Department of Amplification

In a recent TV doc on American Popular Song, a researcher was shown sheet music with a picture of a singer on the cover. I seem to recall the photo was of Margaret Young. His reaction was:

 

"Oh, that's Margaret Whiting's aunt. She died in a hotel fire smoking a cigarette."

 

The sheet music purveyor's reaction was one of semi-astonishment:

 

"How do you know that?"

 

"Ohhh, I just do," was the answer.

 

 Which I found somewhat hilarious and have been using ever since when someone asks me a similar question," i.e.

 

"How do you know that Alberta Hunter lied about her age and got a job as a practical nurse when she was alrady of retirement age?"

 

"Ohhh, I just do."

 

 WELLLLL, I was just now doing some off-hand research on Young and discovered that YES, she was the aunt of Margaret Whiting. But, instead, she died not from injuries sustained in a fire, but "after a brief illness." I'm wondering if the researcher wasn't conflating thrush demises and thinking, instead, of the great Marion Harris who DID die in a cigarette-ignited hotel fire in 1944. But was not Whiting's aunt. (Names are kinda similar.)

"MAKEUP!"

_________________________

 

Would love to have a copy of that metrosexual sheet music above. Would obviously bring down the house at CPAC

Masculine Women, Feminine Men

Written by Edgar Leslie/James V. Monaco, and recorded by Merrit Brunies & His Friar's Inn Orchestra on Okeh 40593, 3/2/26

Hey Hey women are going mad, today
Hey Hey fellers are just as bad, I'll say
Go anywhere, just stand and stare
You'll say they're bugs when you
look at the clothes they wear

Masculine Women Feminine Men
which is the rooster which is the hen
It's hard to tell 'em apart today
And SAY...
Sister is busy learning to shave
Brother just loves his permanent wave
It's hard to tell 'em apart today
HEY HEY
Girls were girls and boys were boys
when I was a tot,
Now we don't know who is who or
even what's what
Knickers and trousers baggy and wide,
Nobody knows who's walking inside
Those Masculine Women Feminine Men

Masculine Women Feminine Men
Which is the rooster which is the hen
It's hard to tell 'em apart today
And SAY...
Auntie is smoking, rolling her own,
Uncle is always buying cologne
It's hard to tell 'em apart today
HEY HEY
You go and give your girl a kiss in the hall
But instead you find you're kissing
her brother Paul
Mama's got a sweater up to her chin,
Papa's got a girdle holding him in
Those Masculine Women Feminine Men
Stop, Look, Listen and you'll agree... with me
Things are not what they used to be... you'll see
You say hello to Uncle Joe,
Then look again and you find it's your Auntie Flo
Masculine Women Feminine Men
Which is the rooster which is the hen
It's hard to tell 'em apart today
And SAY...
Wifey is playing billiards and pool,
Hubby is dressing kiddies for school
It's hard to tell 'em apart today
HEY HEY
Ever since the Prince of Wales in
dresses was seen,
What does he intend to be the King or the Queen
Grandmother buys those tailor-made clothes
Grandfather tries to smell like a rose
Those Masculine Women Feminine Men