Not that there's anything wrong with that ...

Reno's views on the song "Johnny, Are You Queer?" impelled me to post this one.

Me, I've always liked that song a lot, along with the rest of Josie Cotton's music. (From her two Eighties releases, that is. I see that she's released at least three other albums that went under my radar, so I'll have to check those out.) I can see where it'd be uncomfortable listening for some people, but I just don't happen to be one of them.

That said, I'd think twice about including that song on my radio show. I have played X's "Los Angeles," about the city that the girl in the song leaves because, among other reasons, she's sick and tired of "every homosexual and the idle rich," The Real Kids' "Do the Boob," whose protagonist hates the local club scene because "the guys are all faggots/The girls look like Lou Reed," and of course, "Five Years," in which Bowie reports that a cop genuflected toward a priest, and "the queer threw up at the sight of that."

Any other references that one can think of? (No, I'm not trying to assemble a whole setlist.)

I've never been able to sort out the point of view of "Les Boys" by Dire Straits. Is it mocking or celebratory? I can't tell.

"Don't Wanna Be Like That" by Joe Jackson has the uncomfortably worded line "The Playboy centerfold leaves me cold/and that ain't 'cause I'm a fag!!" I don't recall if he did that song when I saw him back in 03 touring with the Joe Jackson Band, but it's hard to imagine him spitting out that line in these days.

"Ur So Gay" by Katy Perry

I distinctly remember this blowing up on alt-radio at the time (this was after her CCM phase - as Katy Hudson - but before she was mainstream.)

"Six and Change" - Pagans, which starts with a spoken "Freddie, you didn't have to hit the fag Freddie", then the guitar kicks in and they shout "I HATE QUEERS!!!" before going into the song. (Maybe he saying "You didn't have to hit the bag" and I'm mishearing the rest of it, but....)

"I'm Not a Loser" - Descendants, with the infamous "You fucking homo", etc. lyrics (though apparently they change said lyrics when they play it live nowadays).

And I remember watching "Valley Girl" when Josie Cotton played this song at the high school prom and the backup singers making the "limp wrist" gesture as they sang the "Johnny are you queer?" part near the end of the song.

Fear - "New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones"

The Meatmen have a bunch of songs.

On the flip side, there's the 12 Rods "I Wish You Were a Girl"