The story behind “Lesbian Seagull”: A song of love and controversy
Though the 1996 “Beavis and Butthead” film made the song more well-known, it has an older and more interesting history.
By Daniel Villarreal and Ian Helms for LGBTQ Nation –
“Lesbian Seagull” is a song that has intrigued and entertained listeners for decades. Originally written by Tom Wilson Weinberg and later popularized by Engelbert Humperdinck, the song has a unique backstory tied to scientific discoveries and LGBTQ+ representation.
Let’s explore the past, impact, and significance of “Lesbian Seagull,” especially among queer music lovers.
The song “Lesbian Seagull” was first written and recorded by influential out gay Australian-born musician Tom Wilson Weinberg in 1979 for his album The Gay Name Game. He was about 34 years old at the time of the album’s release and he had previously performed his original queer-themed songs in coffeehouses and gay pride events during the late 1970s.
Weinberg’s song was inspired by a 1977 study that observed monogamous lesbian behavior in 14% of the seagulls on Santa Barbara Island. The song gained further popularity when it was mocked in the 1996 animated MTV film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America.
In the film, a hippie educator sings the song with a guitar to help high school students process their emotions. The song’s gentle instrumentation and sensitive lyrics contrast with scenes of rifle-wielding policemen busting down doors while trying to locate the film’s titular anti-heroes. The song ends when police kick down the classroom door, knocking over the educator, who has long-hair, socks with sandals, and a purple shirt bearing a peace symbol.
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https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2024/05/the-story-behind-lesbian-seagull-a-song-of-love-and-controversy
photo: AI-generated art of “lesbian seagulls”
Photo: Shutterstock
