15 Utterly Thrilling, GAY Songs | Playlist

1. Keiynan Lonsdale, “Gay Street Fighter”

Rainbow Boy • Keiynan Lonsdale • 2020 

“Gay Street Fighter” appears as the second track on Rainbow Boy, the debut album by actor and musician Keiynan Lonsdale.  Lonsdale is best known for his acting roles on the CW TV series The Flash, and the films Insurgent and Love, Simon.  As you might expect, with a song named “Gay Street Fighter,” Lonsdale isn’t merely playing a role; he identifies himself as queer.

“Gay Street Fighter” is quite ear catching to say the least with biting brass, infectious groove, and most importantly, the unapologetically G-A-Y lyrics from Lonsdale (“I’ll preach it louder for the back / The truth is (Everybody) / Everybody’s just a little bit gay”). Indeed, on this co-write/co-production with Tyler Minford he crafts a record where he doesn’t give a fizzuck () what the haters say.  The chorus makes it crystal clear that the haters can kiss his a$$.

“I’m tryna love ya but you’re makin’ this shit so hard
Stay tryna help you clean yo mess cause you done fuck it up
And even though you might not thank me for your happy life
Just know it’s gay that makes the world so goddamn bright.” 

“Gay Street Fighter” is a big FU to homophobia.

Also Appears On :

Gay: 3BOPS No. 22 (2021)

2. Lil Boodang, “Jesus Don’t Like That I’m Gay but Satans Cool with It”

The End of Everything [Single] • DistroKid • 2019

“Jesus Don’t Like That I’m Gay but Satans Cool with It.” My, my, my, what a song title! Interestingly, Lil Boodang never actually utters the title in the song.  That said, the title speaks for itself, so… OOGIE BOOGIE THANG produces this intriguing, gay-referencing track.

The opener on the three-song single The End of Everything, “Jesus Don’t Like That I’m Gay but Satans Cool with It” is definitely hellish.  The intro, attributed to rapper $ C R E W, references 666, and threatens to “Call up the devil…bitch.” $ C R E W also performs the equally devilish outro.  As for the verse, Lil Boodang opens up about his emotions which are quite dark, disturbing, and morbid to say the least.

“Better off, I’m dead now, get it off my chest, now
Every step I take, another way to lay to rest, how
Bitter of me lately, I just wish he’d take me
Summer’s always awful, winter is the one that breaks me.”

Also Appears On :

Gay: 3BOPS No. 22 (2021)

3. Claud, “Wish You Were Gay”

“Wish You Were Gay” • Claud • 2019

Sometimes, when a high profile, major label artist releases a song, you assume every song by other artists that follows it is a cover.  Claud (Claudia Mintz) released their single, “Wish You Were Gay” after Billie Eilish released her own “Wish You Were Gay” from her Grammy-winning album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?.  Clearly, these are two different songs from two very different artists, even if they share the same title.  Eilish’s own record appears later on this gay-themed list but we’ll show love to Claud’s intriguing record here.

Claud tackles a prevalent issue in the LGBTQ+ community – falling in love with someone who is not gay.  Here, Claud longs for her love but knows that it’s a long shot.  “Hoping that I’m a better replacement / For the guys that you’re always out chasing,” they sing on the first verse, continuing, “Or should I accept things I can’t change? / Hate it that I wish you were [gay].” The chorus of this awesome Mintz and Doug Schadt penned track sums things up perfectly:

“I wish you were gay so you could just hold me
Call me your babe instead of your homie
Don’t know what to say
But I wish you were gay
I wish you were gay so it would be easy
For me to say that I’m catching feelings
And I know you’re straight
But I wish you were gay.” 

4. Nigpro, “Gay N***a Hours”

“Gay N***a Hours” • DistroKid • 2018

“Gay niggas used to pick cotton / But now picking cock is a hot fuckin’ option.” OMFG! There are few times I’m utterly speechless, but much of “Gay Nigga Hours” by Nigpro definitely has that effect.  On the one hand, sexuality is at the forefront, and that can be positive. Sex doesn’t have to be suppressed.  That said, on the other hand, this record features incredibly outlandish lyrics, that often feel ‘too on the nose’ referencing specific gay sexual experiences.  The argument against “Gay Nigga Hours” is that certain intimate details are best left in the bedroom.  Also, you have to question if such outlandish assertions are a bit damaging… that’s a whole can of worms for another discussion.

Case in point of TMI:

“Just come to my home and then jerk me my nigga
Shoot cum in my ass, Steph Curry my nigga
Hit it from the back till it’s hurtin’ my nigga
Suck the cum out my ass like a slurpee my nigga.”

Nothing wrong if you enjoy that experience but it’s certainly, um… a lot.  The chorus is even more absurd with Nigpro asserting “Bitch, I’m stickin’ five cocks in my ass” (really) and maybe more unfortunate, “dick cheese.” Polarizing gay song for sure…

5. Whitey, “Gay”

“Gay” • Pee Pee Gang • 2019

“Bitch I’m gay / I can’t even think straight.” Okay… and? For extra emphasis, Whitey adds, “I’m fucking gay, bitch.” Again, okay and so what? Totally be who you are, right? “Gay” definitely makes it clear that the character Whitey plays is unapologetically gay.

Here’s the deal.  “Gay” clearly has a comedic, parody element to it.  Whitey screams as he raps, clearly embracing the then SoundCloud movement characterized by totally outlandish rhymes and a raw sound.  The question is, how sincere is he regarding gayness? Is this merely shocking meme and parody, or is there some authenticity too? Whitey is certainly aggressive with lines like “I got hoes on my penis, but I ain’t finna fuck /… I’m finna fuck some buttholes” or the “I eat it, a dick like a goddamn sandwich at Chick-Fil-A / Fuck Chick-Fil-A,” but neither show much, um, ‘nuance’ you might say. Folks can decide for themselves whether to embrace this or write it off.

6. Billie Eilish, “wish you were gay”

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? • Darkroom / Interscope • 2019

“Don’t say I’m not your type / Just say that I’m not your preferred sexual orientation / I’m so selfish.” Yeah, it’s not particularly surprising that “Wish You Were Gay” ended up being controversial, thanks to how it references homosexuality . Like the songs that precedes it on When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Grammy winning alternative pop standout Billie Eilish takes a low-key approach to singing, yet still manages to pack a sizable punch.

On “wish you were gay,” she opts for balladry and is ultimately successful as she portrays the relatable topic of heartbreak.  In many respects, she checks off boxes. But the big issue with the song is the perceived homophobia.  The narrative is that a guy that she liked dumps her, and she hopes it’s because of his sexual preference and not because of her.  A bit sus, right ?

Also Appears On :

WISH: 5ive Songs No. 76 (2020)

Gay: 3BOPS No. 22 (2021)

7. SUSTO, “Gay in the South”

& I’m Fine Today • Acid Boys / Missing Piece • 2017

“Mother of mine, you think you caused it / It’s an uphill climb being gay in the south.” Powerful lyrics, right? Millennial folk project SUSTO is quite perceptive about the attitudes towards those who don’t identify as heterosexual.  Sure, to say all of the south subscribes to the same mindset would be inaccurate, but being a southerner myself, I feel I can definitely provide some insight into the far too often conservative southern mindset.

Anyways, “Gay in the South,” which appears on the 2017 album, & I’m Fine Today, is among the sincerest records to grace this list.  The songwriting ( Johnny Delaware, Justin Osborne, and Ryan Wolfgang Zimmerman) is superb. Likewise, the folksy, singer/songwriter sound captured by production ( Zimmerman and Delaware) is also pretty sweet.  Focusing on the lyrics and theme, not only does it capture attitudes towards gays (“They promised us you were going straight to hell when you died”), but it also encourages moving from what could be a toxic environment, not limited only to sexuality.

“So, hop in your car, find a more loving place to be
Sometimes it just takes a change in locale.”

One of my favorite lyrics appears near the end when Osborne sings, “Sinner, step back, don’t let a test ruin your life.” Amen !

8. Electric Six, “Gay Bar”

Fire • XL Recordings Ltd • 2003

“Girl! I wanna take you to a gay bar / I wanna take you to a gay bar / I wanna take you to a gay bar, gay bar, gay bar.” Woo! Well, it’s pretty easy to figure out what Dick Valentine (real name Tyler Spencer) and his rock band, Electric Six had in mind on “Gay Bar.” One of the band’s biggest hits, “Gay Br” appears on their 2003 album, Fire.  Though it is short, there’s plenty of firepower on this Damien Mendis and Stuart Bradbury produced track.

If you are hoping for extremely explicit, scandalous lyrics from “Gay Bar,” well, there’s really nothing extreme.  I mean, I guess “I’ve got something to put in you” might be, um, bit hyper-sexual, but otherwise, this is a record that’s filled with energy more than incredibly risqué lines.  Still, it is interesting to note that (1) the music video is epic – edgier (and ‘gayer’) than the song itself and (2) the words “war” and “nuclear” are often censored given the timing of the release – the height of the war.  It’s an interesting listen to say the least.

9. BJ the Queen, “Gay af”

“Gay af” • DistroKid • 2020

“I ain’t gon’ front, shit – a bitch is gay as fuck / When I see a pretty bitch, man, I cannot help but love.” BJ the Queen (Brittany Palmer) isn’t afraid to profess her gayness to the world on the bold, unapologetic “Gay af.” She holds nothing back on this rap banger which happened to be released during Pride Month in 2020 (“You already know my gay ass had to make a gay ass song”).

As you might expect, BJ the Queen matches her male colleagues when it comes to scoring with the ladies.  On the chorus, she goes on to say, “Don’t assume that I can’t bag yo bitch, cause I could and shit I would / I would make her roll backwoods and eat my pussy like she should.” Woo! Yep, the boys have got nothing on BJ, who delivers confident line after line about her sexual skills: “Ooh goddamn, I get shawty wetter than raging waters.”

10. Rosie Tucker, “Gay Bar”

Never Not Never Not Never Not • The Sunshine Sound / New Professor Music • 2019

“If you told me that we’d died / And gone to the gay bar / I woulda said, ‘That seems right.’” Sure, Electric Six already gave us a taste of the gay bar earlier, but Rosie Tucker provides a more vivid portrait on their own “Gay Bar.” “Gay Bar” arrives as the opener on Tucker’s 2019 sophomore album, Never Not Never Not Never Not.  “Gay Bar” definitely commences Never Not Never Not Never Not with a certified BANG!

According to Stereogum, who premiered the single, Tucker states “‘Gay Bar’ celebrates the incredible spectrum of characters dressed to impress at your average regional queer watering hole.” Definitely sounds accurate judging the characterizations established lyrically.  There are a number of memorable lines such as personal favorites “Saint Peter clad in leather / She was looking quite salacious” and, of course, “Cowboys dipped in glitter.” Clearly, Tucker paints a picture where she’s in heaven – gay bar heaven!

11. The Growlers, “Gay Thoughts”

Gay Thoughts (EP) • Beach Goth • 2015

“I try to stop all these gay thoughts and feelings / I don’t know where they come from / Oh, all these gay thoughts I’ve had trouble concealing / Since I was fairly young.” Intriguing, and of course, relatable to those with such experiences. The lyrics hail from the song “Gay Thoughts,” which serves as the opener on the four-track EP, Gay Thoughts (EP) by The Growlers.

So, here’s the situation.  The singer’s ‘character’ (apparently) has a female lover but is struggling with coping with his sexual attraction to men.  Throughout the course of the record, he has trouble with the pressure of these gay thoughts and the stigma attached.  At one point, he sings, “Gay thoughts are mine, but they don’t feel like me / These thoughts are somebody I don’t wanna be.” Is there any resolution to the predicament? Well, not really. We do know, however, he’s explaining this ‘internal fight’ he’s experiencing, which ultimately will affect their relationship… it has to, right?  The one thing question I have about this captivating ‘beach goth’ record is what is the actual degree of authenticity? Where did this narrative come from?

12. be steadwell, “Gay Sex”

Queer Love Songs • be steadwell • 2018

“They wish they had love like us / They wish they could fuck like us / They want to stuff put in their butts, oh / Yeah, they wish they could love.” “Gay Sex” – that’s an eyebrow raising title, right?  So are the aforementioned lyrics that grace the end of the record! It seems that DC musician, filmmaker, and storyteller be steadwell knew exactly what she was doing when she titled and wrote “Gay Sex.” It’s totally bold, brilliant, and unapologetic from start to finish.  “Gay Sex” fittingly appears as the seventh track on her 2018 album, Queer Love Songs.  Sure, it captures the queer experience to extent, but arguably more powerful is its denunciation of racism.

“Racist white dudes are not new
Racist white presidents are old news too
A burning cross in the night
Is as American as apple pie.”

HOLY $H!T – what a start to “Gay Sex!” Of course, be steadwell could care less what anybody thinks, hence, she encourages liberation. “Oh, let’s go home and have gay sex / We’ll do it for the president,” she sings, continuing, “The sons of the Confederates / Oh, they wish they could fuck like us.”  It’s a giant middle finger against anyone who is judgmental and racist.  She also torches white privilege, singing, “All these sad straight white boys crying into pillows / ‘What we gonna do if we lose our privilege?’”  Powerful message by all means.  Won’t play well with everyone, of course , haha .

13. A Great Big World, “Everyone is Gay”

Is There Anybody Out There? • Epic • 2014

First and foremost, “Everyone is Gay” ( Is There Anybody Out There?, 2014) has great intentions. BUT perhaps it doesn’t quite achieve the bar it sets… Worth noting, one half of Grammy-winning pop duo A Great Big World identifies as gay ( Chad King). The message of being true to self as a gay man or woman is 100% respectable: “If you’re gay, then you’re gay / Don’t pretend that you’re straight / You can be who you are any day of the week…”  However, things comes off more tongue-in-cheek than perhaps they should…

Both King and Ian Axel are great songwriters – “Say Something” didn’t win a Grammy for no reason! That said, “Everyone Is Gay,” believe it or not, may be too theatric – too ‘Broadway’ for its own good.  Nonetheless, A Great Big World makes its point, and perhaps, ultimately, that’s all that matters.

14. Katy Perry, “Ur So Gay”

One of the Boys • Capitol • 2008

“You’re so gay, and you don’t even like boys / No, you don’t even like / No you don’t even like / No, you don’t even like boys.” Ugh… catchy, but it just doesn’t hit quite right, does it? I have to wonder if Grammy-nominated pop superstar Katy Perry would record “Ur So Gay” in the 2020s??? Hopefully, the answer would be a resounding HELL NO. Arguably, this is a song that socially didn’t age particularly well in my humble opinion.  Why is “Ur So Gay” problematic at least to some degree? The narrow-minded stereotypes.

“I can’t believe I fell in love with someone that wears makeup…” No, not everyone is/will be offended by this song, including members of the LGBTQIA community. Ultimately, it is a pop song that finds Perry highlighting what she considered ‘unusual’ tendencies from an ex.  These tendencies, though, are often associated with non-heterosexual males. It’s meant to be comical, and it doesn’t seem like there were bad intentions.  However, it’s safe to say that society has (or should have) evolved since then from the likes of “Ur So Gay.”  The lesson to take away from a song like this? Everyone is their own unique individual – it’s case by case, not ‘one size fits all.’ If nothing else, Greg Wells puts in work on the production (and co-writing) end of things.

15. Anthony Crivello & Daniel Cooney, “My Dead Gay Son”

Heathers: The Musical (World Premiere Cast Recording) • Yellow Sound Label • 2014

“Yes! My boy’s a homosexual, and that don’t scare me none / I want the world to know… / I love my dead gay son!” We end this GAY-centric playlist with a triumphant, gospel-tinged standout from the musical, Heathers – specifically Heathers: The Musical (World Premiere Cast Recording).  Here, Anthony Crivello and Daniel Cooney perform the ear catching “My Dead Gay Son.”  For some brief background, Ram’s Dad criticizes Kurt’s Dad for homophobia against their respective late sons, Ram and Kurt. Oh, and plot twist – Ram’s Dad and Kurt’s Dad kind of have “a thing going on” to quote Billy Paul.

Like most Broadway musicals (in this case, Off Broadway), the lyrics masterfully blend both the comical and the dramatic.  There’s rarely a positive connotation with death, mind you, but “My Dead Gay Son” has plenty of lighthearted moments. Exhibit A:

“I know God has a reason for each mountain and each flower
And why he chose to let our boys get busy in the shower.”

Continue listening, and it’s clear that Ram’s Dad has come to the realization that nothing was wrong with his gay late son.  That’s true beyond this colorful Off-Broadway musical based off a movie. If nothing else, it’s a splendid way to conclude one of the heaviest playlists ever published on The Musical Hype! Thanks for reading !

Other Notable LGBTQIA+ playlists from The Musical Hype to peep :

19 Songs That Reference Coming Out

11 Unsettling Songs About Gay Serial Killers

12 Interesting Songs That Reference Bisexuality

A Compendium Comprised of 100 Notable LGBTQ+ Songs

Awesome LGBTQ+ Songs from 2020

 Gay | 3BOPS