This list of songs performed and/or written by people with disabilities, or, sometimes, about disabled people, were selected for the 2003 Society for Disability Studies Dance. The previous year I had brought a number of disability CDs to the dance. I was told by a knowledgeable friend that the collection was the most eclectic he had ever seen, but no good for dancing. As I don't, generally, dance this criteria had escaped me. I danced to each song in this collection–not well, but I danced. I wanted to ensure danceability.

The SDS Annual Dance -- 2003

Santa's In A Wheelchair • The Kids Of Widney High, 3:13
Widney High is the Los Angeles area special school.

Move On Up • Curtis Mayfield, 8:56
Curtis spent the last few years of his life using a power chair.

I Don't Need No Doctor • Ray Charles, 2:33
Ray Charles is, of course, blind.

Take Me In Your Arms Tonight • Teddy Pendergrass, 5:27
A recording before his power wheelchair use.

What's in a Name • The Cripples, 4:12
LA’s openly disabled punk band singing about our old favorite, semantics.

Short People • Randy Newman, 2:55
Will the controversy never end?

Mongoloid • Devo, 3:45
Easier to rhyme than Down’s Syndrome.

Johnny's Blues • Johnny Crescendo and the P.O.P. Squad, 3:44
The U.K.’s disabled flag bearer and his Piss on Pity Squad.

Beautiful People • Marilyn Manson, 3:38
Marilyn’s early years in the hospital informs this dig at the mainstream.

Cowboy Brown • The Kids Of Widney High, 3:36
The Kids again.

Cracking Up • Nick Lowe, 3:02
The title says it all.

I Wanna Be Sedated • The Ramones, 2:30
Joey Ramone’s OCD might have lead to this plea.

Spasticus (Autisticus) • Ian Dury & The Blockheads, 5:11
The disabled author of Sex and Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll writes a BBC banned anthem for the 1981 International Year of the Disabled.

My Generation • The Who, 3:18
Who says stuttering isn’t a disability?

Destroy The Handicapped • Fang, 1:33
It’s unclear what we did to piss off these San Francisco, hardcore skinheads. NB: The lead singer is back on the streets after serving a prison sentence for murdering his girlfriend.