Green Thursday, radio program, July 24, 1975, source recording

  • (Applause)
  • BARBARA RANDOLPH: I just can't believe this.
  • I mean, in the Army so many things are hidden.
  • And to see so many of you out here, it's just so beautiful.
  • And together, sisters and brothers, we'll win.
  • (Applause)
  • DEBBIE WATSON: I just want to thank you
  • all for coming, 'cause it just means so much to us
  • in our fight.
  • It just gives us so much will to go on.
  • You just don't know how much it means.
  • (Applause)
  • BRUCE VOELLER: And next, a jet engineer from the US Air Force,
  • Skip, you're on.
  • (Applause)
  • SKIP KEITH: What can I say?
  • You're all so beautiful.
  • Everybody say cheese!
  • AUDIENCE: Cheese!
  • (Applause)
  • SKIP KEITH: This is really fantastic,
  • and I think that one of the main things that we as gays
  • the biggest problems that we have
  • is that, gosh, usually we're so invisible.
  • I mean, we learn to hide from such an early age.
  • But as long as people can deal with us as a living, breathing,
  • visible human beings, they have got
  • to change their stereotypes.
  • And that was one of the main reason
  • that I came out in my last race relations class
  • on the 23rd of May.
  • And then right after that, that was a Friday.
  • And that Monday, Len Matlovich's case hit the paper,
  • but I missed it because I was off on a trip,
  • and I didn't get back until like Thursday, that night.
  • And I found out about it, it really was like a jaw dropper.
  • And I just want to say, really, thanks a lot,
  • we really appreciate it.
  • And as long as we've got this many gays
  • who are willing to gather.
  • This is one city, I mean, we know
  • what's going on the West Coast now, too.
  • We'd like to get really, as many gays,
  • especially in the military right now,
  • who can throw off the restraints of the closet and come out.
  • It would make it really so much easier for our cases.
  • Because the more of us that DOD, Department of Defense,
  • has to deal with, the worse it's going
  • to be for them to continue their ridiculously hypocritical
  • policies about gays in the military.
  • They know--
  • (Applause)
  • DOD knows damn well that they have thousands of us
  • in the military, they have--
  • (Applause)
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Right on.
  • SKIP KEITH: There have been always, there are now.
  • There have been in the past, there are now,
  • and there always will be.
  • And it's really foolish of them right,
  • we're trying it's really foolish for them
  • to continue this ridiculously oppressive policies, which
  • is a classic and blatant violation
  • of our constitutional rights, denying a person,
  • discriminating against a person purely because
  • of sexual orientation.
  • Which we have about as much control over as your height.
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Right on.
  • (Applause)
  • SKIP KEITH: We really appreciate this.
  • I sincerely want to tell you that we really appreciate this.
  • Thank you, thank you, thank you.
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Thank you.
  • (Applause)
  • ANNOUNCER: Let's hear it, baby.
  • Let's hear it.
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Bravo.
  • (Applause)
  • Bravo.
  • Bravo.
  • ANNOUNCER: OK, here's a job for us.
  • Are you ready with don't take my picture, darling.
  • (Laughter)
  • She knows already, she sleeps with me every night.
  • (Laughter)
  • (Applause)
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Go ahead, mama.
  • ANNOUNCER: Their court case is coming up.
  • I'm starting off, and we've got to help our people.
  • I'm coming out in that audience, and I want your money, baby.
  • Because we're gonna back them up and we're gonna do it today.
  • Are you with me?
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Right on.
  • (Applause)
  • ANNOUNCER: I'm coming out, so get that money out
  • of your pockets, baby.
  • Let's give them a welcome, and let's hear it.
  • (Applause)
  • BRUCE VOELLER: I'd like to tell you a little incident that's
  • happened recently.
  • Lenny Matlovich, the Sergeant behind me, has for twelve years
  • had the highest possible score rating on his personnel
  • records, every year on his annual report.
  • He's got the scale goes from zero to nine he's had
  • nothing but nines for every one of those twelve years
  • until this year, after he announced
  • that he was a homosexual, he received his first lower rating
  • than that.
  • He has a zero for this year.
  • (Laughter)
  • (Applause)
  • LEONARD MATLOVICH: If my voice begins to crack,
  • it's because I've never been before so many beautiful people
  • in my whole life.
  • You're beautiful, I love each and every one of you.
  • (Applause)
  • Earth, Wind and Fire, they've said it,
  • "You are a shining star."
  • Each and every one of you are a shining star.
  • Let's let your light shine out from every rooftop,
  • from every church steeple in this land,
  • let's let all know that we're gay, and we are proud of it.
  • (Applause)
  • This isn't my quote, but it's from someone else, a man that
  • was in the Marine Corps.
  • I don't know who he was, but if he's ever around,
  • please introduce yourself.
  • He said that, yeah right.
  • He said, "That when I was in the Marine Corps,
  • I received a medal for killing two men,
  • and a dishonorable discharge for loving one."
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Oi!
  • (Applause)
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Bravo.
  • LEONARD MATLOVICH: What a crazy, mixed up
  • world we live in, when you're rewarded for hating
  • and put down for loving.
  • You are a shining star, shining bright to see
  • what you can truly be.
  • Let equality and justice ring from every rooftop
  • in this land.
  • Thank you, and we love you.
  • (Applause)
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Bravo.
  • Bravo.
  • Bravo, bravo.
  • (Applause)
  • LEONARD MATLOVICH: We want to meet each and every one of you.
  • BRUCE VOELLER: Now, somebody who you all
  • know, who's been held over at the ballroom
  • here in New York, 'til August 3rd, Judith Cohen.
  • Give her a warm welcome, Judith Cohen.
  • (Applause)
  • JUDITH COHEN: Is it on?
  • AUDIENCE: Yes.
  • JUDITH COHEN: 'Cause you're all on, I know that.
  • (Laughter)
  • You're wonderful.
  • The song I'm going to sing, it's for everybody here.
  • You see, no matter what we are, if we're gay,
  • if we're straight, if we're tall, if we're short,
  • if we're black, white, green, or purple,
  • we all got ourselves to come home to.
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Right on.
  • JUDITH COHEN: And if we can live with that,
  • and we can deal with that, we can do anything.
  • (Applause)
  • (Music - "Home to Myself)
  • (Singing) I wake up and I see the light
  • of the day shining on me.
  • I make my own time, it is mine to spend.
  • I say to myself, I'm my own best friend.
  • It's not so bad all alone, I'm coming home to myself again.
  • Now, now I understand whatever I feel is whatever I am.
  • I am watching my life and how I have grown,
  • and I'm looking around me at all the friends I've known.
  • Yeah.
  • You see, it's not so bad all alone,
  • I'm coming home, home to myself again.
  • It is not so bad to get lost in your tears,
  • or to laugh, or to cry, for all those years gone by.
  • Oh, my.
  • Now, now, somehow I know, I've come a long way.
  • I've got a long way to go.
  • But something inside, it is making me strong.
  • And in all those bad times I've been through
  • and you've been through, we get along.
  • Yeah.
  • Because it's not so bad all alone.
  • I'm coming home, home to myself again.
  • It is not so bad to get lost in your tears,
  • or to laugh, or to cry, for all those years gone by.
  • Now, now, now, now, now, now.
  • Now I understand whatever I feel is whatever I am.
  • I am watching my life and how I have grown.
  • And I'm looking around me, at all the friends
  • I have known, yeah.
  • You see it's not so bad all alone.
  • I'm coming home to myself, to myself, I'm coming home.
  • (Applause)
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Bravo.
  • (Applause)
  • JUDITH COHEN: Yeah, yeah.
  • Oh, OK.
  • This is a brand new song.
  • And I think this is just the place to sing it.
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: I can't hear you!
  • JUDITH COHEN: I said this is a brand new song,
  • did you hear me?
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: I can hear you, honey.
  • JUDITH COHEN: Oh, honey, I can hear you, too.
  • And I love it, I love it.
  • Thank you.
  • OK.
  • (Music - "I Don't Break Easily")
  • I took my chances, thinking something might be saved.
  • Growing tired of broken promises,
  • and all the dreams we made.
  • And I wanted to be more than just a friend.
  • Not knowing I would hurt so in the end.
  • So I swore I would never call your phone again.
  • Took time to see through all the glitter that you made.
  • Oh, I was blinded by your fire light, I swept myself away.
  • And I guess I couldn't bring myself
  • to see how you had taken all the very best of me.
  • So I am leaving while there's something left of me.
  • Yeah, yeah.
  • (Thunder) (Applause)
  • But just like a child, I keep running,
  • I'm running back for more.
  • You know, I thought I knew the answer.
  • Hey, I've been hurt before.
  • But one more time around, it won't break me.
  • No, no, no.
  • You will never see that side of me.
  • I don't break easily.
  • I told my service pick up all my calls.
  • And I've taken down our photographs
  • that lined the bedroom walls.
  • And the outside door no longer has your name.
  • And your clothes are gone, and the welcome mat's been changed.
  • Hey, but the key is still there, I left the door unchained.
  • Just like a child, I keep running.
  • I'm running back for more.
  • You know, I thought I knew the answer.
  • I've been hurt before, no.
  • One more time around, it won't break me.
  • No, no, no.
  • You will never see that side of me.
  • I don't break easily.
  • I won't break easily.
  • And either will you, I know you won't.
  • (Applause)
  • BRUCE VOELLER: It's starting to thunder and lightning,
  • and do not run under the trees.
  • Remember a couple weeks ago, a couple people were struck?
  • Do not run under the trees for shelter.
  • The next group I'm bringing on to you--
  • (Applause)
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Let's stay together.
  • BRUCE VOELLER: --is the group that was received the best here
  • last year.
  • (Cheering)
  • They have an RCA album out.
  • They've been heard on many radio stations and club dates
  • throughout the state.
  • Two weeks ago they played the State House
  • for the Massachusetts State Legislature with Elaine Noble.
  • They played Boston City Hall, for the Speaker of the House,
  • and the Mayor of Boston.
  • None other, and give them a warm welcome, The Deadly Nightshade.
  • (Applause)
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Brandy.
  • AUDIENCE MEMBER: Brandy.
  • THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE: Well, I sure hope it doesn't rain.
  • I want everybody to think, Sun.
  • Let's put up a lot of energy, and all the rain will go away.
  • (Music - "Keep On The Sunny Side")
  • (Applause)
  • (Singing) Come on.
  • Well, there's a dark and a troubled side of life.
  • There's a bright and sunny side too.
  • But if we meet with the darkness and strife, the sunny side
  • we also may view.
  • Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
  • keep on the sunny side of life.
  • It will help you every day, it will brighten all the way,
  • if you keep on the sunny side of life.
  • The storm and it's fury broke today.
  • Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear.
  • Clouds and storms will in time pass away,
  • the Sun again will shine bright and clear.
  • Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
  • keep on the sunny side of life.
  • It will help you everyday, it will brighten all the way,
  • if you keep on the sunny side on life.
  • (Cheering)
  • Let us greet with a song of hope every day,
  • though the moments be cloudy or fair.
  • Let us trust in our savior always,
  • to keep us, every one in her care.
  • Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
  • keep on the sunny side of life.
  • It will help you every day, it will brighten all the way,
  • when you keep on the sunny side of life.
  • (Cheering)
  • Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
  • keep on the sunny side of life.
  • It will help you everyday, it will brighten all the way,
  • if you keep on the sunny side of life.
  • (Cheering)
  • On July 4th, Independence Day.
  • (Cheering)
  • It's called "High Flying Woman."
  • (Cheering)
  • (Music - "High Flying Woman")
  • Did you ever think that you lived in a cage?
  • Did you ever think that you lived in a cage?
  • Well they call you a trick, and the name just seems to stick.
  • And you still don't think you're living in a cage.
  • Have you heard, have you heard?
  • There's a migration happening.
  • Blowing where the thinking is free.
  • Only you can decide, take yourself for a ride.
  • You're a free flying woman.
  • A hard flying woman.
  • Did you ever think that you were up a tree?
  • Did you ever think that you were up a tree?
  • Well they're calling you a name, that makes you their fair game.
  • And you still don't think that you are up a tree.
  • Have you heard, have you heard?
  • There's a migration happening, blowing
  • where the thinking is free.
  • Only you can decide, take yourself for a ride.
  • You're a free flying woman.
  • A hard flying woman.
  • Is there someone out there trying to shoot you down?
  • And they tell you they're not trying to shoot you down.
  • Well, they'll tell you a lie, chicks got wings,
  • but they don't fly.
  • And you won't have to stay out on the ground.
  • Have you heard, have you heard?
  • There's a migration happening.
  • Blowing where the thinking is free.
  • Only you can decide, take yourself for a ride.
  • You're a free flying woman, a high flying woman.
  • You're a free flying woman.
  • A high flying woman.
  • (Cheering) (Applause)
  • Thank you.
  • (Music - "Little Darlin' Pal of Mine")
  • Oh little darlin', oh how I love you.
  • How I love you, no one can tell.
  • Now in my heart, dear, there'll be no other.
  • Little darlin', how I love you.
  • (Cheering)
  • (Applause)
  • Oh little darlin', oh how I love you.
  • How I love you, no one can tell.
  • Now in my heart, dear, there'll be no other.
  • Little darlin', how I love you.
  • (Cheering)
  • (Thunder)
  • (Cheering)