Diana Ross‘ pop tune “I’m Coming Out” has earned its place in the pantheon of queer anthems. Now, the co-writer of the song has made a hilarious disclosure: Ross didn’t know what the song was actually about.
Nile Rodgers, co-wrote and co-produced the song with Bernard Edwards, told the New York Post that Ross had no clue that the song referred to LGBTQ life when she recorded it.
“She didn’t understand that that was a gay thing,” Rodgers says, “that that was a person saying, ‘I’m coming out of the closet.’ She didn’t even get that.”
Related: This Week On Instagram: Thomas Roberts In Ptown, Adam Lambert Performs With Nile Rodgers And More
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Nevertheless, Ross loved the lyrics, recorded the song, and watched it become a hit single. She also watched in horror as New York DJ Frankie Crocker joked that the coming-out anthem was, well, Ross actually trying to come out. Ross confronted Rodgers in tears, accusing him of ruining her career.
Rodgers managed to calm her down, and explain the true impact of the song.
“I said, ‘Diana, this song is gonna be your coming-out song. We think of you as our black queen,'” Rodgers recalls. “And I even wrote a fanfare. I explained to her that it’s just like when the president comes out and they play ‘Hail to the Chief.'” Ross later embraced the song, and her gay iconhood.
In another awesome twist, Rodgers also reveals that he got the idea for the song while hanging out at the Barnum Room, a predominantly transgender club in Manhattan. After seeing a group of Diana Ross impersonators, Rodgers called Edwards and told him to write down the words “I’m Coming Out.”
The rest, as they say, is queer history.
Blue Zoo
I love this story. And I’m a huge fan of Nile Rogers. He’s not gay, but he’s been a friend of the gay community for much longer than most, as this song makes clear. I mean, it was written circa 1980! His impact on Pop music has been extraordinary. He co-founded the disco outfit Chic (Good Times, Le Freak) with his friend Bernard Edwards, and he produced Sister Sledge’s “We are Family” album, Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” and David Bowies “Let’s Dance.” His last big hit was “Get Lucky” with Daft Punk. And he’s still making music that appeals to LGBT people, by producing music with artists like Alex Newell.
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ptseti
Oh Lord was Dianna so ‘closeted”..DWL….wow
Bob LaBlah
If you read Mary Wilson’s Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme you will learn Diane Ross (her birth name is not Diana) was not only as dumb as a rock but has serious psychological issues. Even though she was married to a billionaire one day with her two sons in tow she was chased down the street in NYC by an ice cream shop owner because she thought she didn’t have to pay due to her celebrity. I’m not shocked at all she couldn’t figure out what that song was about.
Neeley OHara
Actually, it is Mary Wilson who is as dumb as a rock. And a liar. And jealous. And untalented.
Bob LaBlah
@Neeley Ohara…..And the examples backing up your assessment of Ms. Wilson? I thought so.
nm4047
is there a point of relevance here?
MISTERJETT
oh, Lord!!! here we go. this fight should have been over decades ago.
ericz
Bob. Her birth name is DIANA. She was known to friends and family as Diane But the name on her birth certificate and legal name is Diana. And Cindy was offered only around $1 million for the reunion tour not $4 million.
Bob LaBlah
@ericz…@ericz….obvious you and I read two different books or you’re going off of google or bing.com searches but didn’t take note of how many reputable sources that reported on the story also have multiple amounts the two peons/excess but necessary baggage (in the eyes of Ms. Ross) were offered. I believe what Mary Wilson said in her book. Considering how successful that book she wrote was if anything in that book was incorrect you can rest assured DIANE Ross, Motown/Berry Gordy and every artist/group she mention would have filed a lawsuit. To this date not one lawsuit has been filed. Martha Reeves and The Vandellas stood by Mary Wilson 100% in the books accuracy. Happy hunting.
ericz
Bob. You clearly have some issues. Take a Xanax my dear.
Bob LaBlah
@ericz……I’m sure that limp waisted hand on your hip teenaged queen response made YOU feel good but the facts are the facts and once AGAIN you leave with your head between your legs. Just think of it as revenge for how YOU chased Xamilloh off of here last year. Good G/D luck with those tactics having any form of success with me.
sonic_source
Diana Ross? Yawn. She hasn’t had a hit song in 35 years.
MISTERJETT
…..and she’s still the one!!!!
Brian
You’re right, she only had a 20 year run of hits, including 18 #1s. What a flop.
Joshooeerr
This “hilarious backstory” is neither new nor surprising. It’s been written about many times.
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garybw
Sonic-ass “Diana Ross hasn’t had a hit in 35 years” I’m assuming you are a millennial, she doesn’t need a hit, she used to enter buildings via the kitchen, was taunted / rioted against, along with Mary and Florence in the South in the 60’s. Was a crossover star from R&B to pop records. Other posters are quoting “dumb as a rock”.
What she and her girl group did for human rights and mainstreaming black music is enough.
Sonic-ass please list your human rights accomplishments or we’ll dismiss you just as easily.
Bob LaBlah
Why did you leave off her being booed when she attended Florence Ballard’s funeral? Or her demand of being paid twenty million dollars by Motown and Motown told her goodbye? Or The Supremes Reunion being cancelled because she felt she should be paid fifteen million dollars but Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong were only going to get four million each? YOU (of all people) forgot those details?
Cam
@Bob LaBlah
Her leaving Motown was in large part to her…you know, divorcing it’s owner. As for her being paid more than Mary or Cindy, why not? She could have two unknowns behind her and if she sang the hits the audience would be happy.
Bob LaBlah
@Cam………….No dear, even though she and Barry Gordy had a daughter together (it slipped out of her mouth the day she went on Oprah to announce that she was saying to hell with Wilson and Birdsong she was going to do a solo tour as The Supremes and it flopped because of EXTREMELY poor ticket sales) they were never married. She wanted Motown to pay her twenty million dollars and they told her flat out she was NOT going to sell twenty million records. She went to RCA and it didn’t take long for RCA to see the gross miscalculation of her fading popularity. Just about the only ones who listen to her and know the scoop because we lived thru it with her are us older queens.
And by the way, I just remembered that YOU have been on Queerty since it started just like me and ol’ Plays Well With Others, wherever the hell he is these days of late. I googled searched something I remembered reading years ago and wondered what the outcome had been (a cute black Mississippi juvenile corrections officer being fired for being gay in 2010) and a queerty article came up and in the comment section you had commented on it. Nice to see another old pioneer still hanging around here. lol
Cam
@Bob LaBlah
Hi Bob,
Quick check, I just read that they got married in 1972 after they had a child, is that correct?
Cam
@Bob LaBlah
Yes! Before the guy who started it sold it!
Bob LaBlah
@Cam…..One thing to ALWAYS keep in mind when you look for information on the internet is the SOURCE of the information. Even though I know they weren’t I checked for what you said and as soon as I saw Sugar something or other (the website) I left it alone. Barry Gordy was an EXTREMELY tight fisted man when it came to money (he and Marvin Gaye got into two fist fights) and its not who amongst his stable that sued him but more of who DIDN’T end up suing him regarding money. Florence Ballard of the Supremes was on welfare when she sued and won her case against him. Barry was marred, had a few kids and lived like the millionaire he was. Being the richest black man in America at that time makes it inconceivable to believe that he wouldn’t have came to the conclusion that the amount of money he would have lost in a divorce to marry that phony Diane Ross wouldn’t have been worth it. Now that last part is between you and I but some how I think its close to the reality of that situation. Once they open back up if you have the time you can go to the library and get Mary Wilson’s book Dream Girl. Its a damn good read if you are into trivia and wondered what was really behind the makeup and wigs. He took complete advantage of those girls. To this day he has never revealed how much those girls actually made him but it is believed by everyone they got ROYALLY screwed.
Cam
@BobLaBlah
Just read this…..SCANDALOUS!
“In 1965, Ross became romantically involved with Motown CEO Berry Gordy. The relationship lasted several years, resulting in the birth of Ross’s eldest child, Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein, in August 1971. Two months into her pregnancy with Rhonda, in January 1971, Ross married music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein,[95] who raised Rhonda as his own daughter, despite knowing her true paternity. Ross told Rhonda that Gordy was her biological father when Rhonda was 13 years old. Beforehand, Rhonda referred to Gordy as “Uncle B.B.
I didn’t know she was so racy! lol
Jussie_Racist_Clown
Central Park, 1983.
MISTERJETT
LOVE DIANA ROSS, MARY WILSON, FLORENCE BALLARD, CINDY BIRDSONG, JEAN TERRELL, LYNDA LAWRENCE, SCHERRIE PAYNE AND SUSAYE GREENE. THE SUPREMES ARE FOREVER!!!!!
Paton41
Put it this way, “ call me Ms Ross said, I think more female impersonators have done me so I take that as a compliment they owe me.”
Invader7
Oh yeah…. !! Love the back story… And the inspiration is the best part of the story: Manhattan’s fab Barnum Room… You never know where inspiration will come from…
stanhope
Mary Wilson vs Diana Ross isn’t even a contest. Half the chicks at motown were envious of Diana because she was shrewd enough to do Berry Gordy. Rather than waste time going through chapter and verse with prove up aka receipts, this is America so let’s use the scorecard America uses. Google Diana Ross’s net worth ($250 million) and any other chick that was with motown including Mary Wilson ($8 million). If that is not enough for you, look at Diana’s children and Mary Wilson’s kids which nobody has heard of. Game, set, match! Oh check out Diana’s homes and where Mary lives. LMAO