Gays who sing love songs.

[WBA1955]

I often wonder what they visualise when singing them. Johnny Mathis singing Misty for instance, probably visualising someone with a big pair of hairy b ollocks.
Barry Manilow probably meant Andy, and Cliff Richard probably meant goodbye Samantha hello Sam.

[Omegstrat6]

Must be quite a few Gay singers over time but the culture until very recently meant they either repressed their ***uality themselves or else, if they were privately open about it, the industry did all it could to promote them as uber straight as the film studios did. Probably a bit easier for women as lesbianism not really seen as "deviant" as male homo***uality (probably because in a male dominated world it was seen as more as a bit of titivation !) but also male homo***uality was also a criminal offence in the UK until 1967.

Gay women singers include Ma Rainey (who never hid her inclinations), Dusty Springfield (who became a Gay icon but repressed her own ***uality and had a truly miserable existence at times) and KD Lang who has never really had to hide her ***uality.

It's been a lot tougher for Gay (or Bi) men. Some early stars, such as Noel Coward or Cole Porter, got away with playing the more acceptable high camp role as did Liberace but even in the 70s and 80s many others, like Billy Preston, Elton John and then George Michael still hid their ***uality for a long time before they had the courage to come out. The odd ones were Little Richard and Freddie Mercury who were obviously gay but it was almost as if huge swathes of their male fan base -who were otherwise quite homophobic-refused to acknowledge it! The whole attitude of large segments of the press over Aids set Gay rights back massively but people like Marc Almond, Boy George and Tom Robinson made it so much easier for Modern singers like Adam Lambert or Sam Smith.

Don't know who Gay singers visualise when they sing love songs but the emotions around love are universal so everyone can appreciate that.

[WBA1955]

Must be quite a few Gay singers over time but the culture until very recently meant they either repressed their ***uality themselves or else, if they were privately open about it, the industry did all it could to promote them as uber straight as the film studios did. Probably a bit easier for women as lesbianism not really seen as "deviant" as male homo***uality (probably because in a male dominated world it was seen as more as a bit of titivation !) but also male homo***uality was also a criminal offence in the UK until 1967.

Gay women singers include Ma Rainey (who never hid her inclinations), Dusty Springfield (who became a Gay icon but repressed her own ***uality and had a truly miserable existence at times) and KD Lang who has never really had to hide her ***uality.

It's been a lot tougher for Gay (or Bi) men. Some early stars, such as Noel Coward or Cole Porter, got away with playing the more acceptable high camp role as did Liberace but even in the 70s and 80s many others, like Billy Preston, Elton John and then George Michael still hid their ***uality for a long time before they had the courage to come out. The odd ones were Little Richard and Freddie Mercury who were obviously gay but it was almost as if huge swathes of their male fan base -who were otherwise quite homophobic-refused to acknowledge it! The whole attitude of large segments of the press over Aids set Gay rights back massively but people like Marc Almond, Boy George and Tom Robinson made it so much easier for Modern singers like Adam Lambert or Sam Smith.

Don't know who Gay singers visualise when they sing love songs but the emotions around love are universal so everyone can appreciate that.

I never knew Billy Preston was gay.

[Albionic68]

I always thought it was a given that Elton John and George Michael were gay. Elton fooled nobody by marrying a woman more masculine than himself and I think only my Mrs. didn't realise George preferred the company of men.

Then again she worked for a male hairstylist for years and never realised his 'best mate' who lived with him and spent much of his spare time at the salon was indeed his partner.

She only caught on when her boss broke down in tears one day and said they'd split up because his other half had been playing the field.

You'll all be relieved to know they got back together, sold up, moved to a place in the sun and my Mrs. lost her job when her new female boss turned out to be a right cow 😊 .

[Omegstrat6]

I never knew Billy Preston was gay.

Think he struggled with it and found it hard to reconcile his ***uality with his religion. When you see his obvious joy when playing with The Beatles in Get Back and how his presence lifted the mood of the band it's sad to think how he ended up quite tormented and developed a hefty drug habit. Another great musical talent undone by his own demons. First met The Beatles before they became Fab when he was part of Little Richard's band I believe.