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The 20 Queer Songs You Have To Hear
A homo-primer

12. Indochine, "Un Homme Dans La Bouche" (2005)



It's a shame Indochine aren't better known globally, because they're a great, exquisitely-produced band who construct fabulous songs. "Un Homme Dans La Bouche" is one of their more... overtly homosexual tracks (a man in the mouth, dude), and I dig it because musically, it doesn't sound as gloomy as the lyrics do.

Why you really need to hear it: The real reason it made it on the list over all the other gay Indo songs? The broken English. It'll brighten your day, I promise.


11. The Smiths, "William, It Was Really Nothing" (1984) / The Associates, "Stephen, You're Really Something" (1993/2000)



You need the two together, because they make such a perfect nonsensical mid-80s sandwich. Fine, so Billy Mackenzie didn't write the lyrics, and Morrissey's name isn't Stephen, and in reality there was no fat girl (unless you want to make a case for Alan Rankine, and you kind of do, admit it)--we all love to speculate, and I don't think there's any way the coincidences could not be purposeful. Plus, the contrast between the Smiths and the Associates is so much fun!

Why you really need to hear them: If you're enough of a nerd to hang around a queer lyrics archive, I'm sure you follow some music scene and keep track of the inter-band relationships. This pair should remind you that all scenes enjoy the same drama.(Besides that, "William" appears to be Morrissey singing a song that may actually have a single, identifiable subject--it's got to be notable just for that reason.)


10. Fall Out Boy, "GINASFS" (2007)



My girlfriend was looking at Queerics once, and she admitted that she was kind of embarrassed because she thought "GINASFS" had really cute lyrics. My response was along the lines of "OH GOD I love that song don't tell anyone!" But here I am, telling everyone. Open your minds; it'll grow on you. And the lyrics are shockingly clever--I, personally, dig "threw caution to the wind / but I've got a lousy arm."

Why you really need to hear it: Okay, fine, Patrick Stump's vocal inflection reminds me of Cher.


9. McAlmont & Butler, "Although" (1995)



David McAlmont has a beautiful voice, though sometimes he starts showing off and stretching it to its limits and ends up sounding like Elmo--but not here. His performance on "Although" is absolutely gorgeous and, of course, Bernard Butler is my hero and can do no wrong. (We don't talk about Duffy here.)

Why you need to hear it: The lyrics. The point is not that the narrator is gay, or that he has to struggle with injustice because of it: it's about not being able to save someone you love from his or her problems. It's an explicitly gay song, but the subject is something just about anyone could relate to.


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