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QMH Scripts for December 2006...3 Shows!
RuPaul - Alone At Christmas (1997) And that was a rousing start to Part 1 of my Queer Christmas Special. That's right, this is only the first part, and if you stick around you'll hear Christmas music you won't hear anywhere else. I'm JD Doyle and you're listening to Queer Voices on KPFT in Houston, and my show Queer Music Heritage is usually heard only on the 4th Monday of the month, but again this year I'm doing two Christmas shows, and I'll try to bring you gay-related xmas music that is entertaining, and sometimes obscure. And the artist you heard first is certainly not obscure. It's hard to believe that RuPaul first began recording over 20 years ago, and I think she has one of the very best queer Christmas albums. It's called "Ho Ho Ho" and was released in 1997. You'll want to stick around for the end of this show, as I'm closing it with a brand new Christmas song from her. But next is a trio going by the name Betty. In 2004 they released a CD called "Snowbiz," and from it you'll hear "Snowfolk" and something they call the "Dreidle Jingle Fiasco." Betty - Snowfolk /
Dreidle Jingle Fiasco (2004) Following Betty were the team of Steve Schalchlin & Jim Brochu. Steve's well-known for his musical "The Last Session" and in 2002 he and his partner Jim were in Houston for a production of their show "The Big Voice, God or Merman?" from which that song came. Next I'm pleased to share with you a new artist named Roger Kuhn. His debut album came out this year, and he's already working on his next, which will be a holiday CD. That's set for next year, but he's slipped out a couple songs from it, and one is called "Every Year Around Xmas Time" Roger Kuhn - Every
Year Around Xmas Time (2006) That was Roger Kuhn. My internet listeners got to hear a second Christmas song by him, called "Under the Mistletoe." I often have longer versions of my show on the internet, to pack more music into these specials, and to also accommodate songs that can't be played on regular radio, like this next one. It's by cabaret artist Shawn Ryan, from his album from 2005 called "Blue Skies." The song is called "My Simple Christmas Wish" and contains one of the seven dirty words you can't play on radio. Shawn Ryan - My Simple
Christmas Wish (2005) Following Shawn Ryan was Fred Barton. He'll always have a place in my heart for writing and performing the album "Miss Gulch Returns," about the wicked witch from "The Wizard of Oz" doing a night club act, very well done. Namoli Brennet is one of our most prolific artists. She's released five albums since 2002 and I think they're all excellent. And in 2004 she released a Christmas single, called "Sugarplum Dreams" Namoli Brennet - Sugarplum Dreams (2004) Namoli Brennet. And another transgender artist is Joshua Klipp, who's released his first recording, a CD EP containing this very nice song, "December Snow" Joshua Klipp - December Snow (2006) And, now for two acts that use animals in their names. First is Jeff Mansk, who records under the name Flipping the Pig, with his song "Good Hands," from 2006, and it will be followed by a very different kind of song and animal Flipping the Pig -
Good Hands (2006) And that was, according to the CD label, Evie Evil and Laura Ann Beaver, who collectively call themselves Evil Beaver, and the band is half lesbian, the Beaver half. Their CD from 2001 is called "Smells Like Christmas Spirit." Up next are two songs I think are very fun. They are from a concert from 2004 by the North Coast Men's Chorus, from Cleveland. The idea was to do Christmas songs as if they would have been done by our Broadway writing legends, in particular Kander & Ebb and Jerry Herman. I wish they would have released this whole concert on CD, but one of their members send me these tracks so at least we can get a taste of it. The North Coast Men's Chorus. North Coast Men's Chorus - What If Carol / We Three Kings (2004) Now, here's another very different version of "We Three Kings" Ann Reed - We Three
Kings (2001) That was Ann Reed, from her CD from 2001 called "Not Your Average Holiday." And following Ann was Corinne Curcio and her song "Waissall To You." Melissa Etheridge - RADD PSA And this is a good time to invite you to check out my website. If you visit it while you're listening you can see the playlist and follow along, while looking at photos of the artists and recordings. I've always considered our music history as a visual as well as an audial experience. Again, that's at www.queermusicheritage.com. Also, for more very queer programming, please listen to After Hours with Jimmy Carper, every Friday night/Saturday morning from 1 to 4 am, on KPFT, it's Queer Radio, with attitude. Next is Christian artist Danny Riddle, with two songs he recorded in 1986, from his album just called "Christmas With Danny." Danny Riddle - Come
On Ring Those Bells (1986) That was Danny Riddle with "Come On Ring Those Bells" and "Worship the King" I played this next song on my very first Queer Xmas Show, back in 2000, and while I certainly have enough material by gay artists that I do not need to repeat songs, I can't resist bringing this one back. It's by BD Wong, known more for his performances on Broadway and television. It's called "Wishing You a Drag Queen Christmas" BD Wong - Wishing You a Drag Queen Christmas (1993) The BD Wong song is from a 1993 double CD called "Cabaret Noel: A Broadway Cares Christmas." Broadway Cares is a charity group of mostly Broadway artists that raises money to fight AIDS. And I'm going to use that song about drag queens to set up the next artist. She is Jackie Beat and I played a number of tracks from her first Christmas album on my 2004 show. Her CD that year was called "Jacke Beat Is Coming To Town" and was packed full of Christmas parodies, most of which were not ready for radio. That's even more true with her new CD, called "Jackie Beat Is a Holiday Ho." I was able to find a couple tracks I could share, all about Kwanzaa. Jackie Beat - Kwanzaa Doesn't Exist / It's Kwanzaa (2006) Jackie Beat, talkin' 'bout Kwanzaa, and that was the very first Kwanzaa song I've acquired by a gay artist. This next artist does not shy away from politics. And you have to hand it to an artist who uses the song "Frosty the Snowman" and puts in his own lyrics criticizing the government. Here's Jeffrey Beringer from his album from last year called "Vote Santa." His version of the song is called "Katrina the Class Four Hurricane." Jeffrey Beringer - Katrina the Class Four Hurricane (2005) Okay, up next is a song that has nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas, but I just can't wait to share it. Let's call it my Christmas present to you. This recording is very, very rare and while it was recorded in 1982, it was just released this month, on iTunes only. Here's the reason it's so rare and historic. It's by Christine Jorgensen. Now, most of you should know that Christine was the first person to receive major media attention when she had a sex change operation. This was in 1952, and in 1958 an interview with her was released on a vinyl LP, called "Christine Jorgensen Reveals." But that was the extent of it. While she made herself a career in show business for most of the rest of her life no recordings of her night club shows surfaced. Until now. In the show she does some singing, tells stories about celebrities and does some impressions. The song you'll hear in this short sketch is, for Christine Jorgensen, I think, very appropriate. Christine Jorgensen - I Enjoy Being a Girl (1982) "I Enjoy Being a Girl" by Christine Jorgensen, and that was a very edited preview of it. As it will only be available as an iTunes download, the producer asked me not to "give away" the whole song, perfectly understandable. I encourage you to explore this part of our history by getting the whole recording. Back to holiday songs, and for those of you who only know Sandra Bernhard for her abrasive comedy and guest spots on the Roseanne show and others, well, she's also a talented songwriter and singer, as you'll see with her song "Miracle of Lights." Sandra Bernhard - Miracle of Lights (2006) Sandra Bernhard, and that's from a brand new various artists album called "Breaking for the Holidays." In my August show I played an artist named David Lasley. He's known more for his work as a session singer. For the last 26 years he's been a prolific background vocalist on the albums of James Taylor, Bette Midler, Bonnie Raitt, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Cher, and on and on. I persuaded him to send me this unlreased Christmas song. It's from 1999 and is called "This Christmas This Year." David Lasley - This Christmas This Year (1999) I've got one more song in the show, but before I get to it, I want to thank you all for tuning in. You can see photos of all the artists and recordings on tonight's show and view the playlist at my website, at www.queermusicheritage.com. And you can also hear the show and all my past Xmas shows there as well. If you go to my site you'll find a longer version of this show, with additional songs, some of which, well, I just can't play on broadcast radio, if I want to keep doing this. I'm doing three xmas shows this year, one found on my site only, so there's lots to listen to this year. If you have questions or comments about any of the music I've featured, you can write to me and I'd love to hear from you. This is JD Doyle for Queer Voices on KPFT in Houston, and I'll be back next Monday, Christmas Day, with Part 2 of my Queer Music Heritage Christmas Special. I started this show with RuPaul and already told you I would end it with her. Last year she released a really neat Christmas song, and it showed up as an extra track on her remix single of the song "People Are People," which came out just too late to include on last year's shows. So I've been saving it. Here's RuPaul and "I Just Can't Wait For Christmas" RuPaul - I Just Can't Wait For Christmas (2005)
Welcome to Part 2 of the Queer Music Heritage Queer Xmas Special Deian McBryde & Tracy Stark- Winter Wonderland (2005) This is JD Doyle and thanks for joining me here on Queer Voices for the second part of my Queer Music Xmas Special. Opening the show was a politically correct version of "Winter Wonderland" as done by Deian McBryde and Tracy Stark. The song is unreleased and I thank Deian for providing it to me. Every year I love putting together these shows that are packed full of the Christmas music you won't be sick of by now. I gather this music all year and have very seldom repeated any songs over the years, but I do have one I want to bring back. I played it on my very first Queer Xmas show in 2000, and I think it's a terrific duet. It's by Gary Imhoff & Robert Patteri, and is called "Our First Christmas". It's from a 1993 musical called "All That He Was." Gary Imhoff &
Robert Patteri - Our First Christmas (1993) Following the song "Our First Christmas" were two songs from the brand new Christmas album by San Francisco cabaret artist Russ Lorenson. You heard the title track, "That's What I Want For Christmas" and "Christmas in San Francisco." And from San Francisco I'm taking you to England for a visit with one of the creations of Christopher Green. For years he's been doing shows making many of his characters come alive, but the character who attracted my attention is a Nashville country singer named Tina C. Now, Tina C is of course from Tennessee, get it? I have a number of her albums and played several songs by her on my April show. Her latest CD is brand new, called "I'm Dreaming of a White Trash Christmas." Tina C - The Night
Santy Claus Died (2006) You heard Tina C sing "The Night Santy Claus Died" and "Up on the Roof." As you can see Tina C's career is destined to reach, well, somewhere south of stardom. On my October show I interviewed an artist who is a long-time favorite of mine, Steve Cohen, and I saved this piece of the interview for now, as he's describes a song from his first album, "Silent Too Long." I asked him to tell me about the song "Home for the Holidays." Steve Cohen comment (2006) It's fairly true to
home. Yeah, I guess I was just trying to figure out how it is that
holidays can be an awkward time. I know like in my house my mother
has always longed for the perfect holiday gathering, where everybody
would be like a normal family. And I just don't think any family is
like that. That was Steve Cohen, who is now going by the name Elton Costello. He's doing this because, well, there are just too many Steve Cohen's doing music on the internet. And let's pick up the pace a little with Jennifer Corday. Back in 1996 she had a backing band and they called themselves Corday & the Curious. They released a cassette single called "Mr St Nick." Just try finding a copy. Corday & the Curious
- Mr St Nick (1996) Whoa, they've had way too much eggnog. That was Justin Bond and Kenny Mellman, but the world knows them better as Kiki & Herb, who have parlayed their impressions of a second-rate lounge act all the way to Carnegie Hall, where this next act belongs. Kinsey Sicks - Self-Esteem (1997) What would one of my xmas shows be without the Kinsey Sicks, and while they released their own Christmas album in 2005, called "Oy Vey In a Manger," I picked one of their less obvious holiday songs. It was called "Self-Esteem" and came from their debut album from 1997, "Dragapella." Time for some chorus music, and I have two different choruses to share with you. First, back in 1979 the Montrose Singers were founded, and that group evolved into the Gay Men's Chorus of Houston. Recently a new group in Houston was formed, the Bayou City Women's Chorus, and both groups, with their combined membership of over 175, now perform under the umbrella organization Bayou City Performing Arts. Their first recording under this name just came out this month and is called "A New Season - Live." It's an excellent showcase of both groups, with plenty of diversity in the musical selections. One that particularly caught my attention was written by Fred Small. Pete Seeger has called Fred Small one of America's best songwriters, and I think Fred Small qualifies to be an honorary gay person, since over the years he's written a number of wonderful songs that address gay issues, including one I place in the anthem category, called "Everything Possible." But the song the Bayou City Performing Arts chose for their new album was one that was new to me, and is the true story of when the KKK came to Billings, Montana. It's called "Not In Our Town." Bayou City Performing
Arts - Not In Our Town (2006) I followed "Not In Our Town" with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus who were "Coming Out at Christmas," as done on their 2005 album "Home for the Holidays." Andrews Sisters - Jingle Bells (1943) I wonder how many of you knew that one of the Andrews Sisters (Maxine) was gay? I have that on good report from one of my cabaret friends in New York City, who knew her. And this is a good time to invite you to check out my website. If you visit it while you're listening you can see the playlist and follow along, while looking at photos of the artists and recordings. I've always considered our music history as a visual as well as an audial experience. Again, that's at www.queermusicheritage.com. Also, for more very queer programming, please listen to After Hours with Jimmy Carper, every Friday night/Saturday morning from 1 to 4 am, on KPFT, it's Queer Radio, with attitude. Robert Anton - Happy
New Year (2005) In that set you heard Robert Anton, singing "Happy New Year" from his 2005 album "What About Christmas." And following Robert was Sam Harris, with a track called "One More Sleep." The song originally comes from the movie "Muppet Christmas Carol," and can only be found on a various artists CD from 1996 called "A Hollywood Christmas." I've been watching Sam Harris this year on the TV show called "The Class," where he plays a flamboyantly gay straight person. Next up is Laura Nyro, and I think her version of these two songs is just beautiful. It's from her album from 1990 called "Live from the Mountain Stage." Laura Nyro - Let It
Be Me / The Christmas Song (1990) After Laura Nyro's "Let It Be Me" and "The Christmas Song" came "We Need a Little Christmas" by Janet Villas. Normally a member of the New York City Opera, she proved she can also do some jazzy holiday music on her CD "Christmas Card." Feel like some holday dance music, here's Joi Cardwell. Joi Cardwell - My First Christmas With You (2004) Yes, you're right, that was called "My First Christmas With You," and it was one of four remixes you can find on a CD single from 2004. Again that was by Joi Cardwell. Every few years Jill Sobule releases a CD EP that is only available from her website. Her latest one, from 2005, is called "It's the Thought That Counts." From it are two very low key songs. The first is called "Christmas Is the Saddest Day of the Year" and the second is about Christmas shoplifting. Jill Sobule - Christmas
Is the Saddest Day of the Year (2005) I followed Jill Sobule's shoplifting song called "That Hat" with Debbie Friedman. She has a long noteworthy career, recording 19 albums in the last 35 years, with many of the songs sung in Hebrew. Did you hear that? That was the sound of a closet door in Denmark having its hinges flung way off. Last summer I discovered a very gay Danish artist who performs under the name Tomboy, and I played his song "OK2BGAY" on my August show. On his site he says he tried to work as many gay cliches into the song as possible. And you should see the video, camp for days. Here's a sample of the song: Tomboy - OK2BGAY (2006, part) Now, I know that's not a Christmas song, but I couldn't resist letting you hear it as in introduction to the other song by him I want to play. His full length album was just released and I was delighted that it contains a Christmas song, and, you know, I believe this is the first Christmas song where the singer talks about his two gay daddies. It's called "When I Saw Santa" Tomboy - When I Saw Santa (2006) Again, that was Tomboy. Up next, well, Christmas Greetings from Liberace, from over 50 years ago. Liberace - Christmas
Greetings (1954) And, following Liberace was a quick 30 seconds from Rufus Wainwright, from a GAP TV ad from 1998, and we're coming up to the last song of the show, which has become a tradition. But before I get to it, I want to thank you all for tuning in. You can see photos of all the artists and recordings on tonight's show and view the playlist at my website, at www.queermusicheritage.com, and queermusicheritage.us, and queermusicheritage.org. And if you still haven't heard enough xmas music, well, I did three shows this year, and one can only be found on my site. And you can also hear all my past Xmas shows there as well. That adds up to over 15 hours of very queer Xmas music. Gee, you could download those to your iPod, and walk around town, well, very gay. And if you have questions or comments about any of the music I've featured, please write me. This is JD Doyle for Queer Voices on KPFT in Houston, and I'll be back with a new edition of Queer Music Heritage on the 4th Monday of next month. I can hardly believe it, but that will be my 7th anniversary show, and it will feature a special interview with Tret Fure. For the last five years this last song has become a tradition on my Christmas shows, and I love ending the show with it. In 2002 Jimmy James released an album called "Have Yourself a Jimmy James Merry Christmas," which has her doing holiday songs using her uncanny impressions of Cher, Eartha Kitt, Mae West, Judy Garland, and others, including my favorite. Let's ask Bette Davis what she thinks of it. Bette Davis, "I Don't Think That's Funny" Jimmy James - Feliz Navidad (2002)
Gay Liberation Quire - Hark the Herald Fairies Shout (1981) Welcome to Queer Music Heritage. I'm
JD Doyle and this is a special bonus edition of this year's show,
and that song was the very first song I played on my very first queer
xmas special, back in 2000. It's by the Gay Liberation Quire of Sydney,
Australia. And they spelled Quire, q-u-i-r-e. They formed in 1981
and in 1983 released an EP single called "The Gay Liberation
Quire Goes Down On Vinyl." Pansy Division - Homo Christmas (1995) Pansy Division's very explicit "Homo Christmas," from their 1995 CD "Pile Up." And up next are two more that made my list of top ten queer xmas songs. First is Martin Swinger, a long-time favorite of mine, and his "Christmas Blues," all about being dumped on Christmas Eve. You can find it on his 1998 album "Scrapbook" and also on his CD called "Bear Naked." Martin Swinger - Christmas
Blues (1998) After Martin Swinger you heard Dennis Hensley and "Doesn't Seem Like Christmas," from his wonderful 1999 album "The Water's Fine." But this show was not intended to be a recap of the Outsmart article, and all of the songs I mentioned there can be heard on my past shows. I have lots and lots of xmas songs by GLBT artists that I've never played, and this next one is brand new. It just came out on a various artists benefit CD called "A Winter's Wish" and it features Jai Rodriguez. He's more known now from the show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," but he's also done musicals. Here's his version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Jai Rodriguez - Have
Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (2006) Very nice. That was Patricia Barber, who is quite well known in jazz circles and she recorded that song in 2000. Switching from jazz to blues, let's visit with the group Saffire, also known as the Uppity Blues Women, and the group features out lesbian Gaye Adegbalalo. Here's two songs by them, "One Parent Christmas," from 1992, and "Really Been Good This Year," from 2003. Saffire - One Parent
Christmas (1992) Saffire, Those Uppity Blues Women. And this is a good time to remind you that you are listening to Queer Music Heritage. Also, for more very queer programming, please listen to After Hours with Jimmy Carper, every Friday night/Saturday morning from 1 to 4 am, on KPFT, it's Queer Radio, with attitude. And next are two Christmas singles, the first is from 2004 and is by Hawaiian artist Kim Char Meredith, singing "You Are My Holiday," which is available as a free download from her site. Kim Char Meredith
- You Are My Holiday (2004) I followed Kim Char Meredith with Nadine Goellner, singing her CD single "It Must Be Christmastime," from 2002. And here's another female artist, Sean Wiggins. On her 2003 album "I Gotta Be Me," you can find this bonus track, "Baby, Let's Make Up For Christmas." Sean Wiggins - Baby
Let's Make Up For Christmas (2003) If that last song had kind of an "old bluesy" feel to it, well, there's a good reason. The original version was recorded in 1925 by Bessie Smith, but this time it's was updated just a bit in 2002 by Erin McKeown, and that can only be found on a various artists CD called "Wonderland." One type of music I tend to overlook on my shows are instrumentals, and I don't mean to, but on QMH I'm usually more interested in the message in the music. But here's an interesting track by Dennis Milone, called "In the City/Silver Bells." Dennis Milone - In the City/Silver Bells (2003) Dennis Milone. Unfortunately he's not released that track commercially, but if you like his brand of electronic new age music, he's released two CDs, "Digital Realms" and "Propinquity." Another song I've been meaning to play for quite a while is from 2000 and is by David Mahr. It's a bit of synth-pop called "It's Gonna be a Snow White Christmas." David Mahr - It's
Gonna Be a Snow White Christmas (2000) I followed David Mahr with two tracks by artist and producer Richard Morel, who just goes by his last name. When he's not working on his own music, he probably can be found in his studios, remixing tracks under the name Pink Noise for folks like Depeche Mode, the Pet Shop Boys and Madonna. One of my favorite duos is Jason & deMarco. I'm sharing with you "Deck the Halls," which they released on their 2002 album "The Spirit of Christmas," and I'm following it with a Christmas song they haven't released. Jason & deMarco
- Deck the Halls (2002) That last track was a solo by deMarco, from a concert from 2003. It was called "Don't Save It All." In part 1 of this show I played a holiday song by Namoli Brennet from 2004. Well she's also got a new one this year, available only from her site. Here's "Snow Angels." Namoli Brennet - Snow Angels (2006) See why I like this artist so much? Namoli Brennet. And now for perhaps one of the most somber songs on these holiday shows. In 1994 a choral group was formed in Dallas, called Positive Voices, made up of HIV positive singers. They released two CDs and I played a couple tracks from their second CD, "Until It's Over," on my show last month. This time from their debut CD from 1995, called "Windows of Hope," is the song "Too Many Silent Nights." Positive Voices - Too Many Silent Nights (1995) That was the group Positive Voices.. Next up are three young artists whose Christmas songs I discovered on the myspace.com site. Out of California William Corey has not released a CD yet, but has produced this song, called "Radio Christmas." William Corey - Radio
Christmas (2005) Following William Corey was an artist going by Ennio, out of Toronto, and on his site he says he just wanted to write a sad Christmas song. And this next artist also had the creative urge inspire him at the last minute. This song premiered on December 13th. He goes by Gene-Manuel and the song is "Snowlight." Gene-Manuel - Snowlight (2006) Again, that was Gene-Manuel. I search for holiday music all year long and especially when preparing these shows. When I was finishing up this year I thought I'd go to the site youtube.com and do a search on the words "gay" and "christmas," and right away found an artist new to me, Darren Stewart-Jones. He's from the UK but now living in Toronto and has put together an EP called "Xmas Fourplay." It contains a gay version of an old classic that is long overdue. Here's Darren Stewart-Jones, and "Santa Baby" Darren Stewart-Jones - Santa Baby (2006) Ah, "Santa Baby," hurry down that chimney. That was Darren Stewart-Jones. Before we close I want to slip in a political parody by a straight act. It's from 1994 so may be just a little dated but I think it's still worthwhild. It's by the Capitol Steps, from their CD "All I Want for Christmas Is a Tax Increase." The song is called "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Capitol Steps - Don't Ask Don't Tell (1994) Okay, finally, finally, I'm down to the last song of Part 3 of my Queer Xmas Special. But before I get to it, of course I want to thank you all for tuning in. I'm not going to plug my website again, because if you're listening to this part of the show, well, you're already there. But I will say that if you have questions or comments about any of the music I've featured, please write me. This is JD Doyle for Queer Voices on KPFT in Houston. Now, for the last song, and well, I usually don't play anything so mainstream, but it is a good song. From 1984, here's Queen and "Thank God, It's Christmas." Queen - Thank God, It's Christmas (1984)
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