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Eric Presland - We Were In There

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

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about

My Road to Damascus moment as far as being gay was concerned came in October 1971, when I saw someone wearing a GLF badge at a college party. But the process of telling friends, family and colleagues took longer, as did working out what being gay actually meant in terms of identity. One part of that was writing gay material for cabaret performance. This was the first gay lyric I wrote, about three periods of gay history - part of knowing who you are is finding out where you have come from.
They now seem obvious - the time of the Oscar Wilde trials; the rise of Nazi Germany; the Stonewall Riots in New York 1969. At the time they were a revelation.
The music was by Carl Davis, well-known provider of scores to silent movies, and more recent films and television series such as 'World at War', 'Pride and Prejudice', 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' and 'The Naked Civil Servant'. He readily agreed to the use of his music for this set of lyrics after I approached him personally, his record label having previously turned me down flat.
I first sang the song on May 23rd 1972 at 3am at my College Ball. The audience was 200 drunk rugby players and I was wearing a very ugly beige frock.

lyrics

In the brothels, in the basements,
In the back streets of Soho
They were drifting away
Never expecting the day
When the papers and their scandals
Would snuff out all the candles,
The slum boy lose his Masher or his Swell
For Oscar celebrated
As the policemen congregated
Outside the Cadogan Hotel

Oh, the closet was so dark
When the Empire Held the Square
We were in there (x2)

At the parties in the nightclubs
There was music through Europe
In the short years of peace
The parties never could cease
For with Negro Music drumming
There’s no need to fear what’s coming
As the butterflies still flutter painted wings
But the dance halls will be dripping
With their blood, as flame is stripping
The gilding from those Bright Young Things

Oh, the closet door was bolted
When the nerve gas filled the air
We were in there (x2)

In the backroom, in the sauna,
There was weeping on Broadway
On the night Judy died
But from the tears there came Pride
Cos before the wreaths had faded
The clubs and bars were raided
And the Queers were dragged out screaming by the hair
But they turned on their attackers
And the tide of years rolled back as
The sound of Freedom filled the air

Oh, the closet doors still stand
But we can smash them if we dare
We were in there
We won’t stay in there
In - here

credits

from Coming Out - Ready or Not [an LGBTQ+ Charity release], released January 1, 1983
Words - Eric Oresland
Music - Carl Davis
Vocals - Eric Presland
Piano - Norman Penney

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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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