In the ’80s, while bands such as The Smiths and Frankie Goes to Hollywood were putting out songs with queer-coded lyrics about the forbidden love that dare not speak its name like “Hand in Glove” and “Relax”, respectively, a heterosexual cisgender woman was climbing the R&B charts with an unambiguous track about two men getting it on behind her back.
Barbara Mason’s 1984 post-disco soul single “Another Man” centers on finding out her husband has been living a double life and hooking up with – you guessed it – another man.
While groundbreaking for openly discussing same-sex relationships and mentioning fellas on the DL years before the topic became common knowledge, the mid-tempo jam eventually descends into a barrage of gay stereotypes and blatant homophobia as Mason describes her man’s “strangeness” as a “defect” that occurred “not when he was created but somewhere down the line.”
Other anti-gay and femme-shaming lines deride her cheating lover for the way he “switches” his walk, his high-pitch voice, and for being a “facsimile” of a real man. There’s even a part where she accuses the two-timer of stealing her “very, very sexy dress” to wear it himself.
Despite the derogatory lyrics, “Another Man” became a mainstay on leading R&B stations like WBLS and 98.7 KISS in New York City, and was even more successful in Europe.
After entering the music industry as a teen, Mason became an accomplished singer/songwriter best known for her 1965 hit single “Yes, I’m Ready,” which went to #2 on the R&B charts. She would go on to release more than a dozen Top 40 singles throughout the ’60s and early ’70s.
At some point during the ’70s, she developed an affinity for frank songs about sex and infidelity. In 1981, she recorded “She’s Got Papers (But I Got the Man),” which centered on shading the wife of her male lover, and then followed it up with her anti-LGBTO+ opus as the sequel single.
At over six minutes long, “Another Man” takes its sweet time to reveal its nasty side. The bass and synthesizer pulsate deep as Mason fluctuates between actually singing and her “real talk” monologues.
The song’s electro funk beat is so seductive that fans back in the day probably didn’t even notice the problematic lyrics until they were already drenched from sweating on the dance floor. It was a sonic hate crime and a bop!
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It’s time to shine some light on this often-overlooked track.
While one can sympathize with the anger a woman would feel for being lied to and cheated on, the casualness with which the track degrades gay men is indicative of how persuasive the animosity permeated the culture at the time.
Viewing the song’s brazenly abhorrent lyrics through a 2023 lens is less an indictment of Mason (she isn’t credited as the songwriter, but did agree to sing it), but of the homophobic society that wrote, produced, sold, bought, played and danced to the track without so much as a batting an eye.
After “Another Man,” Mason didn’t put out new music for over 20 years until releasing her 2007 album Feeling Blue. She was inducted into the Soul Music Hall of Fame in 2016 and continues to tour from time to time.
While it’s unclear if she has any regrets about “Another Man” today, Mason seemed completely unbothered by any of the song’s lyrics (as did the musicians and audience members) while performing it in London in 2011. Maybe things haven’t changed as much as we think?
As we continue to celebrate the beauty of queer musical artists like Lil Nas X, Troye Sivan, Omar Apollo and Brandi Carlisle getting to sing openly about queer love without shame or hidden subtext, “Another Man” offers a reminder of how far we’ve come and what LGBTQ+ pioneers such as Elton John, George Michael, Boy George and Sylvester had to put up with while navigating the musical landscape during that era.
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Donston
It may be 2023 or whatever, but a rather large percentage of black women still have a rather odd relationship to queerness in men. Many will at once support “gays” and “queer rights” and defend their queer friends but on the other hand will still low-key defend male homophobia, toxic masculinity, accuse effeminate men of “wanting to be them”, or will talk about the suspicion of queerness in a rather shaming and accusatory way. Think Wendy Williams.
abfab
It may be 2023 or whatever, but a rather large percentage of PEOPLE still have a rather odd relationship to queerness in men.
abfab
Tell us what you mean by ”a large percentage” and how exactly do you know that?
Jaesly
We need to stop judging old songs by the standards of 2023; if the song offends you, don’t listen.
abfab
I’d rather play Mr Big Stuff by Jean Knight or Clean Up Woman by Betty Wright.
JLB
true! Now you are talking great songs!
cuteguy
All the synthesizers in the world couldn’t save this garbage song.
abfab
”Somebody Elses Guy” by Jocelyn Brown will cleanse your palate of this dreadful song.
gregg2010
You got that. The song is horrible, and not just because of the homophobic lyrics.
JLB
Somebody Else’s Guy is classic for sure.
Fname Optional Lname
The remixes played on WBLS back in the day when it first came out were much better than this version. Those DJ’s don’t get the credit they deserve when they can take a mediocre song and turn it into something that gets heavy rotation.
Glynn
Barbara Mason Homophobic? No. Her character is simply retaliating. Have you ever met a gay man who hasn’t done that? No, me neither. Although some may find it uncomfortable listening in 2023, she was singing about HER man, not every gay man. Many of her tunes in the 70’s and early 80’s were about relationships and infidelity (her own and other peoples).
The tune had a gay audience and gay commercial support back then. Larry Levan most certainly played Another Man at Paradise Garage (the track is on the club’s classics list). it was also released on Mel Cheren’s West End Records label. So, far from not understanding what we were dancing to in 1983, the narrative was very clear.
Many 40 year old lyrics/movies/books are not tolerated today. But, people still get pissed when their man finds another man. Keep On Dancing X.
assyrianhunk
if the tune had a gay following, its because gay men can be self-loathing because of homophobic people and songs, like hers.
Joseph1971
Glad someone sees it my way. This is about a particular one on one situation, not her feeling as a whole against the gay community. You really need to listen to the lyrics, as you pointed out. Would this song do well today, probably not. But these are different times….
Thad
I didn’t love that song. But I love Barbara Mason. “Give Me Your Love” is such fun.
ShiningSex
No one knows or cares about that song.
Also, Morrissey is a joke. His Smiths era of music was great, but him hiding his homosexuality for many many years was tired. He also had very misogynistic songs which is sad. To those who want to complain, he was NOT, NEVER bi, he was gay. He was not always celibate but you can be gay and celibate. SO lets not getting into that bs.
Also, George Michael only came out when he got caught. F*ck him. Oh wait….he’s dead.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Bronski Beat, Marilyn, Andy Bell (Erasure) embraced their gayness from the beginning and they deserve props for that.
Fname Optional Lname
Actually, people do know about this song. The “Paris is Burning” fandom became obsessed with it after hearing it play in the film while watching Venus Xtravaganza hang out at the piers, cruising or maybe looking for a “date”. The version that was played in the film is hard to find and that contributed more to the obsession.
assyrianhunk
first of all, she can not sing. the song is disgusting, and homophobic even 30 years ago or in 2011 could not sing. She is and was never talented, just prejudiced and that is why no one has heard of her. I did like Baby Im Yours from 1965 !!! black women can be really homophobic like their mothers, and so on, it must be the “Christian” teachings.
Fname Optional Lname
She can sing, she’s no Adelle but she can sing good enough to put out records that got air time. She was inducted into the Soul Music Hall of Fame. If you liked “Baby I’m Yours” – wasn’t that the same time “Yes, I’m Ready” was released? I must be thinking of a different song or a different version but I thought it was a popular hit?
Pietro D
No clue about all this!
I think it’s a good thing!
Joseph1971
Barbara Mason isn’t homophobic, she’s just another woman of color who had her man stolen. This was a theme by a number of female recording artists of the R&B generation, who put out records in the 70s and even 80 about how they’ve “been wronged”. Linda Clifford comes to mind as well,
I don’t think we jump down their throats, if anything, it’s nice to hear a song where you can understand the lyrics, unlike the crap being played today.
Don’t beat up on Barbara, she’s just speaking the truth. On the “DL” goes back decades guys !
BEARY FLINTSTONE
And Queerty will find a way to keep so called Black homophobia an issue. Must be a slow news day.
FreddieW
“a heterosexual cisgender woman”
Just say “a heterosexual woman” or “a straight woman”. Don’t litter your writing with unnecessary words whose only purpose is political correctness. You only need the “transgender” descriptor for the unusual cases. And only the people to whom it matters will understand what you’re talking about, even then.
Otherwise, you have the following permutations:
1) heterosexual cisgender woman: a real woman attracted to men; a straight woman
2) homosexual cisgender woman: a lesbian (1 word! hurray!)
3) heterosexual transgender woman:
A gay man who transitioned? But you know most people (maybe including me) don’t know which modifier is dominant or if it depends on word order, so they are as likely to think that’s a straight woman who transitioned. See — you’re not educating anyone by tacking on “cisgender” when referencing a real woman who’s straight.
4) homosexual transgender woman: I give up. My head is spinning. Is this case real or theoretical? Oh wait. That’s Caitlyn Jenner, right?
still_onthemark
If they really wanted to be “inclusive” they could have called her a “non-man” with a “bonus hole”!
Tednm
She’s pissed and gonna say things. I think the song is hilarious myself.
denim66
This song was classic and huge. This fits into a whole genre of Black women artists that sang about being wronged by their partner like Laura Lee’s Since I fell for you, Jean Carne’s Was that all it was, Millie Jackson etc. Song is less self-loathing and more of an inside joke.
MrMichaelJ
Lol, as a teen who was hardcore into The Smiths I can assure you there was no “coding” in the lyrics. Anyone who was into them knew what gender Morrissey was singing to.