I Am What I Am (Broadway musical song)

"I Am What I Am"
Single by Gloria Gaynor
from the album I Am Gloria Gaynor
Released	1983
Genre	Soul, Disco
Length	3:51
Writer(s)	Jerry Herman

"I Am What I Am" is a song originally introduced in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical La Cage aux Folles (1983–1987). The song is the finale number of the musical's first act, and performed by the character of Albin Mougeotte, first played by George Hearn. The song was composed in 1983 by Jerry Herman, an openly gay man.

The song was later released as a single by Gloria Gaynor in 1983 and went on to become one of the singer's best known songs. A club hit in America, Gaynor's version of "I Am What I Am" was a hit throughout Europe and eventually became a gay anthem.

Welsh singer Shirley Bassey recorded the song for her 1984 album I Am What I Am. That version was released as a single from the album, with "This Is My Life" as the B-side.

The song has been also covered by Marti Webb, Joannie Taylor, Carol Jiani, George Hearn, Hannah Jones, Soraya Arnelas, Ken Page, Linda Eder, Amateur Transplants, Karen Mulder, Andrew Rannells, and John Barrowman.

In Argentina, the singer Sandra Mihanovich made a Spanish-cover of the song called "Soy lo que soy".

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Wikipedia