Annotations for Nathan amzi jon boydon and original west end cast of heathers my dead gay son

Lyric: I’ve been thinking. Praying. Reading some magazines. And it’s time we opened our eyes!
Annotation:
Some people believe that the magazines part of this line is a reference to the magazine JD left in the “homosexual artifacts” bag, and that could be true, but what I believe about the whole line is that Bill has been doing these things because he has wondered if being gay was really as sin, and was looking for answers, so he thought, prayed, and also maybe read magazines for answers, possibly foreshadowing when he and Paul kiss, or also possibly because Kurt and Ram died.

Lyric: After all that we been through—
 
 (spoken)
 I’m talkin’ you and me!
 (CONGREGATION gasp)
 In the summer of ’83!
 (CONGREGATION gasp again)
 
 [KURT’S DAD, spoken]
 That was one hell of a fishing trip
Annotation:
In a very iconic moment, Bill reveals he and Paul aren’t as hetero as they seem. With each word rhyming (from “you” to “clue” to “through”), you may expect the next line to be something along the lines of “me and you”, right? It would seem fitting, especially since the year could’ve also been ‘82 and no one would have cared. So why break the rhyming flow? A moment like this is very symbolic. You were most likely expecting one thing but got another. You may have expected “me and you” but instead got “you and me”. You may have expected these two men to be straight but instead, they’re gay and as hilarious as this scene is, it’s powerfully striking in using symbolism to present an atmosphere of expecting the unexpected by just simply switching “you” and “me”. After this line, the two dads hug and kiss. During the rest of the song, the two dads sometimes sing lines together. They did not do this in the earlier part of the song; therefore, the two singing at the same time may symbolize the two coming out and being together. Before “Big Fun”, the two dads tell their sons and the audience they’re going on a fishing trip. This would have implied that their affair was more than just a one-time thing, except the previous lyric is only talking about that one time six years ago. If there were more, he would not have just mentioned that one.

Lyric: They were not fruits!
Annotation:
“Fruit” has been historically used as a derogatory term towards members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Lyric: I’ve seen gay lions show their pride in documentaries
Annotation:
A family unit of lions is called a pride. Pride is also an important theme in LGBTQ+ activism and culture, hence the existence of gay pride parades. Male lions have indeed been observed performing various acts of intimacy with each other, such as nuzzling and intercourse, in the wild.

Lyric: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
 Whoa, whoa, whoa!
 They were not dirty—
 Whoa!
 And not perverse—
 No, no!
 They were just two shiny rhinestones
 On the Lord’s big purse!
Annotation:
insert Bill and Paul making out here

Lyric: I used to see a homo and go reachin’ for my gun
Annotation:
This is how to tell of someone is actually homophobic or is disapproving. When they feel the need to defend themselves with a weapon. Or perhaps Ram’s dad would often proclaim this extreme in hopes no one would suspect he himself was gay

Lyric: RAM’S DAD
Annotation:
It’s subtly teased at many times that Mr Sweeny may in fact not be as straight as it first seems, such as him “reading some magazines”… wink wink

Lyric: Just friendly fellows dressed up like their fav’rite Village Person!
Annotation:
This could be a reference to the old disco group ‘Village People’, which had members who dressed up in costumes when performing, and was popular in the 1970’s and 80’s.

Lyric: Then animal or human
 You can’t help the one you love
Annotation:
This refers to the “Christian gay conversion” camps. These camps are based on the belief that through God/Christ, your sexuality can be changed to the “only sexuality” which is heterosexuality through the help of God/Christ. In this statement, Mr. Sweeny states that he now realizes he can’t “help” someone with homosexuality.

Lyric: Den
Annotation:
“Bear” is a term used by gay men  to describe a large, hairy man

