When the HELL did it get to be the end of June? Is it really time for Halsted to take its clothes off and party in the streets? I hope you've been working on your outfits because another Pride is almost upon us! In keeping with my music theme, this week I add a dash of Pride. Here are my top five Pride songs:
At number five, a hearty nod to Sister Sledge and "We Are Family". Despite the red sequined pantsuits and high heels in the video, a million and one drag queen troupes have performed this and it screams with Pride every time. "We are family. I got all my sisters with me!"
In fourth place, a touch more obscure than mainstream is M People's "Proud" featuring Heather Small. There are those who know this song, and those who don't. But even for those who don't, this tune can catapult the energy of a dance floor miles high. The dance remix is an out-of-this-world track infused with happiness and positivity that asks: "What have YOU done today to make you feel proud?"
In third, and please pardon me ladies but this one is for the menz, The Weather Girls STILL get the boys singing when "It's Raining Men" comes on. Whenever they play this video in a club it's absolutely amazing how all of you gay boys out there know EVERY harmony, backup vocal, bridge, vamp and chorus. It's SICKENING fierce to watch you people act it out. God Bless Mother Nature AND Martha Wash. Pure Pride.
After all the Madonna bashing I did a few weeks back, a handful of you were like "f$%k you!", yet "Vogue" by miss Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone (de Ritchie?) takes my second place. It's a song about being yourself and expressing whatever is inside of you. The message is this; let it out on the dance floor and be yourself. There's nobody like you, so take pride in that!
And finally, in first place, who can forget the first time they heard George Michael's "Freedom"? Distilling the message of Pride for many of us, this tune STILL inspires me to get out of my seat and work the runway. With visions of glamorous supermodels catwalking around in my head, I break out in goose bumps when I hear it. Every time I take off a sweater, I pause for just a moment to imagine I'm Linda Evangelista in that fabulous scene with a million pinpoints of light dancing on her skin. "Freedom" is THE classic Pride tune that combines a great message with a catchy hook. Flawless Pride!
Time for my PSA: Be safe our there for Pride everyone and HAVE FUN! But remember, you don't need a parade, a "Pride Weekend", or the month of June to be proud. Be proud of who and what you are all the time and of everything you do. You're beautiful and I love you all!
Proudly with you in 4/4,
Peter Mavrik