Four years ago today, California became the second state in the nation to legalize same sex marriage. Today, same sex marriages are performed in seven states and recognized in three additional states. Last week was a big week for same sex marriages with North Carolina banning it just a day before Obama became the first sitting president to come out in favor of it. To show StGA’s solidarity with the same sex marriage movement, here are our top 10 favorite pro-gay songs.

10. Pink “Raise Your Glass”
There is nothing specific in “Raise Your Glass” that is pro-gay but the track’s video definitely is. The myth behind the song says that the song was written for Pink‘s gay best friend; whether or not that is true, I can not confirm but the fact is that the song is part of a modern movement of songs pushing an agenda of acceptance.
MP3: Pink “Raise Your Glass”

09. Blur “Girls & Boys”
“Girls & Boys” was Blur‘s biggest single in America, reaching number 5 on the charts. The track became an anthem for sexual freedom but the chorus of “girls who are boys who like boys to be girls who do boys like they’re girls who do girls like they’re boys always should be someone you really love” lead many to believe that the song was also a call for an end to sexual labels. Either way with the fun disco beat, I am not sure why this song never became known as a gay anthem.
MP3: Blur “Girls & Boys”

08. David Bowie “Boys Keep Swinging”
David Bowie became a gay icon by spending most of his career being androgynous while still being incredibly sexual. In the midst of its drag-queen-featuring video and sly lyrics like “when your a boy, other boys check you out,” “Boys Keep Swinging” became Bowie’s biggest gay anthem.
MP3: David Bowie “Boys Keep Swinging”

07. Scissor Sisters “Take Your Mama Out”
Scissor Sisters are one of the premier gay bands in the country. I mean, they are named after a sexual position between two women. Their track “Take Your Mama Out” is their most powerful “gay anthem.” The track is about a young boy coming out to his mother who does not seem to understand. His response is to take his mama out and show her what it is all about. A perfectly normal reaction.
MP3: Scissor Sisters “Take Your Mama Out”

06. Christina Aguilera “Beautiful”
Although not exclusive to gay rights, Christina Aguilera‘s 2002 single “Beautiful” was a song of acceptance. The music video for the song definitely pushed its gay agenda with plenty of men and women in drag. It was not exactly a rallying cry but you will not find many in the LGBT community that did not feel supported by the song.
MP3: Christina Aguilera “Beautiful (Live at the 46th Grammys)”

05. Mista Majah P “Love and Tolerance”
Oakland’s Mista Majah P released what was called “the world’s first pro-gay reggae album” last year. The named Tolerance includes songs in support of same-sex marriage and adoption by gay couples, as well as attacks on homophobic bullying and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The album’s lead single was “Love and Tolerance.”

04. Ke$ha “We R Who We R”
Ke$ha seems so distinctly vapid with her constant text spelling and drunk party girl image, that I hate to give her props but “We R Who We R” is one of the highest charting pro-gay songs in recent memory. The song is a response to a rash of gay suicides. Of the song, Ke$ha said it is a calling for “people being themselves unapologetically.”
MP3: Ke$ha “We R Who We R”

03. Atom and His Package “Hats Off to Halford”
Everything Atom and His Package did was a little tongue-in-cheek but I think because of his non-traditional voice and quirky musical accompaniment, he was taken a lot less seriously than he should have been. Atom dealt with a lot of social and political issues that other artists might not have touched. Take “Hats Off to Helford,” an ode to the bravery of Rob Halford to be outwardly gay in the metal community. Sure the track is tongue-in-cheek but at the same time, it is extremely pro-gay.
MP3: Atom and His Package “Hats Off to Halford”

02. Tom Robinson “Glad To Be Gay”
In the litany of gay anthems, Tom Robinson‘s 1978 single “Glad to Be” has to be one of the firsts. The song never gained traction in the US but rose to number 18 on the UK singles chart.
MP3: Tom Robinson “Glad To Be Gay”

01. Lady Gaga “Born This Way”
Upon hearing “Born This Way,” Elton John said that the song would replace “I Will Survive” as the defacto gay anthem. I am not sure if it quite to that level but it is Lady Gaga‘s most powerful statement of “we’re here, we’re queer, get used to it.”
MP3: Lady Gaga “Born This Way”

Sunday is Mother’s Day. Hopefully by now you have secured a present for your mother. But if not, have no fear, Surviving the Golden Age has ten songs that would make a pretty good Mother’s Day mixtape if your mother would enjoy such things. If not, flowers are probably a good second option.

10. Yung Joc “Momma”
Yung Joc’s 2007 album, Hustlenomics contained the anthem to his mother, “Momma.” The song has an anecdotal feel to it with lines like “I got kicked out of school/she had to talk to my principal/Yeah she kicked my ass, but her love is unconditional” and “She could take Spam and make a first class meal.”
MP3: Yung Joc “Momma”

09. The Catalina Rhyme Mixers “Mama’s Fallin’ (Tom Petty // 2Pac)”
As someone who writes about hip hop, I know it is dangerous to say that I do not like 2pac but typically, I am not a fan. His track “Dear Mama” is generally considered one of hip hop’s best odes to mothers. I did not enjoy the song really until The Catalina Rhyme Mixers mashed it up with Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.”
MP3: The Catalina Rhyme Mixers “Mama’s Fallin’ (Tom Petty // 2Pac)”

08. The Lonely Island featuring Justin Timberlake “Motherlover”
Every track can not be a deadly serious, tear-jerking song about mothers because every moment with your mother is not a serious moment (hopefully). So enter Lonely Island and Justin Timberlake‘s “Motherlover,” one of the few Lonely Island track that translates without the aid of a video.
MP3: The Lonely Island featuring Justin Timberlake “Motherlover”

07. Brand Nubian “Momma”
Brand Nubian‘s “Momma” has a storytelling quality to it that I like. Lord Jamar’s opening verse sets the tone, telling the story of he and his brother’s birth and his mother’s plight during the ordeal. But the star is Sadat X’s verse that starts with “still lookin elegant/Front page, Ebony, Jet/Pam Grier threat in seventy-four/What these bitches is wearin now, she wore before.”
MP3: Brand Nubian “Momma”

06. Tracy Bonham “Mother, Mother”
In the 90s, I thought Tracy Bonham‘s “Mother, Mother” was just a bad ass song but as I grew older I understood the song better. The song is about those days when you are already in a bad mood and your mom calls, asks you a million questions, and you just want to scream “I’m losing my mind!/Everything’s fine!” but you don’t because its your mom. So instead you put those sentiments in a song.
MP3: Tracy Bonham “Mother, Mother”

05. Ghostface Killah “Momma”
Before Ghostface released his R&B-tinged Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City, he released “Momma” on his Fishscale album. The track tells the plight of the single mother in some graphic detail. Ghost raps “she Lost her first child in 74/and that lead to nervous breakdowns, Bicardi dark, she downin it raw/she can’t take it, she constantly cryin, fallin down on her knees/like help me lord please I’m ready to leave.”
MP3: Ghostface Killah “Momma”

04. Paul Simon “Mother and Child Reunion”
Most people assume Paul Simon wrote “Mother and Child Reunion” after a deep and personal loss. In interviews though he dispelled this rumor by saying the song’s title was stolen from a Chinese restaurant dish comprised of chicken and eggs. Since those comments seem to trivialize the meaning of the song, I thought I would trivialize it further by posting the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes‘ version of the song.
MP3: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes “Mother and Child Reunion”

03. Eminem “Cleanin Out My Closet”
Not every mother/son relationship is perfect–look at Eminem and his mom. Although I am not the biggest Eminem fan, there is certain “angry teenage journal” quality about “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” that is so raw, angry, and uncomfortably frank that it is hard to look away from.
MP3: Eminem “Cleanin Out My Closet”

02. Boyz II Men “A Song Of Mama”
No one can belt out a ballad like Boyz II Men. So Boyz II Men opining about mothers seems like a shoo-in. “A Song of Mama” is five minutes of pure mama-melancholy. I dare you to listen of this and not get the urge to call your mother.
MP3: Boyz II Men “A Song Of Mama”

01. Kanye West “Hey Mama”
Kanye West‘s “Hey Mama” has always been one of my favorite “mom” songs. After losing his mother in 2007, he released an extra-heartbreaking edition of the song. So as to not get too sappy, I am featuring the original one here. Still I have trouble not tearing up a little listening to the track.
MP3: Kanye West “Hey Mama”

In the olden days, May Day was a holiday where a May Queen is crowned, where a May pole is erected, and where Morris dancing is a thing. In modern times, May Day has become a chance to fight for workers’ rights. With the recent unrest in the Occupy movement, May Day 2012 is looking to be the most protest-filled May Day since the 70s. In order to celebrate, we take a look at our top 10 favorite protest songs.

10. Max Burgundy “Save Ferris (Fuck My Job)”
If you are going to write an angry rap song about hating your job, what better way to do it than sampling The Office theme song? That is exactly what Max Burgundy does with “Save Ferris.” On the track, Burgundy rejects the idea of work and instead says he going to let his pants sag and eat oreos for breakfast.
MP3: Max Burgundy “Save Ferris (Fuck My Job)”

09. Strike Anywhere “You’re Fired”
Strike Anywhere is one of the most social and politically conscious bands in punk and they kicked off their debut album, Change is a Sound with “You’re Fired.” The track does a wonderful job of highlighting the oppression of capitalism in two minutes flat.
MP3: Strike Anywhere “You’re Fired”

08. R.E.M. “Finest Worksong”
For being often mealy-mouthed and obtuse, Michael Stipe pens a surprisingly easy to understand working man’s song with “Finest Worksong.” Though some people might miss the “Throw Thoreau” reference to Henry David Thoreau’s anti-work/society ethics but everyone can understand Bill Berry’s “hammering of railroad spikes” drum beat.
MP3: R.E.M. “Finest Worksong [other mix]“

07. The Ramones “It’s Not My Place (In the 9 to 5 World)”
The Ramones are no strangers to writing anthems but “It’s Not My Place (In the 9 to 5 World)” seemed to become the rallying cry of many disenfranchised youth in the early 80s. Kids rebelling against the standard message of “go to school so you can get a good job so you can work the rest of your life.” Joey Ramone instead penned a track that said “I’d rather stay home and watch TV.”
MP3: The Ramones “It’s Not My Place (In the 9 to 5 World)”

06. Dolly Parton “9 to 5″
It might seem cheesy, but Dolly Parton‘s “9 to 5″ was a working woman’s anthem. The 70s were the highlight of the second-wave of feminism, and “9 to 5″ seemed to embody all that women had accomplished in the decade by presenting an empower but frustrated protagonist.
MP3: Dolly Parton “9 to 5″

05. Cam’ron “I Hate My Job”
In the late aughts, “recession rap” became a real thing. The typical “money, power, respect” message gave way to no money, no power, and feeling disrespected rap. The best of this genre was Cam’ron light-hearted but chord-striking “I Hate My Job.” For people with a typical 9-5, the first verse stanza should hit home “I woke up late, didn’t even have a shower/Lunch break? Give me a break, a damn half an hour/All this bullshit for twelve bucks an hour/Plug me to Chuck D, wanna Fight the Power.”
MP3: Cam’ron “I Hate My Job”

04. Dropkick Murphys “Do Or Die”
My first introduction to songs of workers’ rights was the titular song from Dropkick Murphys‘ debut album, Do Or Die. The track is filled with Dropkick Murphys’ punk fury but the lyrics are what make this song special. The lyrics deal with the history of Unions, from Reagan’s less than friendly policies to Unions’ waning power in the 90s. The track is an anthem for future Union rights protests.
MP3: Dropkick Murphys “Do Or Die”

03. Piebald “Still We Let It Choke Us”
For a decent part of their early career, Piebald was considered an “emo band.” While they may have projected some qualities of emo, their lyrics were anything but. To prove this I point to their anti-work bohemeith “Still We Let It Choke Us.” The stanza of “Tie is on tight for eight hours every day now/you cannot breathe/no time for yourself/what if your paperwork caught on fire?” still gets me every time.
MP3: Piebald “Still We Let It Choke Us”

02. Johnny Paycheck “Take This Job and Shove It”
Since 1977, when Johnny Paycheck‘s cover of David Allan Coe‘s “Take This Job and Shove It” hit number one on the country charts in 1977, I wonder how many people have quit their jobs using the song’s refrain? I would think that anyone who has ever quit a job has wanted to say it but only a certain amount of people have the balls to spit it out.
MP3: Johnny Paycheck “Take This Job and Shove It”

01. Bob Dylan “Maggie’s Farm”
For as complex as Bob Dylan’s lyrics can be tricky, but no one can listen to “Maggie’s Farm” and not understand what he is getting at. Verses like “I ain’t gonna work for Maggie’s pa no more/he puts his cigar out in your face just for kicks/His bedroom window is made out of bricks/The National Guard stands around his door” are so stark with imagery that it just makes you want to call out of work forever.
MP3: Bob Dylan “Maggie’s Farm”

Since Mitt Romney has all but locked up the presidential nomination, I decided to discontinue the series of primary-based #TuesdayTop10. But when the primaries are being held in my home state of Connecticut, I have to showcase the nutmeg state. I look at my personal top 10 of favorite bands from the land of steady habits.

10. Ceschi
It is funny how the blog world works sometimes. Ceschi was promoted to me by his label, Fake Four Inc. At the time I had never heard the experimental rapper even though he was based merely 30 minutes from where I lived. I quickly got familiar when I reviewed his album, The One Man Band Broke Up which teetered between hip hop, psychedelic folk, and experimental pop.
MP3: Ceschi featuring Astronautilis “No New York”

09. The Backyard Committee
The Backyard Committee sort of cheat to be on the list because I played bass with them for a few shows. They are the brain child of CT pop-punk veteran, Lucid Mike who created the band as a chance to take it slow(er). No matter the speed of the music, his pop-songwriting sensibility is inescapable.
MP3: The Backyard Committee “We Can’t Stay”

08. The Halo Jump
Long defunct post-emo band, The Halo Jump ruled my little life in 2002. Comprised of members from Lorenji Shift, The Halo Jump were seasoned veterans in a mostly high school dominated scene. Their musical chops and song writing prowess were obviously far beyond most of what was going on in the scene in the early aughts.
MP3: The Halo Jump “My Air Conditioner”

07. Kennesaw
Kennesaw was birthed around the same time as The Halo Jump but became known to me slightly later. Their post-punk sound was well developed and complex not necessarily relying on the stand verse-chorus-verse-chorus format. If their construction or musicianship did not make them standout, their three vocalist approach certainly was an oddity.
MP3: Kennesaw “Phantom Parameters”

06. With Honor
In the mid-2000s, people thought Nutmeggers were lucky to live in Connecticut. It was the impression that the titans of the CT hardcore scene headlined by Hatebreed and With Honor played shows together every weekend. The truth is, I never saw a show featuring both bands but I saw plenty of With Honor shows. Although I was never much of a straight hardcore fan, there was something invigorating about With Honor’s combination of gang vocals, punk influence, and posi-lyrics. They were my one hardcore indulgence.
MP3: With Honor “Rethink, Return”

05. The Flaming Tsunamis
When I was in high school, The Flaming Tsunamis were in high school. Unlike the Flaming Tsunamis, I did not have a legion of fans. Although they started off as a ska band, they ventured into skacore, then hardcore, then mathcore. Their official facebook lists their genre as “confused/ing” which seems appropriate. For those who knew them, whatever genre they were always one of the best bands in Connecticut.
MP3: The Flaming Tsunamis “Opus”

04. Spring Heeled Jack USA
Connecticut is one of the few places in the country where ska is still profitable and that is in large part to Spring Heeled Jack USA. Hot on the heels of Reel Big Fish‘ breakthrough success, SHJ seemed to be poised to be the next to take the leap. The video for their single “Jolene” started getting MTV play when their record label suddenly went belly up. With no label support, the group quickly disbanded.
MP3: Spring Heeled Jack USA “Jolene”

03. Dashboard Confessional
Before Dashboard Confessional was a band, it was just Chris Carrabba’s pseudonym for his solo acoustic project. Although I was not always in love with his music, there was a certain amount of bravery that goes along with standing on stage with an acoustic guitar singing hyper-personal lyrics.
MP3: Dashboard Confessional “Screaming Infidelities”

02. Hot Rod Circuit
Although the band relocated from Alabama, Hot Rod Circuit embraced Connecticut as their home. I had the privileged of interviewing the band in 2002 and they discussed their love for New Haven’s food scene and the Connecticut’s small town feel while being equidistant between major metropolises like New York and Boston. For my purposes, they were a national band from my home state that seemed like normal people and made themselves accessible to fans.
MP3: Hot Rod Circuit “The Pharmacist”

01. Moby
Although Connecticut can boast being the childhood home for Rivers Cuomo, Moby still feels like the biggest artist from Connecticut. Maybe that is because Moby had a local impact being part of several hardcore/punk bands in the mid-80s. Although by the time he got “big” he had retreated to New York, it always feels like a piece of Moby resides in Connecticut.
MP3: Moby “Run On”

This Saturday, April 21st is Record Store Day. In order to help myself (as well as my readers) to prepare, I have the top 10 records I am looking to purchase.

10. Miike Snow: Devil’s Work
Swedish indie pop band, Miike Snow‘s new single, “Devil’s Work” get two remixes on this RSD exclusive 7″. The remixes come from Ruben Haze and Dirty South.

09. Arcade Fire: Sprawl II
Although Arcade Fire‘s seminal album, The Suburbs came out two years ago, the band is still getting mileage out of it. My favorite track on the album gets a seven inch release with “Ready to Start” backing as the b-side.

08. Foster The People: Broken Jaw / Ruby
I was one of many who loved Foster the People‘s single “Pumped Up Kicks.” But I liked their album, Torches as a whole. Torches‘s bonus track “Broken Jaw” gets a formal release backed by the unreleased “Ruby.”

07. Fun.: The Ghost That You Are To Me
fun. is having a monster year. Following the success of Some Nights, fun. releases a three song 10′ for RSD. The record contains three acoustic tracks including a version of “We Are Young.”
MP3: fun. “Some Nights”

06. Portugal. the Man “Got It All”
I was hoping that the Portugal. The Man RSD exclusive single for “Got It All” would include the awesome RZA remix we featured last week. Instead the 7″ features the original track backed by Bjorn of Peter, Bjorn, and John‘s remix.

05. Jimmy Fallon: Tebowie
Jimmy Fallon‘s Tim Tebow/David Bowie hybrid, Tebowie finally gets a physical release. The original “Tebowie” is backed by “Reading Rainbow” on this RSD exclusive.

04. Minus The Bear: Your Private Sky 7″
While Minus the Bear have supposedly already completed their new album, for RSD they release two b-sides from OMNI. The 7″ includes “Your Private Sky” and “South Side Life.”

03. Lana Del Ray: Born To Die (Damon Albarn Remix) / Blue Jeans (Penguin Prison Remix)
Save one Saturday Night Live performance, Lana Del Rey is having a great year. With Born to Die currently being my choice for album of the year, I am excited for her RSD release which will include remixes by Damon Albarn and Penguin Prison.

02. Destroyer: Destroyer’s Rubies
Merge Records releases this RSD exclusive vinyl of Destroyer‘s 2006 album, Destroyer’s Rubies. The album was critically beloved with Pitchfork even naming it number 158 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.

01. Gorillaz featuring James Murphy and Andre 3000 “Do Ya Thing”
The crazy Converse conceptualized dream collaboration between Gorillaz, LCD Soundsystem‘s James Murphy, and Andre 3000 finally get a physical release. Sadly the record is only one sided, so no backing equally nutty pairing.