Get all 10 Romanovsky & Phillips releases available on Bandcamp and save 40%.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Turn Up the Fun!, Pittsburgh to Paris, It's A Boy! (a circus opera), Let's Flaunt It!, Brave Boys, Hopeful Romantic, Be Political Not Polite, Emotional Rollercoaster, and 2 more.
1. |
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Today I took the nudes down off of the wall
Ten minutes after I received her telephone call
She'll be here Friday morning so there's not much time to clean
Better hide the Advocate and the Mandate magazine
We'll redecorate the guest room so it looks like it's been used
Separate our wardrobes or she'll really be confused
Then get ready for a lonely week of sleeping on the couch
We're straightening up the house
Tomorrow I will put away your gay pride shirts
And our Halloween assortment of jewelry, pumps and skirts
Then pack up all the books by Quentin Crisp and Rita Mae
And the His 'n His towels that you bought me yesterday
And you'd better hide the albums by that lesbian group
She has no ear for music, but she has been known to snoop
And remember not to kiss me, just forget you're my spouse
Straightening up the house
The snapshots of the two of us in Spain will have to go
Don't tell me this is totally insane because I know
And I cannot wear the wristwatch with our names engraved in gold
The one that says "I love you, John" with all my heart and soul
This is our first Christmas here in our new home
In a hostile world it's our only safety zone
I never should have promised I'd continue with this lie
But Dad was so certain if she found out she would die
But if it's killing anyone, I think it's killing me
'Cause it tears me up inside to hide my true identity
And asking you to help me makes me feel like such a louse
I'm thirty-two years old, why am I acting like a mouse?
I'm a man and he's my lover
If she freaks out, she'll recover
C'mon and help me... to just CLEAN the house!
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2. |
Emotional Rollercoaster
04:38
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Life with you's an endless playground
So many games from which to choose
But it don't fill me with childish joy
It only brings me the blues
I used to think stability would only make us dull
But your moods are so erratic that I'd welcome such a lull
And I don't know how much of this my fragile heart can take
I'm not as strong as you may think, and one day I could break
Ah...
Because you've got me on an Emotional Rollercoaster
You lift me up, you bring me down
And all the time my heart is spinning round and round and round
But it still feels better than being alone on the ground
Life with you is never boring
It's more like Disneyland
Though the thrills are only momentary
Oh you could never call it bland
One day you say you love me and your passion rings so true
And the next day you ignore me or you tell me that we're through
Each time I think you're gone for good, but you keep coming back
I cannot take much more of this before I'm gonna crack
Ah...
Because you've got me on an Emotional Rollercoaster
You lift me up, you bring me down
And all because you're drooling over some new boy you've found
But it still feels better than being alone on the ground
Wah-ooh, shoo-bop, shoo-bop...
Already it's been going on for way too long a time
If I take any more of this I know I'll lose my mind
Because you've got me on an Emotional Rollercoaster
You lift me up, you bring me down
And all it takes is one kind word to turn my heart around
But it still feels better than being alone on the ground
Life with you can be a fun house
But other times it frightens me
I never know just what is coming next
My Coney Island fantasy
But I'm hoping there will be a change one day very soon
And we'll sail into the tunnel of love beneath a crescent moon
But right now you've got me...
(repeat first chorus)
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3. |
I've Created A Monster
05:01
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I remember fondly the days when we first met
You were shy and awkward, afraid of life and yet
You were enchanting and so cute
Your innocence was charming as was your naivete
But now it seems you've learned the ropes and much to my dismay
You have become much more astute
And I'm afraid I've made a big mistake
By giving you the confidence to get you on your feet
Now you are so self-assured it borders on conceit
Oh it seems I've made a monster out of you
You were terrified of people when I knew you long ago
You'd never go to parties, you'd rather stay at home
And be with just the two of us
But still I tried to push you to come out of your shell
I didn't ask you to forget me, darling, but I might as well
Have said to leave me in your dust
And I'm afraid I've made a big mistake
By teaching you the social skills you previously lacked
Now your popularity's an undisputed fact
Oh it seems I've made a monster out of you
Oh why did I encourage your individuality?
You were perfectly content to live in co-dependency
You used to lean on me for strength
I gladly gave you my support
But now you've fallen out of love
And all my dreams have fallen short
I thought perhaps together we both would be secure
But now I am the frightened one and you're not even sure
That you still want to be with me
Now you can't stop your flirting almost everywhere we go
All the men are fawning and you just can't say "no"
To every handsome face you see
And I'm afraid I've made a big mistake
By giving you the love that you've so often been denied
Now my love is not enough to keep you satisfied
Oh it seems I've made a monster out of you
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4. |
Give Me A Homosexual
03:01
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With so many gay men and so little time
It never has been an obsession of mine
To try and pursue heterosexual men
The ones who are real or the ones who pretend
That kind of facade's not attractive to me
I like my lovers as queer as can be
Give me a homosexual
Who loves in a homoemotional way
I like a man of acceptance
Give me a guy who is glad to be gay
Now to some of my peers, it's the ultimate thrill
Seducing a straight man by bending his will
But I am a man who loves men who love men
And that is of course what I most recommend
While I'm sure there are men who just need some unstraightening
I haven't the patience to be educating
Give me a homosexual
One who's perfected his oral technique
I like a man who's had practice
Give me a guy who is fluent in Greek
And I don't understand all those classified ads
Filled with desires that I've never had
"Straight-looking Marine seeks straight cop to please..."
How straight do they look when they're down on their knees?
It's a taste that I've never been able to savor
This preoccupation with sexist behavior
And people will ask us, "Which one's the girl?"
'Cause they limit themselves to those roles in their world
But we don't have any such models to clone
We're perfectly free to develop our own
Give me a homosexual
I don't want a husband, I don't want a wife
I like a man who's my equal
Someone who's made it the style of his life
(repeat first chorus)
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5. |
Living With AIDS
04:23
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He's big and he's proud
He's abrasive and loud
He can roar like a lion, or be meek as a lamb
God knows he's courageous
And sometimes outrageous
He inspires me to be all that I can
But I'll never forget
The last time we met
How my heart stopped at the story he told
He said, "Life can be hard
When it deals you a card
That you never expected to hold"
But then he said, "It's not the end
I rely on my friends
For all the affection and the love they provide
And maybe with hugs
And without booze and drugs
There is still a good chance that I will survive"
And he probably will
'Cause he's active still
He goes to the marches and all the parades
He's not giving in
He's determined to win
He's a person who's living with AIDS
Living with love, not living in fear
Embracing the light when shadows appear
It's a place to begin, it's a good way to start
Releasing the power we hold in our hearts
The loss of our lovers
Our sisters and brothers
Is a wound that cuts deep through our history of pride
And one way to heal
All the pain that we feel
Is to stand by the living and remain unified
So if you've got a friend
Whose condition is grim
Don't go burying them or drawing the shades
Surrender your doubt
By reaching out
To a person who's living with AIDS
Living with love, not living in fear
Healing with hope and drawing them near
It's a place to begin, it's a step we can take
Empowering people whose lives are at stake
Living with love, not living in fear
Embracing the light when shadows appear
It's a place to begin, it's a good way to start
Releasing the power we hold in our hearts
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6. |
My Mother's Clothes
03:18
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I remember dressing up in my mother's clothes
She had hordes of high-heeled shoes
And plenty of pairs of panty hose
She had wigs to make me look a thousand different ways
And blouses made of silk of lace and evening gowns for days
My mother's clothes, my mother's clothes
All my dreams came true in my mother's clothes
I remember dressing up in my mother's clothes
In the woods behind my house we'd have our fashion shows
Secretly we'd gather all the old things she'd dispatch
And soon we'd have a wardrobe with accessories to match
My mother's clothes, my mother's clothes
All my dreams came true in my mother's clothes
We could be a princess from a fairy tale
Or Florence Nightingale
Curing all disease in our mother's clothes
We could be Miss Lois Lane
Or even Tarzan's Jane
Swinging through the trees in our mother's clothes
We could be a beauty queen
Or Mary Magdalene
Sinners we'd forsake in our mother's clothes
We could be Petula Clark
Or even Joan of Arc
Burning at the stake in our mother's clothes
Until we learned it's not OK
For a boy to dress that way
Not allowed to fantasize
We become desensitized
To all our waking dreams
And the endless possibilities
Of roles that we can play
Now some of us still dress up in our mother's clothes
And some of us just like to watch and some look down their nose
But we've all got an image that we want to convey
And drag is something each of us does every single day
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7. |
The Woman Next Door
03:48
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Have you met the woman next door
I see her sometimes at the grocery store
She never says much, she's rather withdrawn
But she always will tell you
Yes she always will say that nothing is wrong
Have you talked to the woman next door
She has a young boy who just turned four
And a husband who works in an office downtown
She acts kind of nervous
Yes she seems afraid when he is around
Have you seen the woman next door
She looks as if she's been through a war
A bruise on her arms and a scar on her face
I asked her a question
Yes I asked how it happened but she wouldn't say
Last night I heard the woman next door
Desperate cries that i couldn't ignore
She was pleading with him to leave her alone
I was trembling with fear as I picked up the phone
And I hoped and I prayed that she would survive
As I waited on edge for help to arrive
And I thought of her son, and I wished that her screams
Wouldn't find their way into his innocent dreams
Have you met the woman next door
She needs compassion and support
She's finally safe now, alone with her son
But the process of healing
Yes the long night of healing has just begun
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8. |
Waltz For The New Age
03:30
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I'm doing my affirmations
I'm chanting my mantra each day and night
I'm doing some visualization
Seeing my aura just glowing with light
And I'm breathing real deep, sitting perfectly still
Clearing my mind as I focus my will
While listening to music from Windham Hill
'Cause I want to be enlightened
Each morning I do meditation
I become one with the whole universe
I experience self-actualization
I'm seeing a rolfer and getting rebirthed
And I've given up sugar, red meat and caffeine
Wear crystals to keep all my energies clean
And of course I subscribe to New Age Magazine
'Cause I want to be enlightened
Each Monday I go to a channeler
To get some advice from the other side
On Tuesdays I get a holistic massage
And on Wednesdays I meet with my spiritual guide
I'm studying reincarnation
Finding out who I have been in the past
I'm practicing manifestation
In the hopes that I might make some money at last
And I throw the I Ching at least once a day
Burn incense to keep evil spirits away
And I'm planning a trip down to old Santa Fe
'Cause I want to be enlightened
Each Thursday I go to a workshop
On opening up the unconscious mind
On Fridays I see my astrologer
And on weekends I go get my chakras aligned
I'm giving myself validation
I acknowledge myself just for being who I am
By giving up all expectation
I surrender myself to the great cosmic plan
And I'm giving myself permission to win
Learning to nurture my child within
As I read for the seventh time, Out On A Limb
'Cause I want to be enlightened
Don't you want to be enlightened
Yes, we all want to be enlightened!
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9. |
Family Of Lovers
03:26
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Were you robbing the cradle
Or was I robbing the rocking chair?
All I know is that I'm grateful
And glad that you were there
In a world that doesn't see us
In a town where time stands still
A young boy dreams of loving men
In a land of Jack and Jill
Well I was so naive back then
And you were somewhat jaded
But I recall your kindness
Though our friendship has since faded
Your house became an oasis
From a home so unaware
Of my need to feel accepted
In a world that didn't care
Well who else could have told me
What my parents could not explain
And saved me from self-hatred
Confusion, doubt and pain
Were you robbing the cradle
Or was I robbing the rocking chair?
All I know is that I'm grateful
And glad that you were there
In a time much more uncertain
When my song was yet unsung
It was you who helped me to grow up
While I helped you to stay young
And it makes me feel a part of
A family of lovers
Who survive a life of exile
By caring for each other
I'm not the first one to suffer
And I'm probably not the last
But I'm here to change the future
'Cause I can't forget the past
Were you robbing the cradle?
I'm glad that you were there
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10. |
The Sodomy Song
02:26
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It's hard to believe in a land like this
That the freedom we think we have does not exist
Don't ask me why the cops and the feds
Care in the least what we do in our beds
'Cause only an asshole would care
What goes into our assholes and who puts it there
And only a person who's really repressed
Would attempt to decide for the rest
Now Michael was entertaining a guest
When the officer walked right in and made the arrest
Who would have thought that the courts would uphold
An archaic law that's a hundred years old
But the danger's not what's in our mouths
It's the mouthful of bigotry which they espouse
Referring to God and the heavens above
To legislate how we make love
How can anyone disagree
With the fundamental right to privacy?
Something intrigues them
I don't know what
Why else would they want to keep track of my butt?
Why should anyone have a say
As to whom we should and shouldn't lay
They think it's sinful
I think it sucks
Having laws that tell us how we should F... ornicate!
We've got to repeal the laws that remain
'Cause what happened in Georgia must not happen again
So roll up your sleeves and join in the fight
We're not giving in 'til we've gotten our rights
'Cause we're being screwed all the time
By laws that make our way of screwing a crime
They're calling on years of oppression and shame
To justify more of the same
Only an asshole would care
What goes into our assholes and who puts it there
And only a person who's really repressed
Would attempt to decide
But we can turn back the tide
By refusing to hide
When they attempt to decide for the rest
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11. |
Be On The Safe Side
03:36
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We don't have to stop loving each other
We don't have to stop loving ourselves
There's talk of a quarantine, talk of a plan
To stop the love from flowing woman to woman, man to man
But that is not the answer to this crisis that we're in
We need to pull together for a healing to begin
We don't have to stop loving each other
We don't have to stop loving ourselves
We don't have to sacrifice our passion and our pride
We've just got to be on the safe side
Now where there's a will there is always a way
And where there are people, ten percent will be gay
We've always been known for having such creative minds
And if we put them all to use I know that we will find
That we don't have to stop loving each other
We don't have to stop loving ourselves
We don't have to sacrifice our passion and our pride
We've just got to be on the safe side
There are those who want to blame us
Point a finger, try and shame us
And tell us that the love we feel is wrong
But we'll soon enough forget them
If we refuse to let them
When they try and take away the very thing that makes us strong
And we're not gonna stop loving each other
We're not gonna stop loving ourselves
We're not gonna sacrifice our passion and our pride
We're just gonna be on the safe side
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Romanovsky & Phillips Santa Fe, New Mexico
Romanovsky & Phillips were the first “out and proud” American gay male musical duo to
achieve national
acclaim. From 1982-1999, an era when gay artists often hid their sexual orientation, this duo performed songs which openly celebrated their lives as gay men.
With tight harmonies and memorable melodies, their sassy and inspired songs uniquely capture the gay experience of those decades.
... more
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