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02 February 2006

Me and a freind were just having an email discussion[More:] about the Bruce Sprinsgsteen song Backstreets (audio). I offerred the idea that this is one of the few rock songs that could be a same-sex love song without changing a single lyric. Of course, it could also function as a straight love song, or a homoerotic song about intense friendship. At any rate, I'd love to hear, say, Melissa Etheridge or Rufus Wainright interpret this song. I've got Bruce-On-The-Brain. I admit it.

Your thoughts?
I'd like to hear Rufus gay up a Springsteen song, definitely!
posted by matildaben 02 February | 16:05
I don't think he'd even have to camp it up much (in fact I'd rather he didn't). There's always been a homoerotic undertone to Bruce's work. He used to tongue kiss Clarence on stage, dude. I'm surprised the Boss isn't a gay icon, frankly.

(He did do that great duet on 'Thunder Road' with Melissa Etheridge. Kudos to Bruce for letting Melissa sing "so Mary, climb in...")
posted by jonmc 02 February | 16:09
That bit about hanging out in parked cars reminds me of sting operations at rest stops in Maryland; no, not the snipers, silly, the officers soliciting gay sex sting operations.

Which reminds me of the Rte. 1 Massage parlor fiasco, in which Howard County Police stung several parlors by sending plainclothes cops in to angle for happy endings. The uproar started when it became clear how many cops, married and un-, volunteered to be the bait.

So I wonder how many cops volunteer for the gay sex stings?

WHAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOON the backstreets!
posted by Hugh Janus 02 February | 16:14
Did someone say Bruce?

I've always thought it was about a same-sex relationship, though he seems to have written as intentionally ambiguous rather than explicit. Even the choice of the name "Terry" works for either a male or female.

Mentions of gayness pop up in his songs now and then. I feel like if I went looking I could find quite a few. Some not so flattering ("golden heeled fairies in a real bitch fight", from 'Incident'), but at least they're noted.

Also, I've always heard the line in "NYC Serenade" that's transcribed as "I'm a young man I talk it real loud/yeah babe walk it real proud for you" as "...gay man walking real proud." Which is a much better line, IMO. I'm not sure I trust that transcription.
posted by Miko 02 February | 16:16
There's always been a homoerotic undertone to Bruce's work


Completely true.
posted by Miko 02 February | 16:17
Countryside's burning with wolfman fairies dressed in drag for homicide....

He's probably just talking sprites and nymphs, right?
posted by Hugh Janus 02 February | 16:32
Born in the USA album cover? Hellllooo, hanky code!
posted by Triode 02 February | 18:34
You know when Bruce and Steve do that thing when they sing in the same mic? i was always worried that one of them would slip or something and they would accidentally make out...

then fans would come to expect it and they'd have to do it every night.
posted by drjimmy11 02 February | 19:08
Hell, I'd pay to see that.
posted by Miko 02 February | 21:21
So chicks enjoy watching dudes make out with eachother as much as we like two girls kissing?

*makes note for future reference*
posted by jonmc 02 February | 22:00
I don't know whether all chicks do, but I find it kind of thrilling and transgressive and all that. In small doses.
posted by Miko 02 February | 23:25
This is the new world. || Ballot Box Stove Top Stuffin'

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