KT Tunstall + Hazel Black = YES.

Dedicated readers know of the considerable draw I have to KT Tunstall. I carried out an infamous (and wishful) case study on her (sub)conscious queer tendencies despite her status as a straight gal.

Delusional?

I never said I operated in the real world.

I will not suffer the strict boundaries of reason when hotties are involved.

As a result, I continue to stumble across delightful morsels of information/music lending itself to earlier, queer-positive arguments....

Case and Point: "Hazel Black"

Tunstall penned this track with Neil Finn and 7 Worlds Collide for the 2009 release, The Sun Came Out. It is pure rock fare, both rousing and kickin' with its hook. Of course, most alluring of all is Tunstall's vocals as she croons about a certain mystical woman by the name of Hazel Black. Now, I know there is nothing explicitly Sapphic in the lyrics -- I would argue it's all in the tone and the cheeky rasp of KT Tunstall's voice. Give it a listen for good measure:

*Drools in her daydreams*......

I first heard it on Friday morning as I was cruising in to the office. When I realized Tunstall was singing about another lady, I cranked it. Oh, CBC Radio 2 -- thank you. I promise to put you on regular rotation from now on.

So, thoughts? Is Hazel Black an object of affection or are the ladies just real good friends? Better yet, if she asked, would you date a woman like Hazel Black? I am sensing a new addition to the Songs I Would Like to Date profile...

Tunes for Tuesdays: Queerish Covers

I will state now: this edition of Tunes for Tuesdays is part of an on-going personal project o' mine. And, yes -- I am recruiting the help of readers across the Blogoverse for future editions.

I am hellbent on a specific manifestation of The Cover Song. Now, I know opinions differ when it comes to the nature of cover songs. Some see it as an unoriginal cop-out carried out for profits alone, others see it as a new avenue for creative re-interpretation of an original and respected track. I tend to belong to the latter category (depending on the cover song in question, of course).

But, I digress.

What's the "specific manifestation of The Cover Song" I refer to?

It is none other than the golden, shimmering example of women appropriating the tracks of male musicians while maintaining their original lyrics, thereby rendering the song "Queer." It is a delicious, illuminating creative endeavour I wish more women would experiment with.

Regular readers will recall their first brush with this concept when I explicated (in a wishful, deluded sense) all of KT Tunstall's abundant queer traits and tendencies. You know, despite her well-publicized hetero history. Hey, a girl can dream, am I right? Anyhow, I found three live performances in which Ms. Tunstall covers Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up In Blue," Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," and The Knack's "My Sharona" (performed with Keren Ann).

Each performance featured one refreshing quality -- rather than switching to male pronouns to denote the beloved, Ms. Tunstall kept the original female pronouns. In essence, I discovered KT Tunstall's general hotness increased in relation to her appropriation of a queer stage persona, at least for the length of those cover songs.

So, there is a correlation between female musicians and cover songs where female pronouns are maintained. Trust me. Trust the science.

Here for the aural pleasure of Cute, Queer, Canadians readers, I give you,

Covers with a Queer Edge:

The Bird and The Bee, "Sara Smile"

(Interpreting the Masters Vol. 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates, 2010)

Original: Hall & Oates, Daryl Hall & John Oates, 1975

"When I feel cold, you warm me/And when I feel I can't go on, you come and hold me/It's you and me forever/Sara Smile/Won't you smile a while for me" -- Mmm hmm. And props to Inara George, the sweetheart of the stage, for whirling through another concert while pregnant. She's a trooper. An insanely talented, driven trooper.

Amy Winehouse, "Valerie"

(Mark Ronson's Version, 2007)

Original: The Zutons, Tired of Hanging Around, 2006)

"Cos since I've come on home/Well my body's been a mess/And I've missed your ginger hair/ And the way you like to dress/Won't you come on over/Stop making a fool out of me/ Why don't you come on over Valerie?" Now, I am rather more partial to her acoustic cover of "Valerie." Click the link, be converted. It was the first time I'd heard Amy Winehouse sing and I was floored. And then, I was even more thrilled to find she added such lesbionic elements to a fantastic track.

PJ Harvey and Björk, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

(Performed at the 1994 Brit Awards)

Original: The Rolling Stones, 1965

YESYESONEHUNDREDTIMEYES. All the awesome was sucked out from the world and injected into this single performance. PJ Harvey and Björk, FTW. I apologize to all other artists who followed these two because nothing could ever attain this level of sheer magnificence again. Never. Not possible.

Oh, and lyrics: "And I'm tryin' to make some girl/Who tells me baby better come back later next week/'Cause you see I'm on losing streak/I can't get no, oh no no no" The song was also covered by the likes of Diana Ross and The Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Cat Power, and Samantha Fox. Though, I have the suspicion these artists might have changed that "girl" to "boy" instead.

Garbage, "Don't Let Me Down"

**Could not find information concerning a single/release**

Original: The Beatles, Let It Be, 1970

Apologies for the rough cut, here. If the sources are correct, this is Edinburgh circa 1999. Serious, though, the information that counts is: Shirley Manson = Unrivaled and Utterly Badass. And yes, capital letters were required to convey that sentiment.

Lyrics: "And from the first time that she really done me/Oh, she done me, she done me good/I guess nobody ever really done me/Oh, she done me, she done me good." Perfection.

***

PARALYMPIC UPDATES:

See, now -- this is what happens when I take a few days off from the Internets. I am greeted with a complete and utter deluge of medal updates and the conclusion to the 2010 Paralympic Games. I need to set those books down every once in a while and not neglect the ol' computer so much. *Snickers at the obvious lie therein* Anyhow -- the final list of medal winners are:

• Viviane Forest, Alpine Skiing - Women's Super-G, Visually Impaired (Silver, March 19)
• Lauren Woolstencroft, Alpine Skiing - Women's Super-G, Standing (Gold, March 19)
• Lauren Woolstencroft, Alpine Skiing - Women's Super Combined, Standing (Gold, March 20)
• Karolina Wisniewska, Alpine Skiing - Women's Super Combined, Standing (Bronze, March 20)
• Viviane Forest, Alpine Skiing - Women's Super Combined, Visually Impaired (Silver, March 20)
• Jim Armstrong, Darryl Neighbour, Ina Forrest, Sonja Gaudet, Bruno Yizek, Wheelchair Curling, Mixed (Gold, March 20)
• Brian McKeever, Cross-Country Skiing - Men's 1 KM Sprint Classic, Visually Impaired (Gold, March 21)

And so, Team Canada's total medal count at the 2010 Paralympic Games: 19.

In total, Canada brought home 45 MEDALS from the Olympic Games overall. Somehow, I feel "outstanding" is an understatement. I like to think we've shed our usual humble attitudes and proved our athleticism. It's been a great stretch and I'm sad to see it all come to a close.

Meet you back here in two years for the Summer Games for some more eye candy-- I mean, stunning examples of the human spirit to persevere...? Against all odds? Yes?

Tunes for Tuesdays: KT Tunstall and Billy Bragg

Right. I have a narrow window to write here. And look at that, I'm posting at the brutal hour of 7:30 AM EST.

IT'S ON.

Tonight, I have the honour of attending my THIRD Billy Bragg concert. I am BEYOND EXCITED. Excited to the point of NEEDING TO KEEP THE CAPS LOCK ON. AT ALL TIMES.

In honour of his epic wonder and to also rejoice in the utter hotness (and potential gayness...?) of a certain lady he performed with, I give to you: Billy Bragg and KT Tunstall.

Marvel as they discuss the current British music scene and the influence of David Bowie:

As for reckless concerts, I think the five-song duet orchestrated by these two singer-songwriters is tops. Picture it: an HMV on Oxford Street, February 18, 2008. Tunstall and Bragg are given one hour to select AND rehearse key songs from five decades of British music. Their concert will be given to an undecided audience. What you get is a raucous, energetic, and under-rehearsed performance that I absolutely WISH I WAS AT.

Here's their hectic, free-spirited cover of The Human League's "Don't You Want Me." (I apologize for the rough recording, but it's still fantastic):

KT: "I was working as a cocktail." Yeah, I love her too much.

And now, I am off to power through my day and kick it with a strong finish at BILLY BRAGG'S 2009 CONCERT. Oh, someone pinch me now...

KT Tunstall: A Case Study

What happens when infectious pop music meets a scratchy, soulful voice wrapped inside the absolutely gorgeous frame of a sweet and feisty Scottish woman?

Why, you get KT Tunstall, of course.

But, I have to tell you -- I don't know if it's the sound of my Gaydar pinging or if it's entirely wishful thinking on my part, but..... well, don't you ever wonder about Ms. Tunstall?

Sure, I've heard she has a boyfriend which would suggest she's of the hetero persuasion. Alas, haven't we been there too often with a number of lovely ladies? But there's something else, some sort of energy around her that makes me think she might have cast a glance or two at the fairer, hotter of the sexes.

Please open your textbooks to page 10 and we'll start today's studies:

A) KT Tunstall's name: Check it -- "KT". It redefines the whole idea of Katies everywhere. And what gay gal doesn't enjoy to challenge the conventions and structures of hetero-normative society, especially when it comes to names? Look no further than Canadian songstress kd lang, and you'll see what I mean. I think it deserves a few Queer Points.

B) KT's Fashion: Hmm, bit of a toss-up here. For as many tough, rocker girl photo shoots there are featuring Ms. Tunstall, there's an equal number of high-femme, glam pictures to be found. However, I would argue Ms. Tunstall tends to fall in the sweet spot between the two -- most of you might know of the 'soft butch' or 'futch' image that has garnered quite a bit of public attention thanks to the likes of Ellen DeGeneres, Rachel Maddow, and numerous others. If I'm not mistaken, I should think Ms. Tunstall has taken a few tips from the greats and charged it with some ample amounts of rock swagger:

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

C) KT's penchant to cover, and thereby 'queerify,' popular songs by male artists: Whoa, that was a mouthful. Or, maybe a fingerful, since I had to type out that sentence. Anyway, technicalities -- this was the main reason I even TOOK to writing this entry tonight.

I was cruising through YouTube and discovered that Ms. Tunstall, in all her wisdom and utter hotness, has chosen to take well-known songs by men and make them her own in concert. Now, this is nothing new to the music world. Covers are a way of life for some and a fun experiment for others. However, the main draw with KT Tunstall rests in the fact she opts to keep those gender pronouns in place. (E.g. When a song is written from a male perspective regarding his Lady Love, KT keeps the lyrics in tact instead of changing them to 'straighter' pronouns.) The end result is an enticing, queerer reading of popular songs that ladies EVERYWHERE can enjoy. And trust me, this gay gal right here enjoys it quite a bit.

Video 1: "Tangled Up In Blue" by: Bob Dylan 

(Note: Yes, those are suspenders she's wearing...)

Video 2: "I Want You Back" by: Jackson 5

Video 3: "My Sharona" by: The Knack

(Also featuring the lovely French singer, Keren Ann)

D) KT's Rainbow Suspenders: She wore them on the cover of her debut album. I mean, come on -- COME ON. That's some serious Queer Cred right there.

So please, PLEASE, KT -- say it IS so. Make us queer girls ecstatic. Though, even if the rumours (which, apparently I am now starting) aren't true, you know we'll support you any day of the week, just like those rainbow suspenders of yours.