more Harlemese (1940)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

Here's an excerpt from one of Dan Burley's "Back Door Stuff" columns
entitled "A Harlem Cat Digs the World Sitchuashun" (introduced as a
"discussion of world affairs by a Harlem Cat, in the new Harlemese").
Note that Congressmen are "the Squares in Their Chairs".

---
New York Amsterdam News, Feb. 15, 1940, p. 1
...
Jive is beat, ole man, unless you dig the swing. The Apple's twirling,
Jack, a deuce o' boxcars around the chimer, an' the Cat that's
unhipped is like the chicken, ain't stickin' ole man, ain't stickin'.
Latch onto this hard mess, stud hoss, an' you'll dig what I'm laying
down: Them Bulls in the China Closet across the heavy drink are
knocking the cutglass out an' spoiling the scenic effect while the
Squares in Their Chairs in the Mighty Dome are shootin' for the side
pocket and scratchin' every time.
...
The translation: My lingo is useless unless you understand. The earth
is spinning once every 24 hours and the person who doesn't know what's
going on is as minus perception as a chicken is minus money. Listen to
this discussion (hard mess), my friend, (stud hoss) and you'll
understand my viewpoint. The Nazis, (bulls in the China Closet) across
the ocean are breaking up everything, while our Congressmen (Squares
in Their Chairs) in Washington (Mighty Dome) are doing everything
wrong (shooting for the side pocket and scratching every time).
---


--Ben Zimmer

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