Tom Robinson Band, Glad to Be Gay | LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶

On the 5^th edition of LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 (2021), we highlight the song, “Glad to Be Gay” performed by Tom Robinson Band. 

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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, on the X edition of LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 (2021), we highlight 🎵 “Glad to Be Gay” performed by 🎙 Tom Robinson Band.

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Theme & Lyrics ✍

In the 21^st century, the number of gay-related songs has risen exponentially.  With more and more musicians – and people in general – being open about sexuality, more songs have graced the LGBTQ+ pool. That said, back in the day, there were fewer songs and gay anthems, particularly in the 1970s.  The 🎙 Tom Robinson Band contributed an important gay anthem with 🎵 “Glad to Be Gay.” As the title suggests, Robinson carries the megaphone for all the gays who had been disrespected and disregarded because of their sexuality.  As you’d imagine, in the 70s, this also earns this LGBTQ Bop 🌈🎶 a mention as a Controversial Tune 😈🎶. The sing-along chorus is enough by itself to make homophobes everywhere cringe!

“Sing if you’re glad to be gay
Sing if you’re happy that way.”

Of course, those catchy though vague lyrics of the chorus only scratch the surface as 🎙 Tom Robinson ‘goes in’ on those hating on gays.  “Picking out people and knocking them down / Resisting arrest as they’re kicked on the ground,” he sings on the first verse, adding, “Searching their houses and calling them queer / I don’t believe that sort of thing happens here.” It is sad that such persecution occurred with gay folks.  Worth noting, queer back in the day was considered a gay slur.  These days, however, queer has been reclaimed as a positively for some, not all, of course.

Robinson doesn’t stop with one verse.  He addresses the double standard for gays, including “No nudes in Gay News” despite the “Pictures of naked young women” that appear in Playboy.  Most disturbing is the mischaracterizing: “Molesters of children, corruptors of youth / It’s there in the paper, it must be the truth.” Robinson even dives into being discreet and a friend beat up (verse three), as well as the susceptibility of gay clubs being shut down (verse four).  Worth noting, if you’re interesting in an intriguing book about gay bars and the happenings, you should read Gay Bar by Jeremy Atherton Lin. 

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Final Thoughts 💭 

As you’d expect, censor-shit – I mean censorship – affected “Glad to Be Gay.” I mean, gays shouldn’t be glad to be who they are, right? The BBC banned it, though it ended up being played regardless – YAY!  This British Gay anthem slays if you ask me!   

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🎙 Tom Robinson Band • 💿 2-4-6-8 Motorway: Best of • 🏷 Warner Music Group / X5 Music Group • 🗓 2019 
Tom Robinson Band, “Glad to Be Gay”: LGBTQ Bopz 🌈🎶 No. 5 [📷: Anna Shvets, Brent Faulkner, Kurious, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, Warner Music Group, X5 Music Group]

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