Monday, February 01, 2021

Song of the Day: 'Homosapien' by Pete Shelley


As if I weren't hopelessly stuck in 1981 enough, this quirky single from 40 years ago got stuck in my head Friday and hasn't left yet!

Via Wikipedia:

Lucas Hilderbrand, a professor at UC Irvine, sees "Homosapien" as a "curious pride anthem" that never uses the word "gay" in its lyrics, much like other tracks by queer artists from the time, for example Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" and Queen and David Bowie's "Under Pressure." Hilderbrand interprets the verse "and I just hope and pray / that the day / of our love is at hand... / And the world is so wrong / that I hope that we'll be strong..." as a message of solidarity against homophobia. Further, Hilderbrand reads "I don't wanna classify you like an animal in the zoo / But it seems good to me to know that you're Homosapien, too" as a statement on "refusing and then reconfirming identity categories", proclaiming a hope for gay rights but rejecting an "essentialist" label such as homosexual or gay.

Since its release, "Homosapien" has been a popular LGBT anthem, and was a gay club hit at the time it came out. Hilderbrand has described "Homosapien" as the "most homo-positive hit of" 1981.

Definitely left a mark on me. (Reminds me of Dave Edmunds now.) The bisexual Buzzcocks singer died in 2016 at 63.

Favorite YouTube comments:

I'm 56 years old. Becoming an old man. Yet, I still haven't been able to move on from this time period of music. Whats wrong with me???

This song reminds me of back when I told my parents I was homosapien.

This song & the Gang of four record ,you couldn't get away from them in the NYC clubs in 1981! It just takes me back to Bonds,Danceateria , The Peppermint lounge ,Trax ,Hurras,The Mudd Club & Max's

1 comment:

Scott said...

I get that way about Born To Be Alive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl1LP81eSKY