Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Songs Of Sex Workers Vol. 1 - A Tribute To The World’s Oldest Profession

 Songs Of Sex Workers Vol. 1

There’s no questioning that prostitution is the world’s oldest profession—which may explain why there are so many songs written about it.  The Songs Of Sex Workers series is heavy on oldies but goodies… but then, so is the staff here at JOKONKY!


One of the strangest songs recorded in the sixties leads off Vol. 1.  Bobby Gentry sings in Fancy about how her mother turned her out!  Merle Haggard’s experience was similar—except it was his mother turning tricks.  Shel Silverstein’s classic Acapulco Goldie is exactly the kind of Shel song that no one could deliver better than Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show.


There are always a few tracks that almost have to be included.  Cher’s #1 hit Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves, for instance.  The narrative also involves a mother who’s a dancer in a traveling show, and: “Every night the men would come around, and lay their money down.”    Mothers who polite society frowned upon are a common theme in this installment.


You don’t even have to listen to Donna Summer’s Bad Girls to know it’s about prostitution (Beep beep!  Toot toot!). Surprisingly, Summer later turned down It's Raining Men--which was written especially for her--because she was newly born again.  Everyone knows Roxanne is about a streetwalker—but I’d guess fewer knew that Killer Queen or Island Girl are.  


If I ever put together a comp about songs that should never be covered, Lady Marmalade would have to be on it.  Did you know it was written by Bob Crewe of Four Seasons' fame, and Kenny Nolan of I Like Dreaming’ fame?  Who could ever top New Orleans legends The Meters backing Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx, & Sarah Dash?


Notorious grouchy pants Johnny Ramone never liked main songwriter Dee Dee’s song about hustling on 53rd & 3rd.  What was he whining about?  Joey had to sing it!  Longtime Ramones running buddy Debbie Harry gave the topic a female spin with Call Me, as did Sade.  


The Beatles and their musical offspring, Cheap Trick, both had songs that were about sex workers.  I don’t think I knew that Candy’s Room and Janie Jones were--before I started looking for songs for this comp.  Apparently Janie Jones was the first song written by The Clash.  Joe Strummer helped Mick Jones with the narrative after the music & chorus came to Jones while riding the bus.  According to legend, famous bass-smasher Paul Simonon’s part is one note because he hadn’t learned to play his instrument yet!  The titular character was an actual cabaret singer/vice queen who was embroiled in the 1960’s BBC Radio One “sex for airplay” scandal. 


Should we ever do our version of Desert Island Discs, Nick Gilder’s Hot Child In The City would likely be one of mine.  Harder to decide would be whether to pick the hit version or this fantastic live version from Midnight Special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEAcTAHxJiY.  


And while we’re on the subject, if you’ve never heard The Animals’ 1964 rendition of House Of The Rising Sun on The Ed Sullivan Show, you’re simply not living your best life.  Not to worry.  I’ve got you!


20 comments:

  1. Songs Of Sex Workers Vol. 1:
    https://pixeldrain.com/u/q9wKTHfb

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  2. Wow! This looks great! Thanks for your work!

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  3. In The Netherlands there were a few explicit ones, like in 1982 Angelique - Een beetje geld voor een beetje liefde (A bit of cash, for a bit of love). This was a remake of the Nicole, Eurovision winner, A Little Peace.
    Maybe you like this one better Fucking For Bux by The Accused

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  4. Alabama Song, Lili Marleen, I had to press publish too soon. Premature publishing. Hmmm.

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  5. Labelle and the Meters did it best, but their "Lady Marmalade" WAS a cover. A studio band called The Eleventh Hour (put together by Nolan and Crewe) recorded and released it first.

    How about the final verse from Tone Loc's hip hop hit, "Wild Thing":

    We was all alone and she said, "Tone, let me tell you one thing
    I need 50 dollars to make you holler -- I get paid to do the wild thing"

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  6. Great compilation Stinkt, also love the write-up!

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  7. Nice Set!
    Best regards
    Zippy

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  8. French singer Georges Brassens was quite explicit about the woes of sex workers on La Complainte des Filles de Joie which must have been issued in the sixties.
    .

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  9. Thanks to everyone for the comments! I hadn't considered Wild Thing, Jon, but it certainly fits. I have The Eleventh Hour in my FIRST file, but it's almost unlistenable! Unlike Fucking For Bux by The Accused, Richard. Thanks for that one. Lili Marleen & Alabama Song were ones I also overlooked. It's good to see Rick Saunders over here (from Twilight Zone). If I don't miss my guess, Jay Dee Gee is new around these parts. Welcome!

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    1. Yes, welcome! Many thanks to all the commenters! If Stinky does a second volume, "Standing In Front Of Poseur" (by Redd Kross) would be another candidate. I can't find the lyrics online, but in a recent interview, Jeff McDonald said that Poseur "was on a very prostitute-heavy section of Sunset." Steven McDonald added, "We were making an observation about the working girls that were in front of our favorite punk-rock store. And it's somewhat moralistic. I don't know where we were coming from, entirely."

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  10. One Night by Fats is also a classic. So big, it's overlooked

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  11. There are three volumes so far, but I can see it going beyond that, Jon. Thanks for Standing In Front Of Poseur by Redd Kross.

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  12. In The Netherlands there were quite a few songs, Tedje & De Flikkers - Ik Ben Een Hoer, Zangeres Zonder Naam - Keetje Tippel, and I also know a german neue welle schlager Ixi - Detlev. That last one refers to Christiane F, her biography as a heoine-whore was made into a movie starring Bowie singing hits in German.
    Ik be een hoer ( together with Fucking For Bux) are songs about themselves as prostitutes.
    And remember Mark Stewart. Everyone has their price

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  13. La Grange by ZZ Top. There’s a lot of nice girls out there. Basic Dave.

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  14. KISS - Black Diamond should be on this Comp.

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  15. There are four volumes and both Black Diamond and Strutter make appearances, Jimi Jaymz & Jon (Sounds like a law firm). Black Diamond TWICE!

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  16. https://www.discogs.com/release/1951844-Alisa-I-Want-To-Be-A-Prostitute

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  17. C'Est A Hambourg by Édith Piaf is about the experiences of a prostitute

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