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Eric Presland - Keep Your Filthy Laws Off My Body

from Coming Out - Ready or Not [an LGBTQ+ Charity release] by Homo Promos

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about

There were lots of big in-yer-face gay badges in the early 70s: "Avenge Oscar Wilde"; "Gay Love - It's the Real Thing"; "How Dare You Presume I'm Homosexual". When I saw one saying "Keep Your Filthy Laws Off My Body", I thought 'What a great title for a song." It acquired a particular resonance in the later 80s with Section 28, the AIDS backlash, and in particular the Operation Spanner case, which involved a raid on an S/M party.
The song also points up the connection with the fight to legalise abortion, which was also going on in the UK in the 1960s-70s, and also involved the right to control over one's own body. This is in Verse 2 of the song.
The tune is mine, but with a lot of help on the middle 8 from my regular pianist/collaborator David Harrod.

lyrics

There's a policeman hiding in my cupboard
He's got a notebook in his hand
He's watching me in bed and he's shaking his head
And he's going to put me on remand:

CHORUS
Keep your filthy laws off my body
Ain't your business what I do
All my lovin' never hurt no-one
Unless he really wanted me to
Keep your filthy laws off my body
Don't tell me how, or when, or who
Keep your filthy laws off my body -
What's it got to do with you?

The judge in the court got a legal definition
The priest in the pulpit got a missionary position
Tells me it's set in tablets of stone
It's not my body to call my own

CHORUS
Keep your filthy laws etc.

VERSE 2
Now my sister's standing in the doctor's
He's got her case notes in his hand
He's fingering his tie as he's telling her why
She can't have abortion on demand

CHORUS
Keep your filthy laws off my body
Ain't your business what I do
Isn't easy making these choices -
Don't wanna be a criminal too
Keep your filthy laws off my body
Don't tell me how or when or who
Keep your filthy laws off my body
What's it got to do with you?

Keep your filthy laws etc.

What's it got to do with you?
What's it got to do with you?
What's it got to do with YOU?

credits

from Coming Out - Ready or Not [an LGBTQ+ Charity release], released January 1, 1983
Words and Vocal - Eric Presland
Music - Eric Presland and David Harrod
Piano - Norman Penney

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all rights reserved

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Homo Promos London, UK

The excitement generated by the audience at the largest gay benefit concert ever staged in this country is very apparent on this album. On December 8th 1982 the Albany Empire was filled to capacity with gay women and men eager to support this Lesbian Line / Gay Switchboard benefit, Though most of the performers will be new to you, at that time they represented over 50 years of LGBT music making. ... more

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