5 Powerful Gay Songs To Get You Through Your Day

Music is beautiful. Sometimes it’s meaningful. Sometimes it’s gluttonous pop. Unfortunately, as a gay male, it can often be hard to find a song that speaks directly to us. While our range of emotions can be the same as those of our straight counterparts, it’s often experienced differently. I’ve decided to compile a list of 5 Powerful Gay Songs To Get You Through Your Day because for me, each of these songs are relatable and speak directly to a gay audience which reminds me that we’re not alone in the happy moments or the sad moments specific to the gay experience.

In no particular order:

1. Kadie Elder – First Time He Kissed A Boy

This song is so beautiful. It’s invigorating and makes you just want to get up and dance. The title speaks for itself. “First Time I Kissed A Boy” tells the story of a young boy fighting back his same-sex attractions due to societal pressures then in a moment of passion, a single kiss freed him from that isolating place.

This song reminds me of how exciting it was the first time I kissed a boy. I think I was maybe 16 or 17 years old. There was ONE openly gay kid at my school, a catholic/private school, that on an almost daily basis openly preached and likely still preaches against homosexuality. — Which BTW, is SUPER AWKWARD when you run into your LESBIAN RELIGION TEACHER in Boystown after you’ve graduated. — Anyway, he and I met on this now defunct website www.mogenic.com. It was a gay youth website with personals/stories/etc… I don’t recall if he messaged me first or vice versa, but we began talking and decided to (semi-) privately meet up.

I had only told two people of my sexuality at the time, my two best friends, one of whom is still very close with me today. The other had allowed me to invite the boy over to her house so we could watch a movie (–back then it was called VHS and chill), and I just remember that shortly into watching the movie, he was grinding on me and we were just making out harder than I had ever imagined I’d kiss anyone… (at 17.)

The love story pretty much began and ended there. I think we hung out ONE more time other than that in the middle of the night at my parents house. Unfortunately, unlike him, I was still very much so “in the closet.” He was openly gay and whether everyone “thought” I was gay or not, I had never at the time confirmed the rumor but to anyone besides my two confidantes. Very shortly after we got acquainted he had told a mutual friend of ours, (not one of my two besties), about our little “fling,” if you will, and she confronted me about it when I was shitfaced drunk at one of the parties my sister threw when my parents were out of town. I denied it of course, but that was the moment when I (felt I) was forced to never speak to him again. I was too scared to allow any more of that information to get out. Rumors always floated around about me thereafter but I was lucky that I was never really confronted about them.

Reflecting on the situation about 10 years later, I couldn’t possibly be mad at him. We were such different people when it came to openness about our sexuality and in our personalities in general. He was a lot more secure with himself than I. Also, I don’t know how I would feel about a boy that could make out with me in private but then see me in public and never acknowledge me. I remember how I was in high school, and my own sexuality was probably the only secret I was capable of keeping at the time. Now, that situation is a fond memory that reminds me of how I became the silly little faggot that I am today.

Side note, Kadie Elder isn’t a person but a Danish DJ trio. Look them up.

2. BENNY – Little Game

Added to the list of “powerful gay songs” that I had only recently come across is “Little Game” by BENNY. I guess technically it’s actually a song that applies to EVERY person, but as a gay man, I often find myself conflicted about adhering to specific gender roles and gender norms which this song makes easy to relate to.

Though the verses can sound a little cheesy, the chorus is so strong that it just hits you in the chest and puts you in a trance.

The boy and girl in the video are shown in stereotypical roles and then when simple curiosity causes them to remotely stray, they’re attacked.

The song points out how we often hide our true selves and play along to make others happy just to survive this world and how gender roles are debilitating to both sexes.

When I listen to the song, I hear the artist’s frustrations with himself and those who aren’t confronting this notion. It’s like he’s saying, “if you do what’s expected of you, you’ll always fit in but you’ll never be happy.”

When it comes to gender I think if asked I would have to say, I would “identify” that I have a penis, but I would like to be labeled “gender neutral” and simply live my life. I love makeup. I love my gay voice. I love my stereotypically teacup chihuahua and I love Miley Cyrus. I don’t think these things should be gendered.

I’ve always said that I feel bad for straight men because I’m sure they wish they could openly queen out to Beyoncé without the fear of their masculinity being put into question. You know they all have at least one song from a female pop star that just sings to their soul that they want to belt out every chance they get but can only do with blinds closed and a towel in the door.

It’s Britney bitch, not some good ass weed! Live your liiiiiiiife!!!!!!!

(Interesting side note… and I haven’t looked into it at all, but I came across this video on youtube juxtaposing this song and Melanie Martinez’s song, “Dollhouse,” together. It’s pretty odd. I wonder if he built the song off of hers.)

For more on BENNY, check out his website.

3. Russell Elliot – Around

Honestly, this song makes my pussy quiver. I love R&B. I especially love sad and depressing R&B. Russell Elliott KILLS IT with his song “Around” telling the story about one of his past loves, a guy masquerading as ‘straight’ and then stringing him along for the ride. According to Smoothie Tunes, this song was his F.U. to the college sweetheart that wasted his time.

I included this in my lists of powerful gay songs because I feel like it’s something we’ve all experienced. I’m sure many straight men and straight women have also fell for one of their opposite-sex partners who never wanted to acknowledge their relationship for fear of changing their image with their peers, but this song speaks directly to the, I’m sure, frequent experience gay men have had with a few “straight” men growing up.

Many of us have had experiences in high school and other phases of life having hooked up at least once (or several) times with a friend or friends who still considers themselves “straight” no matter how many times you’ve fooled around with them…

And just as I had said before about my preferring to be gender neutral, I’m also neutral about forcing people to identify with a specific sexuality as well, meaning I could suck your dick 20 times and if you say you’re straight, then bitch you’re straight. I couldn’t give less of a shit about your stated sexual identity as long as you continue identifying it all over my face.

For more on Russell Elliot, check out his website.

Related post: Can Gay Men and Straight Men Be “Just Friends?”

4. Azealia Banks – Fierce

She told me. “Miss thing you think you’re fierce?” I said “of course!” She said “all queens think they’re fierce” I said “Miss Thing, all queens and me!”

Ahhhhh. Let me tell you something… Azealia Banks may be a crazy ass bitch, maybe she sometimes has a point… but fortunately I don’t just judge my musical taste on an artist’s character alone. I’ll put it this way, Donald Trump has no business being president and neither does Azealia Banks, but they’re both entertaining as fuck and I refuse to pretend they’re not.

Azealia Banks’s “Fierce” would already be a sickening song on its own but it SLAYS due to its incorporated clips from Paris Is Burning. Though still a minority, I am not a strongly disenfranchised minority in the mid-80’s, so I can’t speak on the lives of the people featured in this song/music video/documentary, but what I can say is that a lot of hoes don’t realize much of the slang used in popular mainstream television today, such as in Real Housewives, actually originated from the (even more disenfranchised) minority LGBT ball scene from New York in the 80’s.

This song is a great homage to that time. Madonna’s song “Vogue” is based on it.

–My drunk ass can’t help but attempt vogueing in a club because there is something just so fun and glamorous about all the posing. (I think that makes me like the literal definition of a poser in more ways than 1!!) #appropriation–

Anyway, learn your herstory and watch Paris Is Burning. I think it’s on Netflix. Learn you something.

5. Zebra Katz – I’ma Read ft. Njena Reddd Foxxx

You wanna talk about reading? Let’s talk about “reading.”

Another term popularized by Paris Is Burning and drag culture.

Reading is when you cut a bitch up with your words, not your fists. When someone tries to come for you, you treat their life like a diary, open it up and tell them what you’ve found.

This song has a bit of an eerie tone to it, which I really like. It’s that cunty feeling you have in the back of your head thinking “I can’t wait to see that bitch and read the fuck out of her,” or “Oh she wants to try it with me? Let me read that bitch and see what she has to say about me then.”

I love this because I always tell people that I’ve been a skinny little faggot for about 27 years of my life.

I’ve heard every insult in the world that at some point, you get good at it yourself. Your skin becomes thicker, your jokes become wittier and your reads become cuntier. The best kind of defense mechanism.

If you’re just feeling like a total bitch today, listen to Zebra Katz‘ “Ima Read” featuring Njena Reddd Foxxx.

Also, check out the Azealia Banks remix!

Bonus!!! Watch this video of Tiffany “New York” Pollard reading the fuck out of some girl on Celebrity Big Brother UK.

 

Honorable Mentions!

Avicii – Silhouettes

This song is great but the video is even better. It tells the story of someone finally finding happiness. See if you’re able to make the connections. 🙂

Willie Nelson – Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Found Of Each Other

As the first mainstream country song with a gay theme from one of it’s most influential artists. This song is sure to strike a chord with a few people. Read more.

Adore Delano – I Adore You

A song I often feel I can listen to on repeat, Adore Delano’s “I Adore You” features her beautiful voice complemented by a beautiful video. The song is sexuality/gender-neutral, which I also love, but the video shows the story of a drag queen’s heartbreak. I absolutely “adore” it.

Thanks for reading and if there’s any songs I missed, feel free to let me know in the comments below!