Singer/ Songwriters Burning Down the Closet

Songs about crushes on videogame characters, what's not to love?

 

[What? PSYCH! The embedded video showed up in the preview screen, but got cut when I finalized the post. Oh well, here is a picture of Owen Pallet and a link to the video.]

 

No, not "distant gay traces" -- it's distingué traces!

If I can add a few more openly gay singer-songwriters I had the pleasure of meeting recently at a concert: Tom Goss, Jake Walden, and Stewart Lewis (Lewis is also an author and his book Relative Stranger is great). Tom's latest CD is an EP called Rise, Jake's CD is called Alive and Screaming, and Stewart's is In Formation. All three CD's are fantastic and I highly recommend them.

I know it's hard to come up with only a few gay singers/songwriters... but i really have to push for SAM HARRIS song from his new album "Free" called "He Is"... i would have loved it if it were a big ballad but the upbeat song makes sense and it is so unabashedly and proudly GAY...it's the ultimate gay love song:

THERE'S A CURVE UP AHEAD IN THE DISTANCE
AND I'M DRIVING THE FASTEST WAY HOME
THERE'S A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW THAT'S BURNING
THE ONLY FIRE THAT I'VE EVER KNOWN
ALL THE MILES THAT I LET COME BETWEEN US
ARE SUDDENLY FADING AWAY

SO I'M BRINGING HIM ROSES
AND A HEART THAT IS OPEN
AND A MAN WHO IS READY TO STAY
HE IS THE AIR THAT I BREATHE IN
THE WORLD I BELIEVE IN
HE IS THE BED THAT I LIE IN,
THE ARMS THAT I'LL DIE IN
THE PLACE WHERE I GO
AND THE FACE THAT I KNOW
THE ALLEGIANCE THAT LETS ME BE FREE
THAT'S WHAT HE IS TO ME

afhickman

Thank you for the very gratifying and somewhat astonishing (in its variety) aritlce on young, gay singer-songwriters, Snicks.  The world is certainly a better place with voices like Rufus and Jay's in it, singing their hearts out for all of us.  I remember when I was a singer/songwriter (on a very minor scale) and trying to find ways to express my own passions.  I changed pronouns and hid behind obscurity.  Then there was a burst of energy in the '70s that included anthems like "All the Young Dudes" and "Mighty Real," and things seemed to really be taking off for the artists among us.  By the early '80s, however, it was mostly back into the closet of second-person pronouns and innuendo.  It's too late for geezers like me, but I applaud this new generation of out performers and welcome them onto the world stage; I envy them their fearlessness and their freedom, but they appear to have earned it--may they continue to shine like crazy diamonds.   

"The mountain has wings."

You (fterelton) introduced me to this wonderful actor/singer (thank you AE!!!) and after searching for him on the internet, i found out (thru his website) that he wrote this wonderful song (that have yet to be recorded)... i hope this counts cause it's a really beautiful song and i hope he gets a record deal soon!!!!!! he is sooooooo talented. This is a song entitled "Not Afraid"

"I am not afraid to love you
I've been practicing the words
I am not afraid to say them loudly
So anyone can hear
So anyone can hear

I am not afraid to hold you
Now you're sleeping at my side
I am not afraid to sing it to the heavens
To the rising tide...."

I know, i know.... he is not exactly a role model for us gays but undoubtedly even before all the mentioned young singer/songwriters were writing songs (except for rufus), George O'Dowd have released so many of them already in the 90's as a solo artist. an example is this beautiful gay song "Same Thing In Reverse" (and note - this was written in 1995)

"How does it feel, what do you do
When he's all alone with you
Do you kiss him, hold his hand
Who's the woman who's the man

Is it twisted it is sick
Mother natures little trick
I don't have to feel no shame
In god's image I am made

Your brother doesn't understand
How you could love another man
Your poor father thinks were cursed
It's the same thing in reverse

It's the same thing in reverse
love is
the same thing in reverse."

I find the other lyrics of 'Body's a temple' much more interesting then the chorus. In my humble opinion it's about a b/j (or is it just my dirty imagination?)

 

perfect body, perfect smile
your touch renders me servile, i love the
the way you speak to me, so sweet yet obscene
the way you smell of chlorine

i’m addicted, and you’d agree
i crave you endlessly
i feel useful on my knees
and i take comfort at your feet

 

And don't forget that almost every song Jay ever wrote is about gay life.

i am sooo sorry for ranting but i really want to share another artist with all of you... i am an avid collector of gay artists, from popular singers Michael Feinstein (he sang one song from Jim Webb's songbook but he didn't change the pronoun called "Only One Life"), to very talented out singers who have limited exposure like Dwayne Britton (who did an amazing cover of tori's "Baker Baker" without changing pronouns), Gregory Douglass, Billy Porter, Chris Garneau, Brian Kennedy, Scott Matthew, joshua Kadison (although i think all of them mentioned didn't have any songs about gays), Ari Gold, Ivri Lider (he covered "the man i love" for the movie "The bubble"), Matt Zarley, Lee Lessack.. god the lists go on... like what the Snicks said... the above list is just a tip of the iceberg.....

but i do have to mention this wonderful Mercury Award winner, Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons (who have a beautiful brand new album "The Crying Light")... he wrote this touching song (only found on an ep) about 'transformation' called "Frankenstein"

"When I was a young boy
Mama said, "You better watch out for the fall."
But now that I'm a grown woman
And I know, I know, I know
I can see the cold
I can see the cold to the place where he is born

Come on baby, let's fall, fall into the chasm
With me, fall into love
Cos I know that the vision, it will never shatter
For as long as i hold onto you in these cold arms"

Thanks for the continuing revelation of these gay artists!  As someone who is planning a wedding with their partner, its nice to know where we can maybe look with our DJ for songs fitting of our love. I have to give huge props to Matt Alber!  Why isn't his stuff being given the true excitement it deserves. Alber expounds on Rufus Wainwright's durge sound and gives his own songs a soul and attitude that you want to join hands with and play over and over. Ever since you guys trumpted him last week I have fallen in love with his songwriting and singing. The "End Of The World" song is incredible song writing and performance. The video really brings a romance to gay-inspired music that is sorely lacking in this world. Too bad its a sad song about asking the man you love for a second chance on the rollercoaster. Elijah Black's quality impressed me as well and I will have to explore him further. I have been one of the many who has been part of the cult of Jay Brannan. Brannan needs to bring a little "happy" into his music, but his honesty is refreshing and song writing raw and creative. I will also second Michael Arden's song writing and performance. I have heard him on YouTube a lot and love his Michael Buble approach.

How about out singer/songwriter/actor Declan Bennett? He just got done touring the UK with Boy George (who has been a huge backer of Declan's career since Declan performed in Taboo in the West End) a few months back, however, most of his solo gigs are just him and his guitar (and maybe a friend or two on cello and keyboard) in a bar or on a street corner.

http://www.youtube.com/v/uozm7NXk4ec

http://www.youtube.com/v/YKk6MkhfHXI

http://www.youtube.com/v/8JyMs2mVbH8

I sound like a commercial, but I love his music. It's very simple and beautiful, and doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves.

Cam is not well known visually because he is in so many animated series.  He's the singing voice behind Simba in the Disney's the Lion King II, he portrays two voices in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and so many others in TV, movies and video games.

He finally decided to take some action on his own and in 1999 he created his own CD called "Inside Out."  On the CD he sings covers of many well-known songs of the 60's (such as "Jesse" by Janis Ian and others by James Taylor, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell, etc.) while changing the gender to suit himself as a gay man.  While he sells it on his own site for $20 here: 

http://www.camclarke.com/order_insideout.html

I notice that Amazon lists a few "used" sellers with prices ranging from $50-$100!  I believe Cam does not care to pursue sales of the CD in such a huge venue as Amazon itself.

I highly recommend this CD and have enjoyed it over and over.  Cam has a beautiful and sexy singing voice.

 

 

One of the best singer/songwriters is Mark Weigle you can visit his site at www.markweigle.com to listen to his songs. His double album Soulsex is a masterpiece of seduction and outright sexuality.

 

Faggotty Attention is actually my favourite of that bunch. Plus I know almost everybody in the video, so that's always fun.

But Jay Brannan always makes me cry.

Okay, sonny, thanks for keeping this old codger updated on all the crazy music you kids are into today.  But I never thought of that whippersnapper, Rufus as an elder anything since I'm ONLY THREE YEARS OLDER.

Now where do you put the stamps on these new fangled computer e-mail letter-ya-callits?

I love Jason & deMarco, they seem very genuine and nice, they're also very talented! I love their music. 

Harvey Milk: You gotta give 'em hope.

don't forget the adorable british idol winner will young, his song "leave right now" is just amazing!as is his new album, "let it go"

...Sam Sparro is also Sick

and according to The Advocate

he's getting some deserved props for it

is amazing!!!!I`m so hooked to his songs right now!And he is super cute!So sad I missed his sydney concert.

I also feel like I should mention australian singer/song writer Darren Hayes,who will release a special DVD next month.

But they're always making songs with gay themes...hence this one and Cherry Lips! :P

And YES I do know the song kinda generalizes everything that is a bit different, but you can tell it's about being an "in the closet" bully! :P 

 

Garbage - Queer

"The queerest of the queer

Hide inside your head
The blindest of the blind
The deadest of the dead
You're hungry 'cause you starve
While holding back the tears
Choking on your smile
A fake behind the fear
The queerest of the queer

I know what's good for you,
you can touch me if you want,
I know
you're dying to,
You can touch me if you want,
I know what's good for you,
You can
touch me if you want
But you can't stop"

The URL I mentioned last time is just a page to order his CD.  Here's his regular website which gives much more info: 

http://www.camclarke.com/profile.html

Enjoy. . .

I read about him in a gay paper in SF back in the day, and picked up his disc at Star Classics.  It's almost all fairly well-known covers, and some are more interesting than others.  "I Will Survive" is fascinating as a muted slow-burn, but it drags on for a good six or seven minutes, and there's a rambling Harry Nilsson song that doesn't do much for me.  However, "Son of a Preacher Man" rivals Dusty's version, "Wishing On Someone Else's Star" is lovely and wistful, and the finale of "The Water Is Wide" with the whole King family doing backup vocals is splendiforous.  (And you gotta love a guy "out" enough to sing "And both shall row/My man and I.")  I don't know if it's worth $50, but it's definitely worth giving a listen-to.

Great selection of songwriters. It's fantastic that people are finally being non-ambiguous in their lyrics. One thing that I wish is that some of these guys would collaborate and make some gay love duets. Deadlee did a song with fellow out rapper Johnny Dangerous called "Crack Hit" which is amazing to hear two guys singing about their desire for each other.

Jay Brannan's just posted a new song - in Portuguese. Don't know if it's his own or a cover or what, but it's gorgeous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4auBDbuYvfM

No, not "distant gay traces" -- it's distingué traces!

Wasn't it Rufus Wainwright that said he doesn't support gay marriage?  He wouldn't be on my list.

There were a lot of other talented GLBTQ artists left out:

Brian Kent, Breathe Life

Noa Tylo, *um

Bearforce 1, Bearforce 1 Megamix

Sincerely,

Mike Andrews

Music From Dante's Cove, MalePerfection & Triad Pride -

http://cdbaby.com/cd/mikeandrews2