Welcome to the weekend, folks!
This week largely consisted of paying our respects: to Madison Cawthorn‘s ugly little career, to our belief in that crazy Brandon Cummings story, and much more genuinely, to universally beloved icon Leslie Jordan.
As we close out Queer History Month, we’re wrapping up our Bop Rewind run by paying respect to the giants from this week in queer music history.
From a relaxation order to a nation without borders, here’s your weekly bop rewind:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“Your Song” by Elton John
It’s shocking that a love song performed by a gay man in 1970 has gone on to be a double platinum anthem. Extra surprising is the fact that this song was originally released by the band he was opening for at the time, Three Dog Night, months before John’s own. In addition to being a deeply touching, enduring tune, “Your Song” left us with the Grammy Hall of Fame lyric “If I was a sculptor, but then again, no.” You don’t get craftsmanship like that anymore.
“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
In what was originally released as a B-side, Gaynor and songwriters Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris managed to make one of the defining tracks of the entire disco genre. The opening piano run and “At first I was afraid, I was petrified” are immediately enrapturing to this day. “I Will Survive” is so iconic in the gay lexicon that it made for the second-ever double elimination in Rupaul’s Drag Race herstory, simply due to neither queen in the lipsync giving it the energy it rightly deserves. It’s just that girl.
“Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
The video for this ‘80s new wave anthem follows the gradual descent of a suit-and-tie type down the rabbit hole of an underground leather bar. This Wonderland rabbithole features the lead man wrestling a tiger onstage for a crowd of mustached hunks, a Caeser-esque bear who presides over the club stripping down to a leather thong, and ends with the main character pulled into the crowd and grinding into another man from behind. All this chaos and queerness being attached to a song that stayed in the UK’s Top 40 for a solid nine months straight — even while banned by the BBC — is just too satisfying.
“Rhythm Nation” by Janet Jackson
A performance staple, costuming staple, choreo staple, music video staple, you name it. Janet came through with socially conscious content and a bangin’ sound, successfully blending both new jack swing with industrial pop and MTV with CNN. If there’s anyone would could “break the color lines” and raise “a generation full of courage” solely through tight choreo and a hook, it’s Janet.
“Firework” by Katy Perry
This song has haunted Pride parades for a decade like “Closer” by the Chainsmokers haunted retail workers. Christina had guys tonguing each other down twice as hard in “Beautiful” eight years earlier, but the sentiment is still nice. If a family member has ever sent you a link to this music video with no context after you came out, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Check out these and the rest of our Bop Rewind entries for October in our Queer History Month 2022 playlist!:
bachy
Songs in the key of us.
Karlis
The thing about “Firework” is that it is automatically played at every July 4 celebration in America and beyond. Katy Perry must be a gazillionairess from the royalties that she gets because of that.
Vellala
Amidst the panic at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, will aways remember Ms Gaynor for her hugely-motivating public service message on hand-washing based on the song.
Kangol2
Never enough Gloria Gaynor singing “I Will Survive,” Janet Jackson lifting us all up with “Rhythm Nation” or Frankie Goes to Hollywood reminding us to “Relax”! With Katie Perry, I’ll go with “Swish Swish”!