What's your favourite gender neutral song?

[Sheriff Roland]

The Billy Joe McCallister thread tried to do something that got off topic (I think)

Here's an attempt to get a tread started about your favourite gender neutral song: ie, song that could be appreciated by the gay folks because even though a man sings it (for example), he never says "she" as part of the lyrics, and therefore, the message can be applied to our gays life experiences.

My all time favourite song of the genre has to be Jimmy Rodgers' "Secretly"

Do do do do do do do do do do do do
Do do do do do do do do do do do do

Why must I meet you in a secret rendevous
Why must we steal away to steal a kiss or two
Why must we wait to do the things we want to do

Why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why

Wish we didn't have to meet, secretly
Wish we didn't have to kiss, secretly
Wish we didn't have to be afraid to show the world that we're in love

Till we have the right to meet, openly
Till we have the right to kiss, openly
We'll just have to be content to be in love, secretly

Why, oh why, oh why, oh why, oh why

Wish we didn't have to meet, secretly
Wish we didn't have to kiss, secretly
Wish we didn't have to be afraid to show the world that we're in love

Till we have the right to meet, openly
Till we have the right to kiss, openly
We'll just have to be content to be in love, secretly

This song charted in in 1958! and even though I was only 5 at the time, I've always thought it could have reflected the realities of a gay man in love in my youth.

Your turn! Do you have a favourite gender neutral song?

[ednbarby]

Good one, Roland.

I always liked this one, from early Queen:

Now I'm Here ~ words and music by Brian May

Here I stand (here I stand..)
Look around around around around
(Around around around around..)
But you won't see me (you won't see me..).
Now I'm here (now I'm here..)
Now I'm there (now I'm there..)
I'm just a just a new man
Yes you made me live again

A baby I was when you took my hand
And the light of the night burned bright
And the people all stared - didn't understand
But you knew my name on sight
Whatever came of you and me?
America's new bride to be...
Don't worry baby, I'm safe and sound
Down in the dungeon just Peaches an' me
Don't I love her so?
Yes she made me live again.

A thin moon me in the smoke screen sky
Where the beams of your love light chase
Don't move don't speak don't feel no pain
With the rain running down my face
Your matches still light up the sky
And many a tear lives on in my eye
Down in the city, just Hoople and me
Don't I love him so, ooh, don't I love him so?

Whatever comes of you and me
I'd love to leave my memories with you.

Now I'm here (now I'm here.)
Think I'll stay around around around
(Around around around around..)
Down in the city just you and me
(Down in the city just you and me..)

Don't I love you so?

-----------------------------------------


Don't know why, but I've always found this song incredibly sexy, even as a young lass.

[ednbarby]

Or what about this one?

I Think We're Alone, Now ~ words and music by Ritchie Cordell

"Children, behave"
That's what they say when were together
And watch how you play
They don't understand
And so we're

Running just as fast as we can
Holdin on to one anothers hand
Tryin to get away into the night
And then you put your arms around me
And we tumble to the ground
And then you say

I think we're alone now
There doesn't seem to be anyone around
I think we're alone now
The beating of our hearts is the only sound

Look at the way
We gotta hide what we're doin
'cause what would they say
If they ever knew?
And so we're

Running just as fast as we can
Holdin on to one anothers hand
Tryin to get away into the night
And then you put your arms around me
And we tumble to the ground
And then you say

I think we're alone now
There doesn't seem to be anyone around
I think we're alone now
The beating of our hearts is the only sound

[vkm91941]

My friend Eric and I both  love this one by Fleetwood Mac


Landslide


I took my love, I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
till the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love
Can the child within my heart rise above
Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life

Well, Ive been afraid of changing
cause Ive built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
Im getting older too

Oh, take my love, take it down
Climb a mountain and turn around
If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well the landslide will bring it down

If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well maybe the landslide will bring it down

[ednbarby]

Love that song, Victoria.

On that same melancholy note, here's another one I like:

Angel ~ Sarah McLachlan

Spend all your time waiting
For that second chance
For a break that would make it okay
There’s always one reason
To feel not good enough
And it’s hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
Oh beautiful release
Memory seeps from my veins
Let me be empty
And weightless and maybe
I’ll find some peace tonight

In the arms of an angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You’re in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort there

So tired of the straight line
And everywhere you turn
There’s vultures and thieves at your back
And the storm keeps on twisting
You keep on building the lie
That you make up for all that you lack
It don’t make no difference
Escaping one last time
It’s easier to believe in this sweet madness oh
This glorious sadness that brings me to my knees

In the arms of an angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You’re in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort there
You’re in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here

[ednbarby]

And on a happier note, I always loved how these guys wrote this one to be gender-neutral.  Kinda unusual for a rock band, especially a "corporate" one at that.  But way smart.

Somebody's Out There ~ Rik Emmett, Mike Levine, Gil Moore

Is it fate or random chance
How can I decide
Are we victims of circumstance
When destinies collide
All the odds are against you
But somehow you make it through
You can rationalize it away
But it all comes down to you
Half our lives we spend waiting
For the knock upon the door
When it comes, will it be the one
That I’ve been waiting for?

[Chorus]

Somebody's out there, somewhere
Waiting for someone to come their way
Somebody's out there, somewhere
I will somehow be somebody's someone
Someday

Standing in the shadows
Hiding from the light
Reach out in the darkness
And hold on for your life
All the fear of the future
All the loneliness inside
When the moment of truth arrives, hey,
You can run but you can't hide

[Chorus]

...I can feel it inside me
I've been holding on so long
Something's tellin' me something's got to give
'Cause the feeling's way too strong, too strong...

[Sheriff Roland]

You know what Barb, this thread should have your name on it. You seem to have the pulse of my intention here better than I do.

My second choice would have been your second post "I Think We're Alone" may be a childish song (originally from Tommy James & the Shondells in 1967 and reprised in 1987 by Tiffany) - again not very deep, but liberating - to think it could be about me -the kid I was at the time.

[ednbarby]

You know what Barb, this thread should have your name on it. You seem to have the pulse of my intention here better than I do.

My second choice would have been your second post "I Think We're Alone" may be a childish song (originally from Tommy James & the Shondells in 1967 and reprised in 1987 by Tiffany) - again not very deep, but liberating - to think it could be about me -the kid I was at the time.

The universality (is that a word?) of it always appealed to me, too.  Even as a kid, I didn't think of it as just being about kids in love, but about anybody in love where someone doesn't approve.

[ednbarby]

And then there's this one of Elton John's.  We've all well known about his sexuality forever, but regardless I could always see myself in this one and always loved the sheer poetry of it.

(Sorry to be hijacking your thread, by the way, Roland - don't mean to - you've just inspired me.  )

Someone Saved My Life Tonight ~ Bernie Taupin, Elton John

When I think of those east end lights, muggy nights
The curtains drawn in the little room downstairs
Prima donna lord you really should have been there
Sitting like a princess perched in her electric chair
And it's one more beer and I don't hear you anymore
We've all gone crazy lately
My friends out there rolling round the basement floor

And someone saved my life tonight, sugar bear
You almost had your hooks in me didn't you dear
You nearly had me roped and tied
Altar-bound, hypnotized
Sweet freedom whispered in my ear
You're a butterfly
And butterflies are free to fly
Fly away, high away, bye-bye

I never realised the passing hours of evening showers
A slip noose hanging in my darkest dreams
I'm strangled by your haunted social scene
Just a pawn out-played by a dominating queen
It's four oclock in the morning
Damn it, listen to me good
I'm sleeping with myself tonight
Saved in time, thank God my music's still alive

And I would have walked head on into the deep end of the river
Clinging to your stocks and bonds
Paying your h.p. demands forever
They're coming in the morning with a truck to take me home
Someone saved my life tonight, someone saved my life tonight
Someone saved my life tonight, someone saved my life tonight
Someone saved my life tonight
So save your strength and run the field you play alone

[vkm91941]

and this Elton John classic


Your Song
 

Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
© 1969 Dick James Music, Inc
   
 

It's a little bit funny this feeling inside
I'm not one of those who can easily hide
I don't have much money but boy if I did
I'd buy a big house where we both could live

If I was a sculptor, but then again, no
Or a man who makes potions in a travelling show
I know it's not much but it's the best I can do
My gift is my song and this one's for you

And you can tell everybody this is your song
It may be quite simple but now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind that I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss
Well a few of the verses well they've got me quite cross
But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song
It's for people like you that keep it turned on

So excuse me forgetting but these things I do
You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue
Anyway the thing is what I really mean
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen