“Gloria”: a hymn to gender-nonconformity

I stumbled upon the song “Gloria” by the band The Trials of Cato by chance in one of my Spotify playlists that I listen to while running. And as soon as I caught the lyrics, this song found a deep & warm place in my heart.

I’d like to share this song with all those people who, like me, are gender-nonconforming, genderqueer, non-binary, or trans. This is a hymn to our beautiful trans-gressions. It is dedicated especially to us. 

“

Sixteen and at the seam

Well there were headlamps, canary dreams

I was apprenticed to a charcoal art

As I waited for my life to start

And they said black blood flowed through my veins

Yet in the pit all I knew was pain

Those blasted chambers were choking me

And only Gloria could set me free

But then a woman I chanced to meet

And I felt the coal move beneath my feet

And in the mirror I did stare

At Gloria with the short brown hair

She said “What’s to come is way past overdue”

And it’s then I knew what I was born to do

And as she moved through the county fair

Not a man in sight could help but stare

So she left them there

Watching and waiting

For the sound of a woman’s voice

With a look in her eye gave them no choice

So she left them there

Watching and waiting for the sound

I leave behind a miner’s life

I’ll say no prayers I’ll take no wife

I’ll busk my way down to Camden town

For it’s there a queen can find her crown

And then one evening she comes around

We tear our way o’er right through the town

And through the sherry wine and smoky haze

Oh Gloria shows me a woman’s ways

So I dress myself as best as I can

And ne’er forget that I was born a man

And as she moved through the county fair

Not a man in sight could help but stare

So she left them there

Watching and waiting

For the sound of a woman’s voice

But the look in her eye gave them no choice

So she left them there

Watching and waiting for the sound

Find myself in Soho bars

In a world of ashtrays and old guitars

And there were those who say that it trangressed

And there were those who saw behind the dress

Now I clad myself in finery

I sing my song o’ for all to see

And all the people how they did stare

At Gloria with the short brown hair

So I dressed myself as best as I can

And ne’er forget that I was born a man

And as she moved through the county fair

Not a man in sight could help but stare

So she left them there

Watching and waiting

For the sound of a woman’s voice

But the look in her eye gave them no choice

So she left them there

Watching and waiting for the sound

And as she moved through the county fair

Not a man in sight could help but stare

So she left them there

Watching and waiting

For the sound of a woman’s voice

But the look in her eyes gave them no choice

So she left them there

Watching and waiting for the sound

“