trans anthem

I have my iPod connected to my car's audio system and I usually listen to it rather than the radio when I am in my car.

I copied most of my CD music collection, over 7,000 songs, to my iPod. Typically, I just copied whole CDs over to my iPod, good songs and bad, familiar songs and songs I have never heard, with the intention of pairing down the collection later. As a result, I occasionally hear a song play on my iPod that I have not heard before. Such is the case this morning.

The unfamiliar song began and I immediately recognized the signature voice of Lou Reed, but I did not recognize the song. After listening to one-third of the song, I restarted the song from its beginning to make sure I was hearing what I thought I heard.

As it turned out, my ears had not deceived me. I was listening to Reed sing about "a slick little girl" performing her daily makeup regime, but the chorus inferred that the girl was transgendered.

Now were comin' out.
Out of our closets.
Out on the streets.
Yeah, were comin' out.

The song is nearly 40 years old, so it is likely that someone has suggested this before, but this song could be the anthem for the transgendered. The song is titled Make Up and here are its lyrics:

Your face when sleeping is sublime,
And then you open up your eyes,
Then comes pancake factor number one,
Eyeliner, rose hips, and lips gloss are such fun,
You're a slick little girl,
You're a slick little girl.

Rouge and coloring incense and ice,
Perfume and kisses, oooo, it's all so nice,
You're a slick little girl,
You're a slick little girl.

Now were comin' out.
Out of our closets.
Out on the streets.
Yeah, were comin' out.

When you're in bed it's so wonderful,
It'd be so nice to fall in love,
When you get dressed, I really get my fill,
People say that it's impossible.

Gowns lovely made out of lace,
And all the things that you do to your face,
You're a slick little girl,
Oh, you're a slick little girl.

Eyeliner, whitener, then color the eyes,
Yellow and green, oh what a surprise,
You're a slick little girl,
Oh, you're such a slick little girl.

Now were comin' out.
Out of our closets,
Out on the streets.
Yes, were comin' out,
Yeah, were comin' out,
Yeah, were comin' out.