George Raft

[Ron Butters]

Barry Popik asks:

<<What influence did Raft and Porter have for the homosexual use of the word
"gay"?>>

None. In fact, I think it is pretty clear, the word "gay" in Porter's song
"Farming" did not mean 'homosexual' to Porter's audience, and probably not to
Porter as well. It isn't only George Raft who is identified as GAY--also
Garbo, Fannie Hurst, and Fanny Brice. Here are some of the lyrics:

Farming, that's the fashion,
Farming, that's the passion
Of our great celebrities of today.
Fannie Hurst is haulin' logs,
Fanny Brice is feedin' hogs,
Garbo-Peep has led her sheep all astray.
Singing while they're rakin',
Bringing home the bacon,
Makes 'em feel more glamorous and more gay.
Miss Elsa Maxwell, so the folks tattle,
Got well-goosed while dehorning her cattle,
Farming is so charming, they all say.

Farming, that's the fashion,
Farming, that's the passion
Of our great celebrities of today.
Don't inquire of Georgie Raft
Why his cow has never calfed,
Georgie's bull is beautiful, but he's gay!
Seeing spring a-coming,
Being minus plumbing,
Makes 'em feel informal and degage.
When Cliff Odets found a new tomater
He plowed under the Group Theaytre,
Farming is so charming, they all say.

I discuss all this in my article on the evolution of GAY 'homosexual' in the
most recent issue of DICTIONARIES.