Walkin’ Round in Women’s Underwear
A novelty song set to Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland’s tune
By a very broad interpretation of the title/lyrics, “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby?” would qualify . . .
You know… I think Johanna has a point here. I’ve been guilty in the past of considering interactions with transgender people as somewhat comical, but they’re not clowns or objects of mockery they are human beings. Many (not all) of the songs listed here are directly or indirectly mocking them as if they are chimpanzees in ballerina skirts or transgressive oddballs. I’m not sure compiling a list of these songs is really going to make them feel better about things.
Antony & the Johnsons should be mentioned for a first person, non ‘outrageous’ viewpoint.
Why would that be the intent of the OP? Why would it have to be?
Those marked with a * are the usual “oh damn, I thought it was a girl and it’s a guy”.
Note: the name of this group means “itchy/burning arseholes” (as in, they got their name when the guitar player was asked about his hemorroids and answered “my arse’ole is burnin’ bad!”). You’ve been warned.
Mojinos escozíos - Manolo. *
Mojinos escozíos - Er himno marsiá y viril de la gente que se siente efusivamente guay. De martial and birile himn o’ dose who fee’ really really fabulous. Very little mention of transvestism, but it is mentioned in the first line (“already as a child I used to wear my father’s panties”).
Tam Tam Go - Manuel Raquel.
Obús - Cara de niña. * (Girlie face)
Javier Gurruchaga - Marilyn (I think this one would make for a good swing number, too)
Platero y tú - Juliette.
Manuel Raquel is the only one which makes it clear they are talking about a transexual.
Of course they are human beings. They are also clowns and objects of mockery, and rightly so, entirely regardless of whether they deserve it or not.
It is like with homosexuality – I mean no malice or disrespect to homosexuals, but the fact remains that homosexuality is funny. Always has been, always will be. It is funny because it involves sex, and where would humor be without sex? It is funny because involves reversal of conventional expectations, which is the basis of all the highest humor. And it is funny because it involves the asshole. Anything involving the asshole is funny. It is impossible to say “proctologist” without evoking a snicker, which is not true of “gynecologist” or “urologist” to nearly the same degree. And all of that, cubed and squared, applies to transsexuality.
The “Modern” version has also appeared in sheet music. It’s wrong, but it is out there in official sources.
The punk band Against Me! recently released an album called Transgender Dysphoria Blues which deals largely with the lead singer coming out as a transgendered woman.
Thank you, astro. I’m frankly flabbergasted that this even needs to be explained.
Your own previous failings are really not relevant. My contribution to this thread is merely—nothing more and nothing less—about answering the question in the OP. This is a list. That’s it. Period. Listing the songs does not constitute endorsement of the sentiments expressed therein.
Yes, plenty of the songs mentioned treat transgender people as comical, as objects of derision or mockery. If someone wants to start a thread about HOW transgender people are treated in popular culture, i’d be happy to offer an opinion—one that probably agrees in almost every respect with Johanna’s.
Sorry, but the fact that you CAN make jokes out of this stuff does not mean that homosexuality or transgender are, in and of themselves, clowns or comical or appropriate objects of mockery.
It doesn’t, because it has absolutely nothing to do with the OP. I mean no disrespect to you or astro or your thoughtful posts; I just feel like you’re not viewing this thread in the spirit in which it was started. **Shakes **only requested songs that make reference to transgender /transvestites, and even specifies they don’t have to be *about *them. Does acknowledging / compiling a list of said songs now equate to mockery?
“Where I Come From” by Alan Jackson
“Where’s the Dress?” by Moe Bandy and Joe Stampley
“Bitty Boppy Betty” by Pink Martini
“Jane Says” by Jane’s Addiction
What. The. Fuck?
Yeah, I read all this. And I’m still wondering what the fuck? Rightly so, hm?
What is the transgender/transvestite reference in “Jane Says”?
There’s a broad spectrum of experience on display here, Una. The four songs I listed in post #53 had three dudes broadly parodying femininity and one tragic case of gender dysmorphia, which is about the ratio I’ve encountered in TV/TG people. They’re not all gay teenaged suicides victims. To paraphrase the Farrelly Brothers, they’re part of the human tapestry and fair subjects for humor; putting them off-limits dehumanizes them.
Official?
Er, yes. How are the printed lyrics in a Beatles album not “official”? How is sheet music published by the Beatles’ own Maclen Music not “official”?
I’d always understood “Jane” to be Perry Farrel’s stage alter-ego, a transvestite heroin addict, but I can’t find anything online to confirm this. I am finding a lot of references to Jane Bainter, an actual female and former housemate on whom the song (and band name) were based.
Ignorance fought, and I withdraw this example.
Calm down, I just asked a question.
Notice that the lyrics in the CD version of 1976-1970 say Martin. Either this was also the case with the LP version, or it is a correction of an earlier mistake.