Rodney Dangerfield's lost legacy.

February 25, 2006 11:03 AM

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)

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