“Transgender Dysphoria Blues” – Against Me!
No song was a more forceful statement of self than this, the opening track of the first Against Me! album since lead singer Laura Jane Grace began her transformation from man to woman. It is packed with a righteous rage, the entire album a gigantic middle finger to everyone that questions the manner in which Grace leads her life. And yet, it also rings with an optimism and a profound sense of liberation.
This is a remarkable song, and features one of the most powerful moments of this, or any year, when Grace begins the second verse by spitting out, “You’ve got no cunt in your strut!” Because of what it represents, I’ll put that lyric up with just about any in rock history for throwing hate back at the haters.
You want them to see you
Like they see every other girl.
They just see a faggot.
They hold their breath not to catch the sick
Previously:
20 – “Black And White” – Parquet Courts
19 – “I Got Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up)” – School Of Seven Bells
18 – “We Only Come Out At Night” – Sugar Stems
17 – “Too True To Be Good” – Dum Dum Girls
16 – “Milwaukee” – The Both
15 – “New Skin” – Torres
14 – “Seasons (Waiting On You)” – Future Islands
13 – “Fall In Love” – Phantogram
12 – “Spinners” – The Hold Steady
11 – “Rent I Pay” – Spoon
10 – “Teenage Wasteland” – Wussy
9 – “Goshen ’97” – Strand Of Oaks
8 – “Lazaretto” – Jack White
7 – “Honey Do” – Beverly
6 – “Head Underwater” – Jenny Lewis
5 – “Run Forever” Emma Ruth Rundle
4 – “Lights Out” – Angel Olsen
3 – “Gimme Something Good” – Ryan Adams