If someone is singing to the same sex it is assumed they are gay or lesbian, and if they are not, well, they are assumed straight. So the B is barely represented.

Yes, it was rumored in the 70s that David Bowie was bisexual, but that's something he denied many years later. Keeping within my time period of before 1985 I could have picked some obvious songs by straight acts, like the song "AC - DC" by the band Sweet from 1975, or "I Like It Both Ways," by Supernaut, which reached #1 in Australia in 1976. Instead I'm glad I can share with you one that is from a truly honest first-person perspective. From 1984 is Tom Robinson and "More Lives Than One."

Tom Robinson - More Lives Than One (1984)

Tom Robinson - More Lives Than One (1984) 

QMH Interview with Tom Robinson

Shows on Bisexual Song Lyrics, Feb 2004 and March 2004

And this is a good time to go back and ask again, what is queer music, and what makes it different, and the same, from what straight artists write and sing about? It's the same because of course LGBT people write about relationships, falling in love, wanting to be in love, and losing love, although now I think the songs are being done in a more matter of a fact way, the other person just happens to be of the same sex.

How have gay lyrics evolved over the years? Well, in the early years there were a lot of songs about coming out, or political songs about acceptance, which led to Pride songs and songs about Stonewall. The AIDS song you just heard points out how strong topics can inspire our music. In the late 70s there were a lot of songs about Anita Bryant, and then about Harvey Milk and Dan White. As AIDS really hit in the mid 1980s and 90s, many, many songs have addressed all angles of that, such as the emotional areas of grief, anger, sympathy, and the political and social approaches.

The death of Matthew Shepard brought forth a number of songs, and I've accumulated over 50 of them on my site, and over 80 songs on same-sex marriage. There are also many songs about gays in the military, and gays and religion, and on and on. People write about what move them. And I do want to acknowledge that our straight allies do write gay songs, for example about many of the topic areas I've just mentioned.

This is JD Doyle and I'm winding down Part 2 of this very special show called Queer Music History 101. Remember there are a lot of resources on my website to accompany these two segments, and that's at QueerMusicHeritage.com. I picked 1985 as a stopping point, but of course the 25 years since then have been very rich in the music produced, and there are numerous songs and artists I wish I could have included, both before and after that time frame, in so many genres.

These last two songs are quite different from each other, but both of much significance. I know of more than one person who has told me that they were inspired to come out of the closet by this next song. It's message and that its music video was widely available to those waiting in the closet, gave it a wonderful impact. Jimmy Somerville was the vocalist, then as part of the band Bronski Beat, and 1984 was the year for "Smalltown Boy."

Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy (1984)

That was Bronski Beat. And the last song of this show was inspired by our history. It was written by Holly Near, and sung here by Holly and Ronnie Gilbert, from the 1983 album "Singing for Our Lives." And that's the title of the song. Over the years I've interviewed many of the artists you heard in these two segments, and while I wasn't going to include artist quotes about the songs, I'm making an exception, and letting Holly Near introduce the song "Singing For Our Lives."

Holly Near introduction (2010)

HN: I wrote "Singing for Our Lives" after Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscone were assassinated in San Francisco, and I can remember it being sung at many events but the thing that always moved me so was that people would put up their lighters, their candles, and there were people in the streets singing this song, the first verse is that "we are gay and lesbian people"…were saying those names about themselves for the first time. They were being very brave in coming forward and trying to take the rage and the hurt of the city as a result of Harvey being killed, trying to take that anger and direct it toward the social change movement so that something can be built rather than something destroyed. So it's become kind of a peace anthem, a gay and lesbian anthem, and an anthem that allies and gay people can sing together. In fact oftentimes in the concerts when I start to sing that song people stand, and take hands, and sing it together as a real glue in their community, which is very moving to me.

Holly Near & Ronnie Gilbert - Singing For Our Lives (1983)

We are a gentle angry people
And we are singing, singing for our lives

We are a land of many colors
We are an anti-nuclear people
We are young and old together
We are gay and straight together
We are a gentle loving people

Holly Near & Ronnie Gilbert - Singing For Our Lives (1983)  

Click for Holly Near Interview