rabble Classix: Panti’s Pride Bangers.

In Blog, Culture, History, Interviewsby Rashers Tierney2 Comments

Restiched

The annual Pride march is coming up fast. We’ve left controversy aside for now and asked Panti to do some digital crate digging.

She came back to us with this selection of Pride anthems. Her new show All Dolled Up: Restitched runs in the Peacock from July 9th to 20th.

 


 

 

1. I Am What I Am.

 

First up, arguably the mother of all gay Pride anthems, Gloria Gaynor’s disco classic “I Am What I Am”, an unabashed, lyrically fun, explicitly gay exhortation to come out and be exactly who you are and feck the begrudgers. “Your life is a sham, till you can shout out, ‘I am what I am!”

 

 


 

2. I’m Coming Out.

 

 

Next, in a similar vein and also from the heady days of pre-AIDS disco, Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” which does exactly what it says on the tin. And this clip of her belting it out at the opening of her legendary 1983 Central Park concert is about as gay as it gets. That catsuit!

 


 

 

3. A Little Respect

 

 

There’s something about Erasure’s timeless classic “A Little Respect” that brings out the sing-along, hands-in-the-air, lets-all-reach-for-the-high-note (Give a little respeeeect toooo-oo-oo MEEEEEEE!) Pride feeling in every gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and just-happend-to-be-passing straight person.

 


 

 

 

4. Free Gay and Happy.

 

 

The Coming Out Crew’s 1994 dance smash was arguably a cynical attempt to grab the gay dance floor with lyrics like “I wanna be free, gay, and happy!” but if it was, it worked. With those lyrics and it’s driving feel-good base line it’s the perfect party tune for the end-of-the-night Pride dance floor. They didn’t bother with making a video in 1994, but some drag queen with a Vespa and a cheap green screen did the honours, bless her.

 


 

 

 

5. Where The Streets Have No Name.

 

 

U2’s “Where The Streets Have No Name” may not seem like an obvious choice for a Pride anthem, but many’s the year I’ve been on the back of a float going down Dame St with thisblaring out and a microphone in hand so we can subtly alter the lyrics to “Where The Streets Have No Shame”. Homemade, cut ‘n’ paste Pride anthem right there. It works. Try it!

 

 


 

6. Born This Way.

 

 

I’m not a huge fan of the Mother Monster myself, but the kids do love her, and “Born This Way” was her shot at creating an LGBT anthem and it worked. Her own official video is a meandering, ponderous, pretentious seven minute opus, so much more fun to watch cute, nutty, straight boy drag (and Chatroulette star) Steve Kardynal’s video for it.

Who would you like to see give us six of their classics? Lettuce know!

Comments

  1. Pingback: Panti in Hot Waters : rabble

Leave a Comment