Walter Miller, Cease and Desist. | Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈

In the 76th edition of Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈 (2024), we highlight the song, “Cease and Desist.” By pop singer/songwriter, Walter Miller.

Prepare to beam with P-R-I-D-E 🏳️‍🌈! Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈 celebrates, embraces, and spotlights songs by LGBTQ musicians or allies.  Here, we provide background and insight into musician(s) and analyze + go gaga over the decadent bops served up.  When the music dictates deeper, more transcendent discussion, we ensure the point is fully articulated.  All styles of music are welcome while the songs can be classics or brand-spanking new. So, without further ado, in the 76^th edition of Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈 (2024), we highlight “Cease and Desist.” performed by Walter Miller.

“Stripped me down for all to see / Just how trusting I can be / Said I was the only one / But that was a lie.” Oh, snap… more like, oh, shit… On “Cease and Desist.”, the closing track from his “situationship” EP,  Bayou-born and bred gay pop singer/songwriter Walter Miller has a lot of shit to say – more than seven minutes worth! Through his career output, the handsome (understatement 🥵) southern boy has been transparent about his queerness, shining on “X” and the dramatic, “Lies”.  On “Cease and Desist.,” love, or perceived love, has gone awry.  An unfaithful boyfriend has cheated on Miller and, essentially, treated him like shit.  Miller did things to impress this guy, who, in turn, broke his heart.  Although the ballad is lengthy, the storytelling is painful yet captivating, and Miller sings authentically, beautifully, and expressively.  Is there anything worse than a gay broken heart? Miller, Kory Shore, Zack Page, Sam Moses, and Collin Hanley produced “Cease and Desist.”

It doesn’t take long for Miller to share the excruciating agony of this playboy asshole.  “My roommate said y’all fucked / When you had told me you were mine.” That’s messed up!  Rightfully, Walter asks, “Whatever happened to the boy I fell in love with?” Walter knows ‘all too well’ that he “Don’t mind replacing me / With a new list of names.” Sadly, with his friends ‘in the know,’ Walter was naïve he’d fallen for a no-good cheater.  Throughout their relationship, his ex “Brought guys here when I was round,” “[Took] back home a new anonymous man,” and requested Walter “[Do] Shit with those two guys right in front of you / Just Because you had asked me to do it / And you knew all I wanted was your affection.” Sad and shameful. Unfortunately, Miller finds himself devastated by love, painting a picture of the ex that hurt him rebounding gracefully:

“And I know that you’ll find

A new boy in time

He’ll light your eyes

And you’ll fall for him deep

As I’m left wondering

Why that was never me.”

It feels unfair, and yet, that’s not necessarily a fictionalized, sensationalized tale of some gay relationships.  Sadly, there’s no happy resolution for Walter Miller on “Cease and Desist.” Though as his friends suggest, he should feel relieved it’s over. It still doesn’t take away the pain.  But, this is a seven-minute-plus cautionary tale for the gays and, honestly, everybody who’s experienced a traumatic relationship with a no-good cheater.  

Walter Miller // “situationship” (EP) // Walter Miller // 2024

Walter Miller, Cease and Desist.: Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈 No. 76 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner/ The Musical Hype; Walter Miller; Elias Souza, Los Muertos Crew from Pexels; CatsWithGlasses, David, Maicon Fonseca Zanco, Square Frog, Sudo from Pixabay]