Fandom Snowflake Challenge #9

[tjs_whatnot]

Challenge #9

Rec Us Your Newest Thing.

So, please just trust me on this one. I don't want to talk about the song because I want it to hit you like it hit me and if I told you how it hit me, it won't. And if you start listening because you trust me and realize it's country and you think it's not for you, please trust me a little bit more. Keep listening. And then Scroll down...

Watch on YouTube

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Right?

So, I was strolling along Instagram reels, minding my own business, soaking up a pretty regimented feed of queer/teacher/liberal/hilarity when that voice stops me in my tracks. It's way more Randy Travis than anything I've listened to in a long time. I'm not anti-country, it just hasn't been in my radar for a long time. But when I did listen to it, there were some voices that just hit me way down deep in my bones. Voices like this. So, I listened. And it was so sweet, and lovely and I was thinking jeez, I couldn't imagine that kind of love.

And then the end of the chorus slapped me in the face, and I was shook. A Gay Country Song? Like an in-your-face gay country song?!? Like it wasn't just pronouns-missing-queer, Melissa Ethridge queer, it was I love this boy and he's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me and I want my family to love him, but it's never going to happen and OUCH queer!

But it was only a clip of a song, so I went to find it and so went to Spotify, and they did that thing where instead of giving me the song I wanted, it gave me more songs "like" it. And it turns out, queer country is kinda a thing. WHAT?!?! Anyway, here are some other songs not quite as good, but still...

A little bit more pop-ish...

Watch on YouTube

How to be an ally...

Watch on YouTube

Not sure if this dude is queer, but this song was written as a response to his state's making Drag Queen shows illegal. ♥

Watch on YouTube

So yeah... *sigh*

Comments

[goddess47]

That is powerful... and I have this auditory processing thing where I struggle to 'hear' music I am not familiar with... but I stuck this out long enough to appreciate what it's saying... and I did not know queer country was a thing... that should not be as amazing as it sounds.

Thank you, for sharing this with us!

[tjs_whatnot]

Thank you for listening even if you had trouble with hearing the lyrics. I struggle too (I only realized this in a theater watching a musical where understanding lyrics is SOOOOO important 😭). This one I found on Instagram first and the lyrics accompanied it. If I could figure out how to embed Reels, I works have shared that. ❤️❤️

[wendelah1]

CHRIS HOUSMAN WANTS TO BE THE NEXT GAY COUNTRY STAR

Not sure if this dude is queer, but this song was written as a response to his state's making Drag Queen shows illegal. ♥

I think you're onto something. It looks like Country Queer has its own Spotify...station? playlist? Not sure how it works 'cause I don't have a Spotify.

[kingstoken]

Fantastic song! When I first started listening I was like "oh this is a pretty typical set-up for a country song", but then we get to the line about "wish you were a girl instead" and then I was like "Oh!". It has such a great meaning about a gay person wanting their partner to be treated the same way by their family as if they were straight. It's very well done.

[tjs_whatnot]

Right?! That was same reaction. He just wants his love to be important to his family as it is, not as how they had wanted for him. 😭😭

[misbegotten]

You should look at the lyrics to Garth Brooks' "We Shall Be Free". ;)

https://www.out.com/gay-music/gay-country-singer

[tjs_whatnot]

Those are good lyrics. Way to be an ally, Garth! and wow, that's a long list. Thank you. ❤️

[kat_lair]

Enjoyed! Haaaaaave you heard of https://www.youtube.com/@flamygrant ? queering up the Bible Belt

[tjs_whatnot]

I hadn't! But now I'm obsessed! ❤️❤️

[corvidology]

Queer country's been a thing for a while. Orville Peck's another major voice.

Ginger Minj has a whole album called Double Wide Diva.

[tjs_whatnot]

Oh come on! Let me have this moment of thinking I discovered this thing! 🤣🤣 Just kidding. I mean I am surprised, but not really.

[corvidology]

At its 'somebody done somebody wrong' heart, country music was about expressing the emotions of people the 'US success story' largely ignored as disproving it. There's a reason why bluegrass was born in Appalachia.

... That's my way of saying it makes sense to me that queer country would happen and it has been on the local level for years. It's the release of albums into the mainstream that's a game changer.

[tsuki_no_bara]

i'm kind of surprised country queer is a thing but i probably shouldn't be. i mean, why can't queer folks be fans of and want to make country music? y'know? so this was a bit of an education that i really enjoyed.

[tjs_whatnot]

Right? I mean, I guess I get it. Country music as a genre has some pretty strict perimeters and some of the opinions of enthusiasts would hint to wueer folks that is not for them. Queer creators would probably feel they wouldn't have an audience because queer people have never been spoken to or for in the industry. Good to see some push back, rise up and collective Hell Naw! happening.