She said she did not but yet referred to gay people as “human garbage.” She managed to get enough people afraid of the mythical predatory gay man that the Human Rights Ordinance repealed in Miami-Dade County Florida in 1977. It was not so much a gay anthem in the 70s but it is now, which is fine because it is a song that expresses the joy of dancing… and being a dancing queen.ġ3: 48 Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way” was the disco gay anthem that “Dancing Queen” was not, which took on even more relevance (sadly) because of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.ġ6:00 Anita Bryant was the orange juice lady who also hated gay people. A lot of gay anthems came out of the discos, although not all of the songs that we think of as gay anthems were considered so at the time. He was right.ġ0:19 How do you do a podcast about Pride without talking about disco? You do not. These are all characters who are based on real people that Reed thought his fans (and other people) should get to know. Amy makes the case that the wild side was not really that wild to Lou Reed, so the title is kind of ironic. It’s just a bit shocking that a song that openly references oral sex is on the radio AND a classic rock hit. It is kind of incredible that such progressive lyrics were even allowed on 70s radio.Ġ5:52 How did “Walk on the Wild Side” get on the radio at all? Candy never lost her head even when she was giving head? Not that we are complaining, because it’s a great song. “My Lola,” as he said, left an impression on him, even if he said, “No, thanks". For more on the riots at the Stonewall Inn in 1969, go to Episode 1.Ġ2:30 “Lola” by The Kinks is an affirmation about the existence of trans people, even if the young man in the Kinks classic declined the invitation to a sexual encounter. “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by Sylvester (1978)Ġ0:50 Amy offers a very very brief explanation for why Pride month is in June. “San Francisco (You’ve Got Me)" by The Village People (1977) “Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Thelma Houston (1977) And because we love a good fashion moment, don't forget to don your best Pride apparel (and your most colorful rainbow makeup) while you do.“Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou Reed (1972) So press play and let your rainbow flag fly. Regardless of your particular taste, there's bound to be something here that will get your toes tapping. Each of these songs captures the spirit and strength of the LGBTQ community in all its gorgeous diversity. Whether that's watching the best LGBTQ movies, reading great books by LGBTQ authors, one of the best ways to celebrate Pride is through music - even if you don't have a celebratory bash planned. Most of us already know how important the arts are to the LGBTQ+ community. That's why we've put together a list of songs by queer artists that celebrate that love is love, ranging from classic hits to more recent tracks by today's most powerful voices in music.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to craft the kind of playlist that will keep the party going long after last call.
You've got to choose the right songs to fit the mood, including heart-stopping LGBTQ+ anthems and Pride songs that will get the dance party started, the scream-along favorites that will set the mood for the rest of the day (or night) and if the vibes are right, maybe a few slow jams to take things down a notch.
Other than the invite list, creating the perfect playlist for a Pride Month get-together might be the most important task on your to-do list.