Here's a song from one of my favorite artists, Jimmy Somerville and Bronski Beat. It's from a live broadcast of Britain's TOTP (Top of the Pops) TV show in 1984. They had just burst upon the music scene. Jimmy would move on to form The Communards a few years later (I'll post a few clips from those recordings at a later date.)
Jimmy became an outspoken, unapologetic icon, especially on his later solo albums. I saw him perform at NYC Pride on the pier back in the 90s. For you film and/or Virginia Woolf fans Jimmy performs in full Elizabethan dress in a cameo scene in the film "Orlando" on the Queen's barge as it floats up river in the early part of the film.
Here is Jimmy performing "Smalltown Boy" which was a huge hit in Europe and the US. It became a sort of Gay anthem that year as AIDS raged on both sides of the pond.
I'm posting this because Jimmy is still singing his sweet little Falsetto head off in this song on tour this summer all over Europe. Which brings me to the next short video. In Berlin this year, a street musician on guitar leaning against a building is singing - - - Smalltown Boy. When Jimmy (of all people) out walking his dog, stops to listen and sing along. He even gives the musician a surprise hug when the guy asks "are you him?" It's cute and powerful at the same time. I mean the song is 30 years old! Think about that.
Jimmy Somerville has covered songs by Donna Summer, Thelma Houston, Sylvester, The Bee Gees, and Gloria Gaynor to name a few biggies. His is a voice like no other.
A little not-so-ancient history for your November Sunday. You're Welcome.
More later.
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