Andrew Sullivan, expert on all things gay, links to an Australian site that offers the Gayest Songs of All Time. I'm no gaylord, but the list strikes me as conflating disco and gay music. I realize the post-sexual revolution, pre-AIDS gay golden age coincided with disco. But methinks the list gives short shrift to the non-disco pop-culture influence of gay music. My list includes a tune co-written by Paul Schaeffer, a song off an album called "Age of Consent," and a number by the king of seedy detailing the unseemly side of alternative lifestyles. Breeders, come out of the musical closet and celebrate:

10. Queen--I Want To Break Free
9. Depeche Mode--Strangelove
8. Human League--Don't You Want Me?
7. David Bowie--Boys Keep Swinging
6. Lou Reed--Rock Minuet
5. USA for Africa--We Are the World
4. Weather Girls--It's Raining Men
3. Bronski Beat--Small Town Boy
2. Pet Shop Boys--Go West
1. Erasure--Respect

All of the 80's new wave songs that you listed are "good gay." The entire genre of 80's new wave spans a wide variety of excellent music that is often labeled gay. To me, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure are a better gay than 8o's hair metal. 80'S glam bands had much more testosterone, but groups like Cinderalla or Nelson are a worse kind of gay.

1.Kermit--Rainbow Connection

I am so thankful I read this post now as opposed to right before meal time. Or right after, for that matter.

Interesting observation, Scotchface. I think the Human League would be good music to play at 14-hour Gitmo interrogation sessions, but other than that I don't have much of a problem with gay new wave. Nelson certainly gives off a strange, though I don't know about gay, vibe. Two nordic-looking twins with hair all the way down their backs tend to freak people out. Keep in mind, Nelson's "Love and Affection" featured one of the best looking girls of all hair-metal videos. Obi Juan, that one was a gross omission on my part. EFL: I challenge you to watch the Pet Shop Boys video for "Go West." Several previously straight readers have emailed me to say that after they did so they left their wives, and immediately responded to several ads on Craig's list and in their city's free weekly.

No Bronski Beat with Jimmy Somerville on vocals. It would make this list a whole lot gayer!

Corection I must of glossed by it. However it should of been # 1.

That was a very accurate assessment Scotchface. The Hair Metal and Glam Bands of the 80', in general, were pretty lame I thought. Truth be told, at the time, I really never gave any consideration to whether or not a band was gay sounding. Even though now when I listen to some of that music (which I still like) it does sound kinda gay.

Must have been that I was having so much sex in the 80's I wasn't paying that much attention to he music. ;-). Or did the music just fit the deeds?

Wonder why "YMCA" and "In the Navy" didn't make the top 10? Is anything by the Village People just too obvious to make the list?

http://www.rathergood.com/gaybar/

Yeah, Jason, aside from those songs being obvious, and the real list including them, when I attempted to get a YouTube of YMCA nothing suitable came up. Also, the Village People, indirectly at least, made this list: "Go West" is a cover of one of their songs. Although the Pet Shop Boys version has a social realism vibe, the "go west" in the original version referred to San Francisco.

Homophobic Christians!

Talk about knowing that you're going to have one hit.

"It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls?!

I can understand how an individual would find gay connotations in a Morrissey song like "Hairdresser On Fire" or Depeche Mode's "Master and Servant," but for the most part, just because a song has a synth layer, or crooning vocals shouldn't really make it gay. Unless of course, those deeming it gay are projecting their own feelings into the song. Perhaps, many straight men can't deal with the emoting (or emotional content) that a lot of front men like Morrissey, Bernard Sumner, Bryan Ferry, or Dave Gahan do. These singers are true paradoxes. They deal with regular guy issues in most of their songs, but sing in falsetto or a croon which many interpret as feminine or gay. If bands like New Order, The Smiths, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Roxy Music are gay, then I am a straight guy who loves Gay music.

Come again? Gay conotations to "Master and Servant"? Are you serious? Next thing you'll tell us that The Smiths' "Sweet and Tender Hooligan" and "This Charming Man" have hidden gay messages too.

I keed. I keed. Anyhow, I think the campiness of the Pet Shop Boys almost makes them a gay band. Whereas The Smiths would be a late New Wave/early alternative band that happens to have numerous songs with gay-laden lyrics. They're not a dance band, so sonically they're not of a "gay" style. Several of Depeche Mode's members are gay, they play dance music, and their lyrics are often about other dudes. I wouldn't classify Roxy Music or New Order under any "gay" banner. I'm confused why anyone would put Roxy Music in that category--Brian Ferry has always struck me as a romantic crooner in the style out of the 1940s.

If the Pet Shop Boys weren't gay, then they would be charged for a hate crime for that song and video.

I was thinking of Bryan Ferry and Roxie Music most specifically when considering bands of the "80's". Some of the best non mainstream music of the time but for some people, I think, an acquired taste. Overall though, Ferry and his band had soul.

Dan, you wrote: I wouldn't classify Roxy Music or New Order under any gay banner.
I don't classify either under a gay banner. Roxy Music, may be a poor example on my part, although many people mistake sensitive male crooning, like Ferry's, by 80's new wave or early alternative band front-men to be gay. Again, I don't, but many do.
Also Dan, if you use your own logic, New Order is the epitome of gay band. They are more of a dance band than Depeche Mode. Perhaps, the fact that you may like them as a band, gets in the way of you giving them an honest label...the way you label Depeche Mode. Most New Order fans remember songs like B*zzare Love Triangle, Blue Monday, or True Faith. These tracks can be found in any top twenty list of all time UK dance anthems. I like the bands more introspective tunes like Age Of Consent, Regret or Ceremony. But, I do not represent most fans. Depeche Mode is often remixed by DJ's, due to their use of synthesizers, but they are goth and industrial first, and dance last. Enjoy The Silence or Precious are dancy, but they are not nearly the floorfillers that any of the songs on a New Order greatest hits album are.

I think you can add Ebony and Ivory to that gayass list. hey why all the hate for the hair metal? they banged more ho'z than new wave goobs ever did. and its all about the ho'z.

Robots keep posting here, so I am going to have to cut this conversation short.