Welcome back, bop-loving bis! Well, I could go in and find another metaphor for this third list. I could say it’s the forgotten basement tapes. I could be a total rock snob and say this is from a rare live recording from a concert in Tokyo. But honestly, I just love making these lists. The more I look into this little niche of bi+ music, the more I dig it. And really, nothing quite lifts my spirits after a moment of erasure of my queerdom than a certified jam. So I thought I’d share the love. I’ll keep putting them together as long as I can come up with them (and my editor is into the idea!)
If you don’t see any bi anthems I may have missed either in this column, or the two previous ones here or here, feel free to (kindly) @ me on Twitter with suggestions @JennieRoberson. I’ll have my headphones (yes, headphones — earbuds annoy me and I’m old school anyway) at the ready.
Without further ado, here are some fresh tracks to add to your Spotify:
“Bisexual Anthem” — Domo Wilson
Looking back at my previous entries, I realized I had hardly any entries from the rap/hip-hop genre, and knew it was time to remedy that. There are more and more bi+ rappers coming out in the music scene (Frank Ocean, anyone?), but I thought I’d start with a track that has been tearing up the landscape this past summer — Domo Wilson’s “Bisexual Anthem”.
The lyrics feel like a wonderfully gritty, obscenity-laden answer to “Gettin’ Bi”, while completely holding their own and finding the humor in discovering your queer self. Wilson explains her queer leanings of the past and dismisses common stereotypes still applied to bis, all while spitting lyrics and looking great doing it.
I only have a few quibbles. Wilson doesn’t mention more than two genders in the gender spectrum, so enbies may be feeling left out in the cold. And her aside that she doesn’t date multiple genders at the — may rub ethical non-monogamists the wrong way. But I have a feeling Wilson would easily rectify that upon questioning.
Still. What a great anthem to get the party going!
“Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover” — Sophie B. Hawkins
A classic mid-tempo hit from the 1990s, this ditty is chock-full of erotic innuendo and animalistic imagery. Hawkins identifies as omnisexual, which helps cement this as a beautiful bi throwback. Fun fact: The original video’s imagery was deemed too sexy for MTV videoplay, so the current version was a second one-shot that made it into heavy rotation. Although the Wiki article above likes to deem her outfit a “completely non-erotic flannel shirt and jeans”, the author is clearly not familiar with the erotic mating call power of flannel in the bi community.
Damn!
“Like That” — Torrey Mercer
Queer artist Mercer seems bent on giving the bi community completely relatable songs — and I am not about to stop her. “Like That” focuses on the common — and relatable — arc of developing feelings for a friend, unsure if they are anywhere outside of the heater predilections. Anyone who has unwittingly “chased a straight” can find something to relate to in this one — and I’m not talking about chasing vodka with beer, folks.
“Love My Way” — The Psychedelic Furs
Lyricist and frontman Richard Butler explicitly wrote this song to assure the queer community that they were accepted and deserved to have a song for them in their pantheon. The song reached a new height of popularity after its use in a memorable dance scene in the new bi+ classic Call Me By Your Name (2017). But even beyond all that — it still slaps, 30 years on. I sure hope I can create some queer art that resonates like that.
“Elastic Heart” — Sia
Okay, okay, okay — so this song isn’t specifically about bisexuality. But Sia is bi (#OneofUs), and the playlist has had a good amount of throwbacks so far. Sometimes it’s good to hear a song and know that, even if the chanteuse isn’t warbling about her own queer experiences, it is part of her background and feeds her creativity.
“I’m Coming Out” — Diana Ross
I love to finish my playlists on a big dance beat, and what’s bigger and more fun than a disco? This grandaddy of coming-out songs belongs to us, too. And side note: it’s really fun to sing when you’re playing board games and finally entering the arena. I’m not saying it has to become everyone’s walk-up music … but it’s a good idea.
And that covers this edition of the minis! … For now. I don’t know about you, but my playlists are always under construction. But for now, I hope you enjoy what I’ve aggregated for your queer cans.
Rock out with your tracks out, fam!