FOR Emmie, Pop’s first lesbian love song – see this blog’s categories – Emmie
WOMEN WHO ROCK: the exhibit opened in Cleveland at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame/Museum on Friday, May 13, 2011. Currently overlooked is the list of 24 songs infra which feature the Women who pioneered open expressions of same-sex attraction in popular music, and those songs:
1. Emmie by Laura Nyro – released 3/ 3/68 – “Pop’s, first lesbian love song” – Alanna Nash E. W. Passion Player April 25, 1997
2. Timer by Laura Nyro released 3/3/68 “so let the wind blow Timer…I like her song”. 1:56-2:06
3. Désiree by Laura Nyro – released 11/17/71 – Laura Nyro’s personal attribution of “Désiree” is one of the most undisguised professions of love by a woman singing to another woman ever recorded.
4. Maggie May by Cathy Young – Note her emphasis as she echoes. “But you turned into a lover , oo, what a lover, you wore me out…” 1:55-2:03 – Recorded in October, 1972
5. I Only Want to Be with You by Alix Dobkin on the album Lavender Jane released 1973.
6. She loves me by Carol MacDonald of ISIS released 1974. //click link below for sample
http://www.last.fm/music/Isis/_/She+Loves+Me
7. Gloria by Patti Smith released 1975
8. Sweet Woman by Cris Williamson released 1977
9. Sunday Girl by Deborah Harry – Blondie released 1979 – as a Drag King – “If your love was as sweet as mine I could be Sunday’s girl.”
10. High School Confidential by Carole Pope and Rough Trade – originally released 1980. NOTE the “Figleaf” at 1:52-1:55
1986 concert
11. Valerie by Rindy Ross -Quarterflash -released 1981
12. The Weakness In Me by Joan Armatrading – released 1982 – Arguably the First same-sex love triangle song. “this old love has me bound, but the new love cuts deep”
13. Crimson & Clover by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts 1983
14. When you were mine by Cyndi Lauper released 1983
15. Roadnotes by Laura Nyro released 1984 – Mother’s Spiritual
16. Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter by Phranc – released 1991
17. If It Isn’t Her by Ani Difranco released 1992 – “Standing like John Wayne, She is full frame. She is center stage…She says: ‘Do I know you?” “I say: ‘Well, no, not biblically.”
-following the link below will bring you to a nice vid that really punches this song’s lyrics-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyHF7nwmNxA
18. I Kissed A Girl by Jill Sobule released 1995.
19. Me and Mrs Jones by Sarah Jane Morris released 1995 and banned that year by the BBC
20. Tonight’s the Night by Janet Jackson released 1997
21. Squeezebox Days by The Murmurs – released 1997. “Can’t we just spend the night together ? So I got something to think about tomorrow.”
22. One More Hour by Sleater-Kinney released 1998. “In one more hour I will be gone…oh, you’ve got the darkest eyes…don’t say a word about the other girl.”
23. Never Be The Same Again by Melanie C Sporty Spice and Lisa Left Eye Lopes released 1999. Mel C: “I’m hoping that you feel the same?” Left Eye: “Yeah.” at 1:02-1:07 – This duet was unique in that the two women dialogue an open same-sex attraction.
live duet
Prove It On Me Blues by Ma Rainey performing as a Bull Dyke released 1928 – vj lucymusicfan. Please be sure to click the 2nd link below. The artwork, the cultural lesbiana, the lyrics, and the article by Jonathan Ned Katz are not to be missed.
see also 2nd link below by OutHistory.org
http://www.outhistory.org/wiki/Ma_Rainey’s_%22Prove_It_On_Me_Blues,%22_1928
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