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Switched on Pop

What makes a gay anthem?

Switched on Pop

Vox Media Podcast Network

Music Interviews, Music History, Music, Music Commentary

4.62.7K Ratings

🗓️ 27 June 2023

⏱️ 36 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Vulture might have killed the song of the summer back in 2016, but if you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it’s hard to argue against “Padam Padam” by Kylie Minogue. The track, released this May, has taken the queer community by storm, quickly becoming ubiquitous and inescapable – it's hard to even scroll on Twitter without a well-timed meme about the "padam-ic" popping up on the timeline. However, Minogue's song hasn't even cracked the Billboard Hot 100; instead, its status has morphed into that of a "gay anthem," a song widely celebrated inside the community but unable to garner longstanding success outside of it. This episode of Switched on Pop, producer Reanna Cruz tackles a question that the LGBTQ+ community has debated over for decades: what makes a gay anthem? Through talking with everyone from academics to their close friends, the answer takes us from Judy Garland to 1920s cabaret to, of course, "Padam Padam." Songs Discussed: Kylie Minogue – Padam Padam Édith Piaf – Padam padam Kylie Minogue – Supernova Mischa Spoliansky – Das lila Lied (The Lavender Song) Queen – I Want To Break Free Lady Gaga – Born This Way London Philharmonic Choir – Amazing Grace Traditional – God Save The King Queen – We Are The Champions Tom Robinson Band – Glad to be Gay Diana Ross – I'm Coming Out Judy Garland – Alone Together (Live At Carnegie Hall/1961) Countess Luann – Chic C'est La Vie Judy Garland – The Trolley Song Lady Gaga – La Vie En Rose Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy Village People – Y.M.C.A. Sylvester – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) Miquel Brown – So Many Men, So Little Time Depeche Mode – Never Let Me Down Again The Weather Girls – It's Raining Men Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

What's new with you?

0:01.4

Let's see.

0:03.0

Oh, you're getting a taste for something different.

0:05.8

I tried them up a little.

0:07.4

Turns out, I like olives.

0:10.4

Relaxing.

0:11.8

Far, far away from the city.

0:13.7

Oh, I needed this.

0:15.7

You needed this.

0:17.6

Oh, and getting together with some old friends

0:20.2

to find your new favorite band.

0:22.3

That show was amazing.

0:24.3

When you are the most you, that's when you're with Amax.

0:27.6

American Express, don't live life without it.

0:29.9

We're going to have a great time.

0:36.9

Welcome to Switched On Pop.

0:44.3

I'm producer, Rihanna Cruz.

0:46.0

And I'm songwriter, Charlie Harding.

0:47.6

So Charlie, I know the idea of a unified song of the summer

0:51.6

is something of the past.

0:53.7

Yeah, back in 2016, Vulture wrote,

0:56.4

the song of summer is dead.

...

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