Song of the Gay: Jimmy Somerville - Freak

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. All this week we are celebrating Seattle Pride and PrideFest 2015 by featuring all LGBT artists for our "Song of the Gay" podcast. Today's featured song is "Freak" by Jimmy Somerville from the 2015 album Homage on Membran / The Orchard.

Jimmy Somerville - Freak (MP3)

The euphoria and grandeur of disco have played a pivotal role in the music of Jimmy Somerville throughout the openly gay British singer’s thirty-year career. The inimitable voice of Bronski Beat and The Communards, as well as a highly successful solo artist, Somerville has scored pop and club hits with his renditions of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love/Love to Love You Baby,” Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” Gloria Gaynor’s “Never Can Say Goodbye,” and Sylvester’s “(You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real.”

“Freak” comes from Somerville’s latest album, Homage, a collection of original disco songs in the classic style. “This isn’t a pastiche, this is an homage,” says the singer. “I’ve finally made the disco album I always wanted to and never thought I could. If I was 15 again I’d buy it, sit on my bed, slowly open the gate fold, slide out the vinyl, place it on the turntable then jump off the bed and imagine someone just passed me a tambourine... I’d be in heaven!”

Jimmy Somerville has only a handful of live dates scheduled for this summer, but should he extend his touring beyond the U.K., you can find out by following him on his website and Facebook page. For now, here's the official video for "Some Wonder", another song from Homage:

Tune in to KEXP all week to find out more about the Pride events happening around Seattle, including KEXP's Pride Party, this Sunday, June 28th, at 5 Point Café in downtown Seattle.