5 Classic Rock Songs With LGBTQ Themes
For much of classic rock history, LGBTQ themes were taboo. However, that didn’t stop some classic rock songs from discussing the topic, even if they were subtle about it. Notably, one of The Beatles’ No. 1 hits seems to discuss gender fluidity.
5. The Beatles’ ‘Get Back’
The verses of The Beatles’ “Get Back” portray a handful of people, including Sweet Loretta Martin. In the song, Paul McCartney sings “Sweet Loretta Martin thought she was a woman / But she was another man / All the girls around her say she’s got it coming / But she gets it while she can.” Paul seems to be referencing a trans person or a genderfluid person. If that’s the case, Paul uses outdated tropes to discuss Sweet Loretta Martin.
“Get Back” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a staggering five weeks, meaning it stayed atop the chart for longer than most of The Beatles’ other No. 1 singles. It’s fascinating that the song’s apparent LGBTQ character did not spark any backlash given 1960s mores. On the other hand, the song’s success probably had more to do with The Beatles’ popularity than LGBTQ acceptance.
4. Elvis Presley’s ‘Jailhouse Rock’
In Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock,” one male inmate tells another that he’s cute and the two start to dance. That dance is the titular “jailhouse rock.” According to Rolling Stone, this lyric went completely over the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s head. People in the 1950s must’ve either reacted to the lyric the same way Elvis did or taken it as a joke. After all, implied LGBTQ representation in classic rock songs and other media was often seen as a punchline.
3. The Rolling Stones’ ‘Honky Tonk Women’
In the verses of The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women,” Mick Jagger sings about getting involved with different women in different parts of the world. In the final verse, he sings about strolling naked on the streets of Paris surrounded by charming sailors.
If “Honky Tonk Women” were released today, it might be derided as queerbaiting. In the 1960s, it was likely just seen as another example of The Rolling Stones being edgy.
2. Pete Townshend’s ‘Rough Boys’
Pete Townshend’s “Rough Boys” is on another level compared to the previous classic rock songs. This song is explicitly about one man wanting to be with other men. That’s not a punchline or an implication, it’s the explicit meaning of the song. It also sounds a lot like Kenny Loggins’ later smash hit “Footloose.” In his 2012 book Who I Am: A Memoir, Townshend said he’s “probably bisexual.”
1. Little Richard’s ‘Tutti Frutti’
Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti” is one of the most important songs in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. According to the 1984 book The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Authorized Biography, the original lyrics of “Tutti Frutti” were about gay sex.
That was too risque for the radio, so Little Richard changed the lyrics to include nonsense syllables. The track remains an important part of LGBTQ and music history.
