Dusty Springfield – You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me

It didn’t take long to choose a track which sums up why Dusty Springfield is a gay icon. This song was released in 1966, a year before homosexuality was made legal in the United Kingdom, and it eloquently describes the limits of the clandestine romantic life of many gay men during that era. Her songs often made subtle references to a sexual and emotional life which went beyond the conventions of the time, and her make-up, bleached hair and glamorous image made her a hit with gay audiences.

It’s worth noting that Dusty remains one of the great voices of 20th Century popular music, and most of her performances haven’t dated.

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