Re: Homophobia (Was: Oh by the way)

["Ronald W. Garrison" <rwgarr@intrex.net>]

Marcel F G Rijs wrote:
> I _was_ more interested in "what a song is about", i.e. what Kate
> meant
> with that sentence. All in all, I think one explanation (I don't know
> from
> whom) was the best: that the son is "coming out" to pursue and follow
> up
> the work the father had started. (In the clip, this is illustrated by
> Kate
> running up to the Cloudbuster and putting it into work after the
> father
> (Donald S.) was taken away in the car.)
> Does anyone know if that is a correct use of "coming out" in English?
> Part
> of my confusion was prompted by an overall lack of knowing if "coming
> out"
> is used in English in any other way than "coming out of the closet",
> i.e.
> being gay and standing up for it.
> 
> Coming closer to a final decision.....
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
=========================
Can't resist a couple of comments, in a *very* long and meandering
thread...:-)

1. Personally, I don't think this is about the character of the song
"coming out" as gay. I base this on having read Peter Reich's book, in
which I don't remember him making any comments whatever that would
support that view. Of course, if Kate wanted to change the original
story a little to one about someone else a little different, she could,
but offhand I see no particular reason to suppose that, *except* for the
"coming out" phrase. And I don't think that adds up either, and this is
why...

2. I think "Your son's coming out" is just a silly little play on
words--no more, no less. (Son/sun--get it? teeheeheeheehee.) And the
*sun* comes out out after it *rains*. Nothing complex here. At least
that's what it looks like to me. Want to see better that Kate isn't
above silly word plays? Listen to the *next* song on the album, in which
you get the priceless phrase: "If they find me racing white horses, they
won't take me for a buoy."

--Ron

-- 
http://www.intrex.net/rwgarr/