LGBTQ Music in the 1920's

Hello Class,

I intend this task to be entertaining and fun for you, and to counterbalance the horror of the film Paragraph 175. 

So I just want you to spend about an hour or so listening to the music here, reading the lyrics, and thinking about these incredible songs you're hearing from the 1920's and 1930's. Have some paper and a pen next to you while you listen, so that you can take notes about your reactions, responses and thoughts.

After you finish, write me a 300 word letter in which you tell me what most made an impression on you when listening to this music. What did you like and dislike about the tunes? What did you learn or realize through listening and reading the lyrics?
You can submit your letter via the dropbox at the end of this post.

We begin in Berlin in the 1920's, during the Weimar Republic era of pre-Nazi Germany. Below are some performances of cabaret music that was popular at this time of emerging new ideas about human sexuality and gender. For this first tune, just enjoy the performance, and then you can read the lyrics after.


When the Special Girlfriend(Spoliansky; Schiffer) 2.35

When the special girlfriend
meets her special girlfriend
for a little shopping
shop to shop they’re hopping
shopping without stopping
Theres no greater pleasure
than to shop together
and the special girlfriend
tells the special girlfriend:
You're my special girlfriend

Oh you're my fav'rite girlfriend
my sweet and pretty girlfriend
l trust in you my girlfriend
to keep our secrets, girlfriend

When the special girlfriend
meets her special girlfriend
with great tenderness she'll
tell her friend she's special
oh my special, oh my special girlfriend

— So what does my special girlfriend say about that?
— Well, I can only tell you one thing . . . if l didn't have you, we'd get on so well . . .
— awfully well . . . it's almost unbearable how well we get on together . . . there's only one other         person I get on so well with
— with my/your sweet little man . . .

O my man, what a man
but a man's just a man
Still a man with a frau
when he can sure knows how
Just last week her boyfriend
had her in a whirl
that romance is over
she's dropped him for a girl

— Well, your sweet man is a little pushy
— oh yes?
— yes, absolutely
— why? . . . how come . . .
— well, he does these things . . .
— oh, I don't approve of that at all . . .
— well, come on, let's kiss and make up
— O.K. love, let’s make up

Just last week her boyfriend
had her in a whirl
that romance is over
she's dropped him for a girl
When the special girlfriend
meets her special girlfriend .
with great tenderness
she'll tell her friend she's special

oh my special, oh my special girlfriend


The next three performances are all by the same amazing singer named Ute Lemper, from her CD Berlin Cabaret Songs, which I highly recommend! This next video also has some cool period visuals that you'll enjoy, and the lyrics are pretty easy to understand.


The Lavender Song
(Arno Billing [=SpoIiansky]; Kurt Schwabach) 2.59

What makes them think they have the right
to say what God considers vice
What makes them think they have the right
to keep us out of Paradise
They make our lives hell here on Earth
poisoning us with guilt and shame
lf we resist prison awaits
so our love dares not speak its name
The crime is when love must hide
from now on we'll love with pride

We're not afraid to be queer and diff'rent
if that means hell — well hell we'll take the chance
they’re all so straight, uptight, upright and rigid
they march in lockstep, we prefer to dance
We see a world of romance and of pleasure
all they can see is sheer banality
Lavender nights are our greatest treasure
where we can be just who we want to be

Round us all up, send us away
that's what you’d really like to do
But we're too strong, proud, unafraid
in fact we almost pity you
You act from fear, why should that be
what is it that you are frightened of
the way that we dress
the way that we meet
the fact that you cannot destroy our love
we're going to win our rights
to lavender days and nights

We're not afraid to be queer and different . . .


This next song is one of my favorites! The video has no visuals, so feel free to read along as Ute sings, as the lyrics are delightfully witty! 


Maskulinum — Femininum

(Spoliansky; Schiffer) 1.45

One was masculine and one was feminine
and so they fell in love with ease
Then the masculine one told the feminine one
how he felt about their qualities
You are feminine but very masculine
while I am masculine but very feminine
and such a masculine and such a feminine
are this year's perfect personalities

Oh please be my masculine
and if you let me l will be your feminine
We once felt so inadequate
It drove us mad a bit but now thats past

And the feminine went out as masculine
she wore top hat and tails each night
And the masculine went out as feminine
he even wore high heels despite his height
And the feminine supports the masculine
at home the masculine cooks for the feminine
But still the masculine one and the feminine one
felt sure something wasn't working right

They both found the other to be
far too masculine or far too feminine
and while they got slightly riled
they soon were reconciled
and fought no more

What keeps a feminine a real feminine
remains although it's out of sight
and the same applies to every masculine
although it's hard to hide when working right
And when the masculine aggressive feminine
enwrapped the feminine submissive masculine
she had a handsome pretty mascu-feminine
a very cute hermaphrodite
The child’s an undisputed neuter
a well—suited neuter theres no cuter neuter
and masculine and feminine
are back in bed again and making more

Here's our last song from Berlin. This one could still be a modern feminist anthem!


Chuck out the men!
(Hollaender) 2.34

The battle for emancipation
's been raging since hist'ry began
Yes, feminists of every nation
want to throw oft the chains made by man
Hula girls and housemaids and wives in Maribou
hear all our voices thunder in protest
Anything that men do women can do too
and more than that we women do it best

Chuck all the men out of the Reichstag
and chuck all the men out of the courthouse
Men are the problem with humanity
they're blinded by their vanity
Women have passively embraced them
when we could have easily outpaced them
Yes we should have long ago replaced them
or better yet erased them
lf we haven't made our feelings clear
we women have had it up to here

As babies men all howl and bluster
they cry through the night and the day
perfecting the techniques they'll muster
for the times when they don't get their way
Nursie holds the monster and feeds him from her breast
and baby is contented for a bit
But when he sees his nurse is trying to get some rest
the little man decides to have a fit

Chuck all the men out . . .

The men get their pick of professions
they're policemen or scholars or clerks
They get rich and acquire possessions
like we wives who keep house for these jerks
They're ruining the country while we mop up the floor
They're flushing this whole nation down the drain
Sisters stand together, let's show these men the door
before they drive us totally insane

Chuck all the men out, etc.


Now we head back to America to check out some of the queer blues music that was being written, performed and recorded at more-or-less the same time as the Berlin Cabaret songs we just heard. I've discovered a fantastic 16 minute podcast for you to listen to which focuses solely on women-loving-women, but first I wanted to play you a couple of tunes sung by men. For more of this sort of stuff, check out JD Doyle with Queer Music Heritage, from whom I've borrowed heavily here.


We've gotta begin with Louis Powell in 1938, bringing us a song called "Sissy" (with some interesting chatter the beginning).

 




The next song, "Say I Do It," directly rips off Ma Rainey's classic “Prove It On Me Blues” which you'll hear in the podcast, and was recorded only two months after that song, by Waymon "Sloppy" Henry. It has the same hook, but the lyrics are much more gay and include another euphemism for sex, coffee grinding. This video also has some fantastic period images!




I now turn you over to Mike Rugel and his excellent podcast, Uncensored History of the Blues. I'll say goodbye now, and look forward to reading your letters!

-- Professor Mathews