Pride Songs

When I started researching for this article, I did not expect it to turn into mostly Foo Fighters and Paramore songs. I was happily surprised that I found so many songs from them. In this article I am going to take songs that are not necessarily gay songs and relate them to pride and coming out.

I am going to start with the Foo Fighters. In their song the Pretender the opening line is “ Keep you in the dark You know they all pretend Keep you in the dark And so it all began” If this does not describe most people before they come out, I do not know what does. I do not know how you can put it any better. Another line is “ What if I say I am not like the others?” This whole song can be applied to gay culture. Every verse just hits your soul. The final line I am going to quote is “ I'm the voice inside your head You refuse to hear” This can apply when you are trying to figure out who you are and not listening to the voices inside your head that are telling you are different.

In their song Walk there are a few lines that can be applied to pride. “I think I found my place

Can't you feel it growing stronger Little conquerors” Finding your place in the community can be hard, but once you find your placed it is amazing. You feel like you can do anything. The line “Now

For the very first time Don't you pay no mind Set me free, again To keep alive, a moment at a time That's still inside, a whisper to a riot The sacrifice, the knowing to survive The first decline, another state of mind” This line has a lot in it. It is describing the moment when you final come out and are free. It also can be used to describe the beginning of the movement. The sacrifice of the people that made us who we are today.

The last song of the Foo Fighters I am going to talk about is Best of You. The line that relates is “Were you born to resist or be abused Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you” Are you going to resist the norm and be who you are or be ashamed of who you are and let society abuse you and make you hide who you are?

The next group is Paramore. Like I mentioned in the intro I am really surprised at how many songs I found that relate to pride by them. The first song is Let the Flames Begin. This song definitely describes how some of us feel when figuring out ourselves. The opening line is “What a shame we all became Such fragile, broken things A memory remains, just a tiny spark” we can feel fragile and like we are broken. We are taught that there is something wrong with us. This is another song just like The Pretender that I can say something about every line. “Somewhere weakness is our strength” Our weakness can be powerful. We can seem small and weak as individuals , but as a group we can roar. “I believe that there's hope buried beneath it all and Hiding beneath it all and Growing beneath it all” We hid who we are. Sometimes we bury it so deep that it takes forever to come back to the surface.

We are Broken is another Paramore song. The first two stanzas and the chorus hit home. “I am outside And I've been waiting for the sun With my wide eyes I've seen worlds that don't belong My mouth is dry With words I cannot verbalize Tell me why we live like this” A lot of people do not think we belong in this world. They wish we would disappear. Sometimes you are in a place where you can not come out safely. “'Cause we are broken What must we do to restore Our innocence And all the promise we adored?” This has two meanings. The world sees us as broken. We can also see ourselves as broken.

The last song is Last Hope. “ I don't even know myself at all

I thought I would be happy by now The more I try to push it, I realize Gotta let go of control” If you are still in the closet you may not know yourself yet. If you are out, you may not be happy immediately. It may take a while.

One last point on Paramore. Their album Brand New Eyes almost every song can relate to pride and coming out.

I am going to talk about three songs that are not Paramore or Foo Fighters. The first is Born This Way by Lady Gaga. “I'm beautiful in my way 'Cause God makes no mistakes I'm on the right track, baby I was born this way Don't hide yourself in regret Just love yourself, and you're set I'm on the right track, baby I was born this way (Born this way)” We need to love who we are. We are exactly who we are meant to be. Do not let anyone tell you any different. “No matter gay, straight, or bi Lesbian, transgendered life I'm on the right track, baby I was born to survive” This line says it all.

The next song is The Climb by Miley Cyrus. Once again, this whole song can relate to pride and coming out. “The struggles I'm facing The chances I'm taking Sometimes might knock me down But no, I'm not breaking I may not know it But these are the moments that I'm gonna remember most, yeah Just gotta keep going” We all struggle with when and how to come out. We are taking big chances sometimes to be happy. You will remember the moment you decide to come out forever.

The last song I am going to talk about is Hope Ur Ok by Olivia Rodrigo. “ Her parents hated who she loved” It is always a risk that you take when you come out that your parents will not understand and they may even kick you out. “She was tired 'cause she was brought into a world Where family was merely blood” This line just rips my heart out. There is no escape for the people that have been trapped with parents that think like this. You need friends that will help you on your journey. For some people friends become their family after they come out.

I hope I have shown that a song does not have to be pride related to be pride related. I hope you look at songs a little differently now. I recommend all they songs especially the Brand New Eyes album.