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1950s American Slang Word(s) of the Day #17

Our 1950s American Slang Word of the Day today is:

Dame: n. a woman or girl, esp. a troublesome one. Orig. "Dame" implied a young woman considered attractive but not wholly respectable by the speaker. Depending on the emphasis, it can now mean a promiscuous woman, (probably the most frequent use since c. 1940) a sexually attractive woman, an unemotional, sexless woman worker, or even an ugly old woman.

                             Gloria Grahme in 'The Big Heat'; image from Film Noir Photos

Example:  "All any of these dames owe me is a night's work, one night at a time. They come and go like flies...Outside of my place, some of these babes keep pretty shady company. It figures. They know nobody cares much what happens to 'em...They're floaters, not much more than a suitcase full of nothin' between them and the gutter." (quote from "The Big Heat" 1953) 


Clarification: The young women who work for me can be quite troublesome. The lifestyles they lead cause them to work only occasionally. I've known them to spend time with characters of ill repute outside of the workplace. It makes sense because these young ladies often have no family or friends to care for them. They are vagrants; they change employment and travel from town to town. They have extremely little in the way of money or worldly goods and are close to living in squalid, degraded conditions.

1950's American Slang Word(s) of the Day #16

Note: The words I use are chosen from the Pocket Dictionary of American Slang. A popular abridgment of the finest dictionary of American Slang ever published. compiled by Harold Wentworth and Suart Berg Flexner.  "contained here are definitions of almost all the slang words in common use today" The dictionary was published in 1960 and took ten years to compile. what you read here is copied word for word from the dictionary EXCEPT for the EXAMPLES and CLARIFICATIONS. Those are mine.

The 1950's American Slang Word(s) of the Day today is:

Jelly Roll: n. 1. A man extremely virile or obsessed with sex; a man who curries the sexual favors of women. 2. A lover; a sweet Papa or Sweet Mama. very common Negro use. Most popular with southern Negros. c. 1875-c. 1915   Now associated with and made known to white people by use in early jazz groups and lyrics; perhaps esp. by the early great jazz pianist Jelly Roll Morton. still some Negro use.

                                                              image from Square America

Example: "Oh Louis, come here and talk to mama...hold mama in your big, strong arms. You're my Jelly Roll Baby, you're my  Sweet Papa tonight."

Clarification: "Louis, please come over here and use graphic word imagery in order to heighten the sexual pleasure between us. Physically acquire possession of me and assume control. I consider you extremely virile and capable of engaging and performing in a copulative manner. You are at my disposal tonight. "

1950s American Slang word(s) of the Day #14, #15

I've fallen behind drastically on my 1950's American slang posts so I'm going to post a couple of them today to make up for it.

So, our 1950's American Slang Word(s) of the day today is:

1) Skate; v.i. To avoid paying, to evade a creditor, the image is of a person who "skates away", reinforced by 'Cheap Skate'. n. 1. An inferior, decrepit or useless horse. Ranch, farm and some racing use. 2. A contemptible person. since c. 1890. From "Cheap-Skate".

Example: Harlan just skates off into the horizon every time he sees Sal coming up the sidewalk with the meat bill. He sticks poor Mary Lou with it every time. I loaned her the dough to pay and this time I'm taking it out of Harlan's hide!

Clarification: Harlan disappears from the immediate area every time he notices the Butcher is coming to collect on the meat bill. He leaves Mary Lou to face the shame and humiliation of being unable to pay all by herself. I loaned her the money to pay the bill and this time I plan on bludgeoning Harlan with a knobby club until he begs for mercy and learns his lesson.

1950's American Slang word(s) of the Day #15;

Sizzle; v.i. To die in the electric chair; to fry. -r. n. 1. lit. and fig., anything that is or anyone who is hot or "hot" in any of their usages; anything that is or anyone who is hot, fast, exciting, sexually stimulating or stolen. 2. specif. a hard blow with a fist; a knockout, a punch. c. 1920 prize fight use. 3. specif. in Baseball; a fast, hard-hit, low line drive. 4. specif. an exciting, vivacious, sexually tempting woman. 5. specif. a Burlesque dancer or stripper. 6. specif. a sensational or lurid story or scandal. 7. specif. a funny joke, usually one about sex. 8. any extremely popular song, book or movie; or extremely popular entertainer, successful athlete or the like. 9. specif., an expensive item of stolen goods, a stolen car; a kidnaped person. 10. An inferior cook; especially a logging camp or ranch cook.  Sizzling; adj., "hot" in any of its usages. Stolen, paid as a kidnaping ransom.

Lili St. Cyr, aka "The Anatomic Bomb" image from Love The Gals' Flikr photostream

Example: Hey, Willie! Rollo and me went to the Blue Belle Saturday night. Have you seen that new hot tamale they've got dancing over there? OOOOoooooooEEEEeeeeeee she makes that stage sizzle man!! She is hot!

Clarification: Hello, Willard. Roland and I visited the drinking and entertainment establishment known as the Blue Belle on Saturday night. Have you been lucky enough to witness the exciting dance performance of their highly attractive new female employee? I'll be darned if she doesn't stimulate me sexually with her extremely provacative dance moves. She is one fine woman.

Neat to look at

I've got so many vintage magazines that I've decided to post images more often. I've spent the last day or so scanning the hell out of True Detective, True Story, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Life, and a ton more so I've got a pig pile of images to share with you all.

This comic came out of a 1954 Good Housekeeping magazine. I can't help but shake my head when I read it. Women truly have come a long way.

This one is really kinda creepy...in a creepy way.

My FAVORITE cover of True Detective

1950's American Slang Word(s) of the Day #13

Our 1950's American Slang Word(s) of the Day today is:

French Walk: 1.= Bums Rush, the. 2. Specifically ejecting a man from a place forcibly by grabbing the seat of his pants with one hand and the back of his collar with the other, thus forcing him to walk until he reaches the door.

Example: "Did you hear? Paulie got the french walk right outta Pops Bar last night! He was six sheets to the wind. He's sleeping in the doghouse tonight!"

Clarification: "I wonder if you've been made aware of the latest news involving our friend Paul? The staff had Paul forcibly ejected from the Pops drinking establishment last night. He was highly intoxicated. I'm sure that his wife is quite upset by it and is punishing him wholeheartedly."

Sophie, the Queen of the house

Sophie, the Queen of the house
Originally uploaded by 1950's Unlimited

I thought I'd post a bit of my family today. I have been absolutely sick as a dog this week with what I was SURE was the swine flu because I was DYING. Just dragging myself to the bathroom was like running a marathon. I felt absolutely HORRID. Anyhow, I'm feeling a bit better. This is Sophie, my mini dachshund. She is the boss of the house.

1950's American Slang Word(s) of the Day #12

 

Our 1950's American slang word(s) of the day today is:

Living Room Gig: An appearance on television, specifically of a Jazz musician. Some general jazz use.

             1958 Art Fords Jazz Party: image stills; prelinger archives                   


Example:  "Cole is doing a livingroom gig tonight! Why don't you and Maxine come over and watch?Georgie and Emma are coming too. Evelyn is whipping up a spread for all of us. You'd better be there!"

Clarification: "Coleman will be on television tonight. I would like it if you and Maxine came to the house to watch the program. George and Emmaline will be there as well. My very beautiful wife Evelyn is working hard to create an attractive display of food and beverages for us to indulge in during the show. Please come."