Sophie B. Hawkins, “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” | LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶

In the 22^nd edition of LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 (2022), we highlight the song, “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” performed by Sophie B. Hawkins.  

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ring on the B-O-P-Z, like #SLAYYY! LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 is a column t that embraces, highlights, and celebrates singles and tracks by LGBTQIA musicians.  On LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶we provide background info and insight into the respective musician(s), as well as analyze + go gaga over the bops being served up.  Furthermore, when the music dictates deeper, more transcendent discussion, we ensure the point is articulated to the fullest.  All styles of music are welcome and the BOPZ can be classics or brand-spanking new. So, without further ado, in the 22^nd edition of LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 (2022), we highlight 🎵 “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” performed by 🎙 Sophie B. Hawkins.

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Theme & Lyrics ✍ 

Seven words: “DAMN, I wish I was your lover.” Woo! Say that 🎙 Sophie B. Hawkins! In 1992, Hawkins saw 🎵 “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” do something surprising – reach no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.  SAY WHAT??? You might be asking yourself, why is it surprising when a marvelous record tops the chart? Well, when that marvelous song is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ catalog – the ‘L,’ lesbian to be precise – it is surprising for the early 1990s.

Keep in mind, that America was still in this conservative, religious era – Daddy Bush was in his final year as president 😏.  Televangelists 🤮 were big. Gay songs, well, not so much 👎! Hawkins changed that real quick with this lesbian love song which is considered one of the key entries into the LGBTQ+ catalog. She’s got what this woman deserves and needs, unlike “That old dog [that] has chained you up all right.” Yeah! “This monkey can’t stand to see you black and blue,” she sings in the second verse, continuing, “I give you something sweet each time you / Come inside my jungle book.” Woo, chillddd! The centerpiece and the big claim to fame besides the ‘jungle book’ line is the chorus in all its DAMN glory!

“Damn I wish I was your lover

I’ll rock you till the daylight comes

Make sure you are smiling and warm

I am everything

Tonight, I’ll be your mother

I’ll do such things to ease your pain

Free your mind and you won’t feel ashamed.”

Honestly, there’s more that can be analyzed lyrically and thematically regarding this 90s gem, but we’ll leave it there. Onto a bit of tea 🍵 regarding the ‘original’ music video 🎶📼.

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Music Video 🎶📼

Remember how I said America was more conservative when “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” materialized? Well, that conservatism apparently triggered an alternate version of the original music video. Why? The ‘H-word’ people – HOMOSEXUALITY though more appropriate to this utterly ridiculous instance of ‘censor-shit,’ HOMOPHOBIA.  So, the version of the music video people are familiar with is kinder and gentler than the original even though heterosexual musicians, at this conservative time, mind you, got away with much more.  On the YouTube caption, the original is described as follows:

The original banned version of the video for Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover by Sophie B. Hawkins. Sophie’s record label at the time requested she film another version – the black and white version you’re probably more familiar with. Note the blue butterfly hands and the fingers walking up her cheek and how those moves reappear in her later videos.

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Final Thoughts 💭 

Compared to the ever-expanding LGBTQ+ catalog available in the 2020s, 🎵 “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” is subtle. Regardless, it’s a MONUMENTAL piece of LGBTQ+ history, LGBTQ+ music history, and pop music history.  Barriers are broken all over the place with this one, including something as simple as a pop song using the word ‘damn’ hitting the top ten.  I mean, DAMN, imagine if they’d tried to bust out the f-bomb back then! Maybe a record like “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” isn’t queer enough for some these days but it definitely opened doors, and not just for the LGBTQ+ community.

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🎙 Sophie B. Hawkins • 💿 Tongues and Tails • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 1992

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Sophie B. Hawkins, “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover”: LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 No. 22 (2022) [📷: Anna Shvets, Brent Faulkner, Kurious, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, Sony Music Entertainment]

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