Billy Bragg - Sexuality (Official Video)

Bragg’s lead single off of his 1991 pop success ‘Don’t Try This At Home’, came at a time where sex-positive and anti-homophobic music was scarce. With a video that is just as fun, fearless and freeing as the words - it is one of Bragg’s biggest and most loved singles.
The Million Things That Never Happened' is out now on CD and Digitally. Buy on CD, stream now and pre-order the 12" vinyl LP to get it at the earliest available date BBragg.lnk.to/TMTTNH
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www.billybragg.co.uk/
Lyrics:
I've had relations with girls from many nations
I've made passes at women of all classes
And just because you're gay I won't turn you away
If you stick around I'm sure that we can find some common ground
Sexuality
Strong and warm and wild and free
Sexuality
Your laws do not apply to me
A nuclear submarine sinks off the coast of Sweden
Headlines give me headaches when I read them
I had an uncle who once played for Red Star Belgrade
He said some things are really best left unspoken
But I prefer it all to be out in the open
Sexuality
Strong and warm and wild and free
Sexuality
Your laws do not apply to me
Sexuality
Don't threaten me with misery
Sexuality
I demand equality
I'm sure that everybody knows how much my body hates me
It lets me down most every time and makes me rash and hasty
I feel a total jerk before your naked body of work
I'm getting weighed down with all this information
Safe sex doesn't mean no sex it just means use your imagination
Stop playing with yourselves in hard currency hotels
I look like Robert De Niro, I drive a Mitsubishi Zero
Sexuality
Strong and warm and wild and free
Sexuality
Your laws do not apply to me
Sexuality
Come eat and drink and sleep with me
Sexuality
We can be what we want to be
#BillyBragg #Sexuality #TheMillionThingsThatNeverHappened #CaraTivey

[@medes5597]

Kirsty singing with Billy, Johnny Marr playing guitar (though sadly not in the video) and a video directed by Phil Jupitus. Brilliant. Always loved this one.

[@massanam8846]

Jnnn

[@johncunliffe350]

It’ll never get that good again

[@hikikomoriarty]

Had no idea Billy Bragg was mates with Phill Jupitus! Interesting. (Phill's a famous-in-the-UK comedian, for those who aren't in the Britosphere.)

[@norfolkdragons866]

@@hikikomoriarty I saw Billy sing this at Glastonbury one year, and Phill was on stage and joined in on the chorus.

[@brez642]

Wow i never knew it was Marr on guitar. Shouldve known, it's def his style.

[@gwz]

A fun sex positive video which included homosexuality during the AIDS scare was a rare thing indeed.

[@lovethewoods3836]

Love

[@sderoski1]

Pride

[@crystalidentity]

@@sderoski1 💖🏳‍🌈🏳‍⚧💞

[@jonchaisson1866]

Kirsty 'commenting' on his size at 1:54 still makes me laugh all these years later. XD

[@bobbythebest588yeah3]

Brilliant to see Kirsty at her best. A true legend gone too soon.

[@Libertine700]

How is she a legend? She wrote 0 well known songs. Good backing singer tho

[@davidroon-explorationsinar9106]

Fairytale of New York by itself by itself would be enough to canonize her. @@Libertine700

[@ritadmn3824]

Love Kirsty. Still makes me sad.

[@philmason8122]

​@@Libertine700So by your way of thinking Elvis & Frank Sinatra are'nt Legends?? TIT!!!

[@geetee4459]

Billy's most joyful video. Upbeat, Kirsty, the feels, the fun. But still the meanings. Meanings which still apply nearly 40 years later.

[@rikske1960]

1991

[@afterthought3341]

What's Bragg's poppy songs? This is definitely a pop song, could you recomend something that is not as cheese?

[@seamusmalarkey759]

I love it

[@seamusmalarkey759]

@@afterthought3341 A New England

[@rmc4091]

I had uncle who once played for red star Belgrade brilliant line

[@adam-ez2qo]

My favourite line from any song...ever!

[@guycha0s380]

When you are happy you enjoy the music, when you are sad you understand the lyrics.

[@billybonkers244]

I still can’t believe I actually saw him live yesterday! I was named after billy brag and it was surreal to actually see him!

[@frangarcia7774]

Great song and great video. So fun. So funny. Kirsty is fantastic. We miss her. Wish Johnny Marr could have made it into the video. I listened to this album non stop when it came out. Full of wonderful music.

[@TheBigAyland]

This song helped me with my Bisexuality. Thank you Billy. I learned to accept and embrace my love of other Men. I prefer it all it all to be out in the open. May all those struggling with their sexuality find this song.

[@ba7926]

All the songs are classics. Really appreciate your music Billy.

[@clivesnowden4348]

My favourite Billy Bragg video. Everyone's fantastic here - especially Kirsty. Fabulous song. Still relevant.

[@bobbythebest588yeah3]

He mentioned on his tour about rewriting it to fit with trans right.

[@crystalidentity]

@@bobbythebest588yeah3 Yes, and non-binary people too. "Just because you're 'they', I won't turn you away. If you stick around, I'm sure that we'll find all the right pronouns!" 💞

[@revevague6256]

We can be what we want to be! Such a beautiful and vital song and music video. All these years later, still vital and relevant!

[@montaguewithnail5891]

"I look like Robert Di Niro, I drive a mitsubishi zero". Dylan nor Cohen could aspire to that. Genius. Possibly my favourite lyric of all time.

[@stevedalbor1001]

Very nostalgic for me. Remember it well. Kirsty, God love her, is amazing. Keep in mind that most people who drove a Mitsubishi Zero did not fare very well in WWII however.

[@LazyIRanch]

@@stevedalbor1001Kirsty and Billy are both so adorable here! I discovered her music through Nick Lowe and the wonderful boxed set from Stiff Records that featured Kirsty and many 1980s Brit punk and pop stars of that label. Their slogan was, "If It Isn't Stiff, It Isn't Worth a F*ck!" 😂 It was my 8 year old son who first told me that a Mitsubishi Zero was a Japanese WWII plane, and used by kamikaze pilots! He started drawing WWII planes when he was four, and was obsessed with WWII history until his teens. His favorite plane was the F4U Corsair, and he could draw it in great detail. He met a veteran at the local Air Museum who flew those in WWII, and that gentleman was impressed by his knowledge of the plane and his drawings. My son was 10 yrs at the time, and meeting that veteran was better than meeting a favorite movie star for him.

[@stevedalbor1001]

@@LazyIRanch Thanks for the kind words. And the memories of the 1980s. Your son sounds like a kindred spirit! I always have loved to draw aircraft too, especially old ones. The Zero was one of the reasons the F4U was introduced, to deal with the Zero in combat. (The Wildcats and Hellcats were struggling at the time to keep up). Zeroes were used for a lot more than kamikaze missions, too (they escorted the Pearl Harbor strike force). My only mild disappointment was that Billy is not shown in the cockpit of an actual Mitsubishi Zero. That would have rocked. Budget concerns, I suppose...

[@LazyIRanch]

@@stevedalbor1001 I wish my son would get back into drawing, but then I quit too. He's 30 now, which makes me feel ancient. That would have been the coolest to see Billy in one of those planes! Mitsubishi made a lot of different kinds of machines in the last century. I almost bought an antique Mitsubishi sewing machine at a flea market in the 80s, but since I already had 4 sewing machines I passed on it. That was dumb, because they're very good machines, as are most Japanese-made sewing machines. Now I have an early 1960s Brother machine that was made in Japan and is a beast! I used it to sew heavy waterproof canvas for my goat pen. Now I have 8 or 10 machines, not sure anymore. Fewer people sew now, and it's hard to pass up good deals. That Brother machine was free!

[@travelerx]

Oh wow, Kirsty singing with Billy always hits me right in the feels. And fuck me, that song is catchy. Gonna be in my head for days now.

[@bobbythebest588yeah3]

This is one of the best songs ever written.

[@f104G]

This is one of the worst songs ever written.

[@kashiway7929]

Thanks for sharing this and your other classic videos!

[@thomasdungl8493]

So much great song, fine clipp ... thank you so much for sharing!

[@h0rsefuneral]

Saw him do the updated version at beautiful days festival this year was brilliant

[@FrSky-Steve]

I've never seen this video and was very surprised to see Kristy McColl in it. As terrific a person she was, her life was measured in the final moments of it. She sacrificed her own life to save the life of her kids. Every mother's day I think of Kristy.

[@Hardrada00]

Time to mention that Phill Jupitus who performed in the video also directed it.

[@targetchip]

Surely this song is due to be recovered by someone in the current modern way of life

[@jorgeluisarangurenbardelli6440]

Recuerdo esa Cancion

[@carolynclarke8911]

FIRST I'VE HEARD OF THIS!?? AWESOME! 🧡💜💚🌈

[@AnotherExPat]

Love you Kirsty. RIP.

[@richardhodkinson6005]

Great tune!

[@DiarmaidMacAonghusa]

Excellent, brings me right back.

[@Jason-vinyljunkie]

Still could not have two guys kissing then in the video. Glad so much has changed. Thank you, Billy, for being part of it!

[@RemyGriffinTrans]

Hugely emotional and important song to me x

[@jimmyzbike]

love this oldie

[@MsPataca]

One of my favourite tunes of all time! So catchy and endearing.

[@GingePlaysMinecraft]

Love this song so much - the updated version with trans and NB inclusive stuff he does at live gigs is also incredible

[@rubenk8273]

🤢

[@RB-tq4uu]

It is! I saw him at a festival a few months ago and was delighted to hear the updated version.

[@apemangeezer6969]

@@rubenk8273 Cry about it

[@Olyfrun]

@@rubenk8273 you alright there mate?

[@hikikomoriarty]

@@rubenk8273 If you stick around, I'm sure that we'll find the right pronouns! 😽

[@adamfindlay5719]

One of the best.

[@KAFKUBA]

God I'm old...i got married and went to Ireland when this came out... that was 5 lifetimes ago

[@UnknownHumanOnline]

From where you went over there ?

[@KAFKUBA]

@@UnknownHumanOnline 1991

[@josemaria8177]

Billy Bragg as always been on the right side of history while making amazing songs to boot

[@littlecatfeet9064]

Now he’s on the wrong side, bullying lesbians and gay men for being “transphobic”.

[@Jnoooooo]

​@@littlecatfeet9064calling out bigotry is not bullying! And if you stick around, I'm sure that we can find some common ground!

[@littlecatfeet9064]

@@Jnoooooo yeah right. Just because you’re gay, I won’t turn you away. He’s a condescending prat.

[@crystalidentity]

@@Jnoooooo "Just because you're 'they', I won't turn you away. If you stick around, I'm sure that we'll find all the right pronouns!" 💞🎶

[@jamiewatson9027]

The anthem of my coming out as a gay man in '91. Set the tone for the great positive changes of the Nineties. Thank you Billy!

[@VelcroKittie]

Nice! And also brave as fuck of you in the 90s. I'm a straight bloke who grew up in the 90s. I had it easy. That's the reality. Despite it being an insanely brilliant time for music, the patriarchy was in full swing. In the UK & Ireland, if you didn't drink loads of beer, act tough and never show your emotions as a man, you weren't seen as "a real man." I use inverted commas because we now know how destructive it is to believe there are prerequisites that distinguish real from fake. They only create the No True Scotsman fallacy that is found in almost all manifestations of extreme thinking.

[@127cmore]

The BEST Billy Bragg ❤ song 🎵 👌 ever

[@TodGemuese]

Man, I made it half way through this video before I realized that was a young Phil Jupitus!

[@TheBigAyland]

Phill Jupitus also directed this video

[@nyeevans13]

Not heard this for years, such a wonderful and uplifting song.

[@martiansonmaui1749]

Such a great song, it was anthemic for me when it was first released. I love the line “safe sex doesn’t mean no sex, it just means use your imagination” “I drive a Mitsubishi Zero”, yes, we were a bit kamikaze about sex in our youth, lived to tell the tale, lol. Awesome video!

[@jasontiemann6536]

I miss Kirsty. Watching this video is always a joy but still makes me a bit sad. X

[@dukejukebox775]

Proud Red Star Belgrade fan here. Love Billy!!

[@olliehutchins584]

What’s does that reference mean? Only part of the song I’ve never grasped!

[@morganfarr5886]

Thing is bud, I don't agree with you politically very much but I bloody appreciate your honesty and skill.

[@ciarlidelbuono5157]

Billy migliora la giornata

[@buffscrit]

'I had an uncle who once played for Red Star Belgrade.' Best lyric in history

[@scopex2749]

Dear Kirsty in this video with her good mate Billy and the guitar magician who played the awesome 'church bell' riff intro on Kirstys cover of 'New England - Johnny Marr. I still whistle this song now in my 60's very memorable song. Wonder what Billy and Kirsty would have been producing if she was still around?

[@berndgruner8510]

Danke..fürs. Senden

[@Antihm-js7wc]

Absolutely love kirstys smile when pieing the judge. Thanks for all your great music bill.

[@jdsalbion]

I miss Kirsty so much 😢❤❤❤

[@bbateson]

This video always reduces me to tears just because of her

[@petersimons8666]

So much fun and exploring the underlying lyrical taboos at same time.

[@pissedrussian2554]

I can agree

[@christophermoore5405]

Absolutely love this song. ❤❤❤❤

[@problemchimp4231]

Bloody loved the Gloucester gig...& my heart swelled when you pointed out the excellent the Gloucester Services.

[@bstoke211]

Is the bit where he says he's had relations with girls from many nations a humble Bragg?

[@sirtrevor10]

A great tune from Billy, they seemed to have great fun in the video. Kirsty looked great in this, a rare beauty taken from us in cruel circumstances.

[@garethjones6566]

Quality set last Saturday night in Holmfirth.

[@mondkarotten8428]

Billy, gut Job❤

[@jamescain4273]

Brilliant

[@tonybozzelli287]

Gold

[@BebotExpress00]

Can we get an HD Version 720...1080....4k....Thanks!

[@holysin1]

So much love for everything in this, though ye gods it makes me miss never mind the buzzcocks 😿

[@stefanover]

Grande Billy !!!!!

[@antster1983]

3:33 Do you think Billy got to Uality in the end?

[@crm2507777]

Just perfect Next Tory Conference walk out song maybe?

[@hiroyukikubo7195]

At last🙌

[@krisscanlon4051]

Kirsty there how lovely...this one reminds me of Tom Robinsin inna way...Brit singers right

[@chrismorrison2805]

Kristy, Billy, Wiggy,... happy!

[@garrygreatbatch117]

Loosin kirsty so young r I P ❤

[@ChickyDoodleAnnie]

Great song, great message.

[@roried]

Sound like "Third Eye Blind" to me, so I love it!

[@drstevie]

FAB :)

[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

Rest in Peace Kirsty.

[@desbelfastireland9982]

THANK YOU,, DES CREAN,, BELFAST ,IRELAND

[@FRANCISCO99627]

❤❤❤

[@dougcoxon5472]

A song of love and hope! Love is love!

[@7thheathen]

In his 60s and still fresh and raw in concert. Legend

[@geetee4459]

Just imagine if he and Kirsty could be creating music and singing live together these days. Taken FAR too soon Ms MacColl.

[@SwingRiots]

Kirsty 💜

[@jessecool2980]

This is the guy in the car Morrissey warned us about

[@skyekerrigan4928]

It said on line it was Johnny Marr playing but I just cant see it myself - Phil Thornalley?

[@medes5597]

Johnny plays on and co wrote the song. He wasn't able to do the video ("I was arsing about with David Byrne at the time" he has since claimed) so Wiggy mimes Johnny's part.

[@craigs1266]

I love this song. 🙂 I can't help but think of the parodies when I hear it. "I've had relations with hamsters and dalmatians..." 🤣

[@jakubkrc6269]

Might fit well to Electronic first album

[@jumpman93LP]

1:28 those two looks like your average knocked loose fans ♥

[@petersimons8666]

just too add, guy doing visuals, regarding, hands and signals, has now been adopted by emergencey back up broadcasts for those who are hearing impaired, so important Necs Pas. Relations so important across this wide, wide world

[@Sam-cq2fd]

[@Maximillian-Tiberius-Rex]

I once had an uncle who played for red star Belgrade he said some things are best left unspoken but I've left your auntie and ran of with the post man

[@jamesradskijr.9745]

We are all the human race.

[@kascade9145]

Commo Bragg.

[@michaelmakowski8144]

Billy you made so many "epic" songs, but this one of my favourite ones. Unbelievalbe that we still have to "fight" for the rights of the LGBT communiity. I'm straight, but for me it does not matter if you are gay, straight or equal. It just matters if you are an asshole or not.

[@playlistismo]

@ ▷ Billy Bragg 🎶▷ Sexuality 💿▷ Don't Try This At Home 📅▷ 1991 🎬︎▷ Phill Jupitus

[@georgemorenstein]

tee-hee, he said sexuality.

[@JackBrindelli]

The way the ball whistles past her head at 0:17 is truly terrifying. Commitment not to flinch too!

[@alanflint7732]

This treats the subject with the humour that is missing in 2024. People seem far too serious and sensitive these days.

[@theragoooverlord5021]

The part where he says laws dont apply to him... search his computer.

[@stephanieh5478]

As a bisexual I approve this message!

[@joshuaheathcote2116]

A nuclear sub sits off the coast of Sweden. Thanks for the information mate.

[@E.C.2]

Happy Advent pray the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary until Christmas Day ✝

[@douglasparkinson4123]

pray the little office of your mum until christmas day.,

[@markchandler8592]

I miss Kirsty so damn much...

[@ericcrawford9827]

Your laws do not apply to me. x

[@theragoooverlord5021]

Did he know Jimmy Savile?

[@Lyndanet]

0:17 whatever…

[@douglasparkinson4123]

its not a boast. its establishing that billy bragg has done the heterosexual relationships but is still accepting of the homosexual relationships. may not sound much, but this was radical in its day.

[@Lyndanet]

@@douglasparkinson4123 I commented on it saying “whatever “because he’s made a newer version of the song that had gotten some” heat .” I didn’t mean it insultingly at all .

[@russellsims8197]

He's disappeared down the woke rabbit hole these days but seeing the lovely Kirsty McColl brought a lump to my throat.

[@njujuznem6554]

aka he has continued to be progressive whereas you've turned into a conservative. "Woke" my foot