Lesbian Concentrate: A Lesbianthology of Songs and Poems is a compilation of music and spoken word by lesbian artists. It was released by Olivia Records in 1977 in response to Anita Bryant's anti-gay crusade "Save Our Children".[1][2][3]

Lesbian Concentrate
Compilation album
Released1 January 1977
GenreFolk, pop, spoken word, women's music
LabelOlivia Records

The album's cover – a reference to Bryant's role as spokeswoman for the Florida Citrus Commission – has more recently received attention due to its inclusion on several "worst album covers ever" lists.[4][5]

Critical reception

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Country in Lesbian Tide described the album as "political and cultural, as well as entertaining",[6] that would "leave you spellbound".[6] Ilona Laney in The Body Politic said Lesbian Concentrate was "the best record to give someone as their first album of women's music".[7] In off our backs, Mer described the album as a "mixed bag... but it is also an affirmation of diversity, a striking convergence of different expressions of women".[8] Women's studies scholar Bonnie J. Morris dubbed the album as "the most racially and stylistically diverse"[9] of women's music.

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
1."Don't Pray For Me"Mary WatkinsLinda Tillery5:22
2."Nina"Meg ChristianMeg Christian and Holly Near3:35
3."Prove It On Me Blues"Ma RaineyTeresa Trull2:17
4."Sweet Woman"Cris Williamson and Jennifer WysongCris Williamson3:37
5."A History of Lesbianism"Judy GrahnJudy Grahn1:46
6."Gay and Proud"Debbie LempkeBerkeley Women's Music Collective3:28
7."Leaping Lesbians"Sue Fink and Joelyn GrippoSue Fink2:49
8."Sugar Mama"Gwen AveryGwen Avery4:16
9."Kahlua Mama"Virginia Rubino and Gioia SicilianoBeBe K'Roche3:50
10."No Hiding Place"WatkinsMary Watkins4:39
11."For Straight Folks Who Don't Mind Gays But Wish They Weren't So Blatant"Pat ParkerPat Parker2:16
12."Ode to a Gym Teacher"ChristianChristian4:14
13."Woman-Loving Women"Teresa TrullTrull3:58
Total length:46:17

References

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  1. ^ Zimmerman, Bonnie (2000). Encyclopedia of Lesbian Histories and Cultures. New York: Garland. p. 523. ISBN 978-0-8153-1920-7.
  2. ^ King, Katie (1994). Theory in Its Feminist Travels: Conversations in U.S. Women's Movements. Bloomington [u.a.]: Indiana Univ. Press. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-253-20905-4. Lesbian Concentrate.
  3. ^ Gambone, Philip (2010). Travels in a Gay Nation: Portraits of LGBTQ Americans. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-299-23684-7. Lesbian Concentrate.
  4. ^ "Worst Album Covers". www.coverbrowser.com. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  5. ^ "Worst Album covers". www.octanecreative.com. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  6. ^ a b Country (September 1977). "More Hard Core from Olivia". Reviews. Lesbian Tide. 7 (2): 28. ISSN 0270-8167.
  7. ^ Laney, Ilona (December 1977). "Music". The Body Politic. No. 39. p. 24.
  8. ^ Mer (October 1977). "Lesbian Concentrate". Reviews. off our backs. Vol. 7, no. 8.
  9. ^ Morris, Bonnie (July 2015). "Olivia Records: The Production of a Movement". Journal of Lesbian Studies. 19 (3): 300. doi:10.1080/10894160.2015.1026699. ISSN 1540-3548. PMID 26075684. S2CID 205753708.
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