Rodney Dangerfield's lost legacy.
February 25, 2006 11:03 AM   Subscribe

Simply mad about the boy. I've learned my lesson from these gay-themed novelty records from the Sixties. I'd rather fight than swish.
posted by Astro Zombie (22 comments total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
Wikipedia on the comedian: He took the name Rodney Dangerfield, a pseudonym which had been used by Ricky Nelson on the TV program The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. The performer on that single and the Dangerfield we know likely both borrowed the name from the same place.

Great post, btw.
posted by gimonca at 11:33 AM on February 25, 2006


Interesting.. Since the first album could be considered almost derogatory (from the description), I wonder if Rodney Dangerfield knew that he was working with a gay pride label before gay pride existed?

Does anyone know what "45, Si, Si" is supposed to mean? I thought the CC in 45CC would refer to a "cubic centimeters", a commonly used measurement of injections. This implies a drug reference (which seems to fit slightly better with the "Spanish Fly" title), but I have no idea what it would be.
posted by jmhodges at 11:34 AM on February 25, 2006


That's what I get for not previewing one last time..
posted by jmhodges at 11:36 AM on February 25, 2006


Stanley the Manly Tranvestite is so Victor/Victoria : >

This is wonderful---real artifacts worth keeping--thanks!
posted by amberglow at 12:00 PM on February 25, 2006


"The primary reason for doing this album was to prove that good songs could and should be sung by everyone. Gender should not be the determining factor as to who should sing what."

Years ahead of his-her-its-their time. Excellent!
posted by scratch at 12:09 PM on February 25, 2006


Stanley the Manly Transvestite calls out to be done on stage. The Fight/Swish duo makes me incomparably happy, too. God, I need a backing band, a stage and a frock. Right. Now.
posted by terpsichoria at 12:23 PM on February 25, 2006


yup, terp--I sent the link to a friend of mine who does cabaret--they have to be revived--i'd never even heard that they existed.
posted by amberglow at 12:25 PM on February 25, 2006


(Also posted on MoFi.)
posted by iviken at 12:26 PM on February 25, 2006


Exactly what I've been thinking as well. In fact, even as we speak, I am developing it into a full-length lip-synced musical for the Christmas offering of a certain Midwestern theater.
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:30 PM on February 25, 2006


Liked the songs on the "Mad About The Boy" album, poignant.
posted by nickyskye at 12:48 PM on February 25, 2006


This is brilliant, thank you! I hope someone comes forward who knows who put these recordings together.
posted by Nelson at 1:38 PM on February 25, 2006


I thought the CC in 45CC would refer to a "cubic centimeters", a commonly used measurement of injections.

And ejaculations.
posted by kirkaracha at 1:46 PM on February 25, 2006


a treasure trove of kitschy goodness. Thanks!
posted by whatnot at 1:51 PM on February 25, 2006


kirkaracha: Oh, duh.
posted by jmhodges at 2:02 PM on February 25, 2006


Great stuff! Thanks for sharing all this.
posted by bim at 4:11 PM on February 25, 2006


What a fantastic find - a lovingly presentated documentation of a lost bit of cultural history. Thanks! Here's a somewhat related thread from last summer about the openly queer 1930s-1950s recording artist Ray Bourbon.
posted by mediareport at 5:45 PM on February 25, 2006


Asto,

This post has made my evening, if not my week.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 7:51 PM on February 25, 2006


Thank you.
posted by Peter H at 9:03 PM on February 25, 2006


Brilliant...
posted by creeky at 2:12 AM on February 26, 2006


(Another) great post. I really hope that Stanley the Manly Transvestite hasn't been lost to posterity.
posted by greycap at 5:57 AM on February 26, 2006


Fabulous.
posted by jack_mo at 1:46 PM on February 26, 2006


These are magnificent. Speaks volumes about history.

What's fun to hear too, is that some of the aspects of pronunciation of gay speech haven't changed too much. But then, it's all still a part of U.S. English, apparently.

Some of these are so camp, I just about choke, but the more big band stuff (sounds more serious) is actually listenable. Awesome.
posted by taursir at 5:15 PM on February 26, 2006


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