* Bronski Beat
+ The Communards

My favorite will always be "Smalltown Boy." I have a lot of respect for Jimmy Somerville, though his music isn't my bag. "Smalltown Boy" was great synth-pop, but the lyrics are as hard-hitting as The Smiths' "How Soon is Now."
There was no "Queer Eye" in 1984. Gay culture was still ghettoized. Gays were either lampooned or maligned. I remember teachers in my school cracking anti-gay remarks with no hesitation. "Smalltown Boy" attempted to show some of the hell gay youths were facing, and what it was like.
Pushed around and kicked around
Always a lonely boy
You were the one
That they'd talk about around town
As they put you down
And as hard as they would try
They'd hurt to make you cry
But you'd never cry to them
Just to your soul
Those lyrics really grabbed me. I was always straight, but I saw two friends of mine in high school who were grappling with being gay go through very similar things--social ostracism, harrassment, violence, depression.
The video for "Smalltown Boy" is one of my all-time favorites for the way it augmented the lyrics with a poignant visual narrative.

Don't Leave Me This Way

I voted for "Why?", with its great 80s dance beat and Jimmy's amazing falsetto, but "Smalltown Boy" is a classic, too!!! :)

I like a lot of Jimmy Sommerville's tracks ('Smalltown Boy' and 'Why' are classics as well as his stuff with The Communards). However 'Read my lips (enough is enough)' is the song I love the most - this is one homosexual ready for a fight, lol.

I voted for Don't Leave Me This way but it was a tough choice between this and You Are My World.  Basically  any from Smalltown Boy, Why, It Ain't Necessarily So, I Feel Love, You Are My World, Don't Leave Me This Way and  Never Can Say Goodbye would get me up on the dance floor.

I Feel Love

I always liked "Why" the best.  To my surprise, I recently discovered that it was a Top 40 hit here.  That may be why it always sounded so familiar to me :D

Smalltown Boy

And I agree completely with what MaxwellSmart said.
I think I fewll in love with this song mostly because of the torment in his voice.
(Even tho his voice is always the same)
And my dad wouldn't let me listen to the song because it promoted homosexuality.
My dad has changed a lot since then, but when you are a child and told not to do something, it makes you do it even more.

My second choice is You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

Smalltown Boy

And I agree completely with what MaxwellSmart said.
I think I fewll in love with this song mostly because of the torment in his voice.
(Even tho his voice is always the same)
And my dad wouldn't let me listen to the song because it promoted homosexuality.
My dad has changed a lot since then, but when you are a child and told not to do something, it makes you do it even more.

My second choice is You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

On a side note, to this day I don't understand this idea of "promoting homosexuality." From what I've observed, either you is or you ain't! Now there are plenty of heterosexuals who experiment with same-sex encounters, usually in their youths. I think that's actually what freaks heterosexual men out more than bona-fide homosexuality itself!
I mean, how does "Smalltown Boy" promote homesexuality? That's like saying the song "Sixteen Tons" promotes coal mining!
::)

On a side note, to this day I don't understand this idea of "promoting homosexuality." From what I've observed, either you is or you ain't! Now there are plenty of heterosexuals who experiment with same-sex encounters, usually in their youths. I think that's actually what freaks heterosexual men out more than bona-fide homosexuality itself!
I mean, how does "Smalltown Boy" promote homesexuality? That's like saying the song "Sixteen Tons" promotes coal mining!
::)


Trust me, I tried for years to figure out how my father thought it promoted homosexuality!!
And excellent comparison to Sixteen Tons!! ;) 8)

Trust me, I tried for years to figure out how my father thought it promoted homosexuality!!
And excellent comparison to Sixteen Tons!! ;) 8)


Probably from the video maybe?  I know it raised a few eyebrows back in the day

songs that promote sexuality would be like "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Just because you hear a song about someone who is homosexual it doesn't mean you are going to consider becoming one.  It's not a lifestyle choice, it's just what you are.

Wasn't a big fan of his falsetto, but I remember liking "So Cold The Night". Love "Don't Leave Me This Way" and "Never Can Say Goodbye" too.

Let's not forget that 'undecided' group that includes the likes of George Michael, Steve Strange etc etc.

Anyway, back to Mr Somerville.  He's done some real crackers, 'So Cold The Night' 'You Make Me Feel', 'Don't Leave Me This Way', 'Why'.  A true 80's icon, regardless of what sexuality he stood for.

For what it's worth I've got 2 Bronski Beat albums, 1 Communards and 1 JS. 



On a side note, to this day I don't understand this idea of "promoting homosexuality." From what I've observed, either you is or you ain't! Now there are plenty of heterosexuals who experiment with same-sex encounters, usually in their youths. I think that's actually what freaks heterosexual men out more than bona-fide homosexuality itself!
I mean, how does "Smalltown Boy" promote homesexuality? That's like saying the song "Sixteen Tons" promotes coal mining!
::)

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