American singers Kesha and Bob Dylan dedicates recreation of classic songs to LGBTQ couples
Love songs are traditionally made from a heterosexual perspective. An image of a true love when a guy falls in love with a girl or a girl falls in love with the guy. However, some legendary singers from the United States of America have brought something new for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)community.
American singers-songwriters Kesha, Bob Dylan, St. Vincent, Ben Gibbard, Valerie June and Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke have honoured LGBT community by introducing an album called “Universal Love.” featuring six songs with a same-sex love theme.
Singers have changed pronouns on such songs with a lyrical variation as "She's funny that way" and "I need a man to love me" thinking that these new versions may be used by the same-sex couples at their weddings.
Kesha has covered Janis Joplin’s song, 'I Need a Man to Love', turning the 'man' into a 'woman', which goes like 'I Need a woman to Love' while Kele Okereke has done The Temptations’ cover, My Girl, as My Guy.
The six-song album, "Universal Love", was released on this April 4.
"I've always been an advocate for equal rights. It's an issue that is so close to my heart. It is something that is part of my family, part of my friends and is a part of me," Kesha said in a video interview released along with the album.
"When I was approached for this project, I said yes, instantly. It was a no-brainer, and I fought my entire life and career for equality, and I will continue to do so forever," she added.
Dylan recreated the song with twisting the lyrical part of "She's funny that way" into "He's funny that way". St. Vincent set The Crystals' "Then he kissed me" to "Then she kissed me".
St. Vincent said: "If you look at the history of music, you will get an idea that it's always been about changing the culture. If you are a true musician, if you are a writer or a storyteller, you get to tell the stories that people see themselves in. The great thing about music is that transcends all the barriers, and it goes right to people's heart, and everyone has a heart."
The other altered tracks are Ben Gibbard covering the one from the Beatles’ “And I Love Her” which was recreated to “Him”) and Valerie June recreated “Mad About the Boy” which was changed to “Girl.”
“If you look at the history of pop music, love songs have predominantly come from one heterosexual perspective,” said Tom Murphy, a co-producer of “Universal Love,” said. “If we view music as something that brings people together, shouldn’t these popular songs be open to everyone? If definitions of love and marriage are changing and becoming more inclusive, maybe it's time love songs caught up." He told The New York Times.
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First published: 9 April 2018, 15:24 IST