I Love a Boy Named Jesse (but Jesse Doesn't Love Me Back)

[CorpGovActivist]

My partner and I are coming up on 14 years together. We've laughed about how certain songs/songwriters seemed to have coded lyrics/videos back when - to date us - MTV/VH1 first emerged on the scene.

I used to change lyrics of songs I liked, privately, to "correct" the pronouns and other words to reflect my own true feelings.

Out and proud, Israeli singer/songwriter Ivri Lider has an unambiguous video and song out called, "Jesse," showing the angst of liking someone, but with that very realistic twist.

Little triumphs like this really do make a difference in the teenage suicide rate.

Please enjoy this interview with Mr. Lider (with music video embedded part way down the page), and encourage your school system to allow songs like this to be played at school dances.

I grew up changing the lyrics to "Jesse's Girl" and singing them under my breath - how nice to see today's kids able to sing along to a hit that doesn't have them hiding.

: )

- Dave

P.S. I still sing Jesse's Girl my way.

[hisownpetard]

1. I enjoyed reading your post and checking out Ivri Lider's music. Thanks.

[David Dunham]

2. I like your post but I doubt the song will be popular in the homophobic US

[CorpGovActivist]

3. I Wonder How Many Right-Wing Parents...

... have no idea that they have a kid who:

1. Watches LOGO's countdown on cable in their room; and/or

2. Watches them online.

- Dave

[hisownpetard]

4. Well, I sent it to some friends who will do what they can to give him a boost!

[CorpGovActivist]

8. Cool! I Hope It Gets Airplay on MTV, Etc.

I'm not holding my breath, but the beauty of living now is that it can go viral without the traditional distribution channels.

- Dave

[hisownpetard]

12. I think it's great that you're doing that, and I loved your remark about how it's possible

that one small thing, one bit of understanding, could possibly help some kid who's having
a hard time. It's really true.

[CorpGovActivist]

15. I Remember Lying Awake...

... praying that it would "go away," when I was a teen.

Thankfully, it was strongly stressed in our household that our parents' love was unconditional, and that "NO MATTER WHAT we will always love you and support you."

Even once I'd accepted it for myself, it was less a question of being rejected by them and more a question of disappointing them. For many kids, that is an unimaginable amount of breathing room, unfortunately.

- Dave

[hisownpetard]

17. i think it's wonderful that your parents imparted that kind of unconditional love to you,

but I don't understand the last sentence of your post. What do you mean by an
'unimaginable amount of breathing room'?

[CorpGovActivist]

18. A Lot of Kids Are Operating ...

... in a verbal jail of sorts: explicit homophobic statements and outright hatred spewed by their parents toward gays and lesbians mean that these kids know that the consequences of coming out could be much, much more serious than causing transitory disappointment.

As I struggled with it, I at least had the "breathing room" provided by knowing that the worst that would happen would be causing said disappointment, if even that.

Lots of kids are not only struggling with the possible societal perceptions and reactions, but the very real prospect of being verbally and/or physically abused by their own families, kicked out, or worse.

- Dave

[hisownpetard]

20. Dave -you'd make a great counselor for kids. Compassionate and informed.

[CorpGovActivist]

21. My Sister and Brother...

... are both doing that.

My sister is a social worker who helps distressed families.

My brother works as a live-in counselor at a troubled teen home, while also going to college full-time.

Go figure.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

5. Thanks! Glad You Enjoyed It...

... and hope you have a chance to pass it along to others who may find it of interest.

: )

- Dave

[hisownpetard]

6. Already did! n/t

[Subdivisions]

7. Hi Dave! Congratulations to you

and your partner on your 14th anniversary!

"...certain songs/songwriters seemed to have coded lyrics/videos back when - to date us - MTV/VH1 first emerged on the scene."

You are indeed dating yourself on that one!

[CorpGovActivist]

10. In My Defense...

... I *was* in grade school when video killed the radio star.

Thanks for the well wishes, too: 14 years of putting up with my singing means he's a dang good guy (or needs a Miracle Ear, I'm not sure which).

- Dave

[hisownpetard]

13. "Dang"? Really?

[CorpGovActivist]

14. *Shrug* Deep Programming ...

... when you have it drilled into you that curse words are:

1. The province of those who cannot express themselves more intelligently;

2. More effective the more sparingly they're used ...

it tends to stick.

Nuns have nothing on rural WV teachers.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

16. To Wit...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

; )

- Dave

[NC_Nurse]

9. I love a boy named Jesse too.

He's my son.

I remember the song Jesse's Girl, we used to sing it when my kids were little.

[CorpGovActivist]

11. It's One of My Favorite Names...

... because I loved that song.

I bet back then, you were "Jesse's Girl," huh?

: )

- Dave

[NC_Nurse]

19. Yep.

I sure was.

[CorpGovActivist]

22. How Old Now?

Do you think your local school system would allow this song to be played at a prom, etc.?

- Dave

[dsc]

23. I wonder if mine would

It won't come up simply as a matter of taste. The teens at my school are way more into louder, R and B type music than this.

[CorpGovActivist]

24. What Do They Slow Dance To? n/t

[dsc]

25. they don't

or if they do they slow dance to an R and B type song. Mostly it is group dancing. Very different from when I was in school.