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  • COMING OUT: Top 10 Coming Out Songs

    COMING OUT: Top 10 Coming Out Songs

    In the olden days (I’m talking about G-A-Y at the Astoria), when I used to go out as an excitable newbie gay and was able to wear stomach revealing tees, Pop music was my haven.

    Pop music of the late 90s and early 2000s seemed to know my man loving ways and was only to happy to deliver thumping after thumping hit for me to perform my little camp heart out on the sticky floors of that old, fondly missed haunt.

    1) Geri Halliwell, the official gift to gay men delivered ‘Lift Me Up’ / ‘Look At Me’ / ‘Bag It Up’. No list of coming out songs is complete without one Ginger song and she’s given us at least 3. Geri’s debut solo album Schizo-Phonic offered up a plethora of camptastic tunes. I still put on ‘Bag It Up’ from time to time and it still makes me jig. Yes, I said ‘jig’ and I’m owning it.

    2) ‘Get This Party Started’, When Pink slammed onto the scene with this song it almost became a homo chant. “I’m coming out, so you better get this party started’. Its place in the annals of gay culture was cemented when the Dame of Bassey made her almost definitive version of the classic for that M&S advert.

    3) ‘One Day In Your Life’, at the height of Anastacia’s greatness the ab’d goddess with the huge voice was churning out stompers like nobody’s business. ‘One Day In Your Life’ has such a seriously strong chorus that it has become one of my all-time club classics.

    4) ‘I Am What I Am’, The Dame of Bassey (Shirley Bassey). Ok, this isn’t one that featured much in the clubs – but sexuality affirmed men (and some who are yet to discover their true selves) with feather boas across the nation kick out their legs in unison whenever this track is played. It is against the law not to do some kind of jazz hand whilst this is playing – fact.

    5) ‘Can’t Take That Away’, just before the true madness of Mariah Carey was unleashed upon the world, the stratospheric octaved diva delivered probably her most camp, dramatic and butterfly filled song ever – with a ‘love and respect’ yourself theme, what self-respecting gay can’t listen to this with a tear in his eye and a knowing in his heart?

    6) Britney was on fire (and had a full head of hair) at the beginning of the noughties and ‘Stronger’ was a killer track. Pre ‘Madonna kiss’ post ‘I’m a naughty school girl’ – Brit knew the way forward was her gays.

    7) ‘It’s Raining Men’ is a track, which just needs to feature on this list. It’s a floor filler. Geri’s is okay, but you can’t beat the original Weather Girls’ version, it only counts if you clap in the right place – those who miss the double clap HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME.

    8) Remember Holly Valance, that Neighbours’ star turned pop princess? Vaguely? Well, she burst onto the scene with a seriously sexy number ‘Kiss Kiss’, which I remember making an impact – in my bedroom, but that’s not for here!

    9) ‘Beautiful’, by XTina featured a rather hot gay couple in the video – which gets my vote and the song, has a gooey, lovey vibe, which makes me feel my most beautiful.

    10) ‘I’m Coming Out’, Diana Ross sang this song either with full knowledge of the gay anthem she was about to create or in complete naivety. It features one of the longest introductions in the world, but lyrically this song has to come in at number 1. It says what it does on the tin (if it had a tin).

    What are your TOP coming out songs?

    *This article was first published September 2012

  • 10 of the best pop songs to come out to for #NationalComingOutDay

    In the olden days (I’m talking about G-A-Y at the Astoria), when I used to go out as an excitable newbie gay and was able to wear stomach revealing tees, Pop music was my haven.

    Pop music of the late 90s and early 2000s seemed to know my man loving ways and was only to happy to deliver thumping after thumping hit for me to perform my little camp heart out on the sticky floors of that old, fondly missed haunt.

    1) Geri, the official gift to gay men delivered ‘Lift Me Up’ / ‘Look At Me’ / ‘Bag It Up’. No list of coming out songs is complete without one Ginger song and she’s given us at least 3. Geri’s debut solo album Schizo-Phonic offered up a plethora of camptastic tunes. I still put on ‘Bag It Up’ from time to time and it still makes me jig. Yes I said ‘jig’ and I’m owning it.


    2) ‘Get This Party Started‘, When Pink slammed onto the scene with this song it almost became a homo chant. “I’m coming out, so you better get this party started’. Its place in the annals of gay culture was cemented when the Dame of Bassey made her almost definitive version of the classic for that M&S advert.


    3) ‘One Day In Your Life’, at the height of Anastacia’s greatness the ab’d goddess with the huge voice was churning out stompers like nobody’s business. ‘One Day In Your Life’ has such a seriously strong chorus that it has become one of my all time club classics.


    4) ‘I Am What I Am’, The Dame of Bassey (Shirley Bassey). Ok, this isn’t one that featured much in the clubs – but sexuality affirmed men (and some who are yet to discover their true selves) with feather boas across the nation kick out their legs in unison whenever this track is played. It is against the law not to do some kind of jazz hand whilst this is playing – fact.


    5) ‘Can’t Take That Away’, just before the true madness of Mariah Carey was unleashed upon the world, the stratospheric octaved diva delivered probably her most camp, dramatic and butterfly filled song ever – with a ‘love and respect’ yourself theme, what self-respecting gay can’t listen to this with a tear in his eye and a knowing in his heart?


    6) Britney was on fire (and had a full head of hair) at the beginning of the noughties and ‘Stronger’ was a killer track. Pre ‘Madonna kiss’ post ‘I’m a naughty school girl’ – Brit knew the way forward was her gays.

     


    7) ‘It’s Raining Men’ is a track, which just needs to feature on this list. It’s a floor filler. Geri’s is okay, but you can’t beat the original Weather Girls’ version, it only counts if you clap in the right place – those who miss the double clap HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME.


    8) Remember Holly Valance, that Neighbours star turned pop princess? Vaguely? Well, she burst onto the scene with a seriously sexy number ‘Kiss Kiss’, which I remember making an impact – in my bedroom, but that’s not for here!


    9) ‘Beautiful’, by XTina featured a rather hot gay couple in the video – which gets my vote and the song, has a gooey, lovey vibe, which makes me feel my most beautiful.


    10) ‘I’m Coming Out’, Diana Ross sang this song either with full knowledge of the gay anthem she was about to create or in complete naivety. It features one of the longest introductions in the world, but lyrically this song has to come in at number 1. It says what it does on the tin (if it had a tin).

    What are your TOP coming out songs?

  • 50 of the biggest one-hit-wonders…ever

    50 of the biggest one-hit-wonders…ever

    Eighties pop smashes “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles and The Weather Girls’ “It’s Raining Men” have been voted the nation’s favourite one-hit wonders.

    Weather Girls
    CREDIT: Weather Girls / YouTube

    The two tunes tied for the top spot, beating Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” and “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers.

    Bruce Woolley, who co-wrote “Video Killed the Radio Star” with fellow music producer Trevor Horn, said,

    “It was a one-hit wonder but it has had a wonderful life and I’m very proud of it.

    “It only took a few hours to write but we worked on the recording for months and I think it’s stood the test of time.

    “My kids were slightly embarrassed by it when they were younger, but it paid for their education!”

    Lou Bega’s “Mambo No.5” came fifth, ahead of Sinead O’Connor’s 1990 smash “Nothing Compares 2U”, Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby”, “Don’t Leave me This Way” by Thelma Houston, “Cotton Eye Joe” by Rednex and “Macarena” by Los del Rio.

    Kevin Smith, a spokesman for online market researchers OnePoll, which conducted the poll of 2,000 music fans, said: “It’s interesting to see that the most popular one-hit wonders were originally released before the 21st Century.

    “In fact, the highest ranking post-Millennium track was released in the year 2000 and landed at number 12 in the poll.

    “It might be that musicians have learned the trick behind their biggest hits and know how to keep their momentum up.

    “But whatever the reasoning behind the results of the top 50 list, we can see that all of them are unforgettable tracks”.

    The Top 50 featured several well-known party tracks such as “Saturday Night” by Whigfield and “The Ketchup Song” by Las Ketchup.

    “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992 reached the 17th spot in the rankings while Billy Paul’s “Me and Mrs Jones” reached 19.

    And many will remember the ear-worm by Witch Doctor, “Ooh Ee Ooh Ah Aah Ting Tang Walla Walla Bing Bang” from 1998.

    The 90s claimed the most one-hit wonders, followed by the seventies, which included one-off hits like “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas and “Seasons in the Sun” by Terry Jacks.

     

    ALSO READ: 10 forgotten 90’s gems

    One track which may surprise many as a one-hit wonder was “MMMBop” by Hanson which placed at number 30.

    And “Barbados” by Typically Tropical which later was rewritten to be about Ibiza and sang by the Vengaboys in the nineties reached 44.

    “Video Killed the Radio Star” writer Bruce Woolley, 62, who has also penned hit songs for dozens of other artists including ‘Slave to the Rhythm’ for Grace Jones, added, “The song’s been covered by hundreds of artists, used in video games, TV ads and has appeared in several Hollywood movies.”

    “The song’s been covered by hundreds of artists, used in video games, TV ads and has appeared in several Hollywood movies.”

    TOP 50 ONE-HIT WONDERS
    1. Video Killed the Radio Star – Buggles (1980)
    2. It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls (1982)
    3. Spirit in the Sky – Norman Greenbaum (1969)
    4. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – The Proclaimers (1988)
    5. Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of) – Lou Bega (1999)
    6. Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinead O’Connor (1990)
    7. Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice (1990)
    8. Don’t Leave Me This Way – Thelma Houston (1976)
    9. Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex (1995)
    10. Macarena – Los del Rio (1993)
    11. Sugar Sugar – The Archies (1969)
    12. Who Let the Dogs Out – Baha Men (2000)
    13. Kung Fu Fighting – Carl Douglas (1974)
    14. Seasons in the Sun – Terry Jacks (1973)
    15. Saturday Night – Whigfield (1995)
    16. There She Goes – The La’s (2006)
    17. Achy Breaky Heart – Billy Ray Cyrus (1992)
    18. Tell Laura I Love Her – Ricky Valance (1960)
    19. Me and Mrs Jones – Billy Paul (1972)
    20. Mickey – Toni Basil (1982)
    21. Don’t Worry Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin (1988)
    22. Stay – Shakespeare’s Sister (1992)
    23. Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry (1976)
    24. What Is Love – Haddaway (1993)
    25. 99 Red Balloons – Nena (1983)
    26. Jump Around – House of Pain (1992)
    27. My Sharona – The Knack (1979)
    28. We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off – Jermaine Stewart (1986)
    29. Turning Japanese – The Vapors (1980)
    30. MMMBop – Hanson (1997)
    31. In the Year 2525 – Zager & Evans (1969)
    32. Funkytown – Lipps Inc. (1979)
    33. A Girl Like You – Edwyn Collins (1994)
    34. Pass the Dutchie – Musical Youth (1982)
    35. Rock Me Amadeus – Falco (1985)
    36. The Hustle – Van McCoy (1975)
    37. Ooh Eeh Ooh Ah Aah Ting Tang Walla Walla Bing Bang – Witch Doctor (1998)
    38. Tubthumping – Chumbawamba (1997)
    39. The Ketchup Song – Las Ketchup (2002)
    40. Grandad – Clive Dunn (1971)
    41. Spaceman – Babylon Zoo (1996)
    42. Groove Is in the Heart – Dee-Lite (1990)
    43. Don’t Give Up On Us – David Soul (1976)
    44. Barbados – Typically Tropical (1975)
    45. Unbelievable – EMF (1990)
    46. Too Shy – Kajagoogoo (1983)
    47. Pop Muzik – M (1979)
    48. You Get What You Give – New Radicals (1999)
    49. The Safety Dance – Men Without Hats (1983)
    50. Somebody’s Watching Me – Rockwell (1984)

  • It’s Raining Men Enters Into Official UK Single’s Chart

    The Weather Girl’s camp classic, It’s Raining Men has entered the charts at number 31 after a Facebook campaign.

    (more…)