Chicks Don't Dig Pirate Voices

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. So get to't me 'arties!

I know that some of you may demur, understandably, but at least please try to throw a little "Arrrr" in somewhere in your day, for the hell of it.

Back at boarding school, about 23 years ago, I and a group of friends were into this "pirate voice" thing way before it became the popular craze with the young folks it is today (ah, youth, with their big pants, and their tattoos and their rock and rolls . . .), until we discovered that talking in pirate voices was a sure way to have women avoid us -- as it was put to us (somewhat as an ultimatum) by our female friends who would no longer eat lunch with us if they heard so much as an "Ay, matey" at the table: "Chicks don't dig pirate voices."

This seems to be one of those not-examined-enough lines in the gender wars, a sure line between what men and women appreciate, along with The Three Stooges and the music of Frank Zappa (h/t Tom X. Chao). Luckily for me, Berit is the exception who digs the Stooges, some Zappa music (anything other than "the noodley jazz shit"), and will tolerate the pirate voice, and sometimes even join in.

If you yourself would like to participate, but are inexperienced in this, here is (h/t Language Log) a fine fine superfine instructional video for your dining and dancing pleasure:

And for the advanced student (and I know I've posted this before, but what the hell), you can try singing along with Mr. George 'Arrison:

Obsession of the Moment: Eleanor Powell

Somehow, by some chain of thought about an hour ago, I was reminded of the dance number from Broadway Melody of 1940 done by Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell to Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine." Don't remember what got me there, but I got there. I realized I'd never seen it outside of the compilation-film That's Entertainment, where it is edited down and partially covered with narration. So I looked for it on YouTube -- there were five or so uploads of it, none of them all that good (either edited down, narrated, or badly copied - in one case, videotaped with a camera off of a TV screen!), but one of them is passable, and here it is:

And I realized again that I haven't seen enough Eleanor Powell, and knew pretty much nothing about her. I only knew the number above where she looks to be the best damned tap partner Astaire ever had (after making this film, he supposedly told Fayard Nicholas he'd never work with Powell again 'cause he made her work too hard) and two numbers from Broadway Melody of 1936 included on the Singin' in the Rain DVD, one of which is terrific (the "Broadway Rhythm" finale) and the other features Powell, a hoofer, in balletic choreography completely unsuited for her (as well as a hideously unflattering costume) which she still pretty much sells.

The Wikipedia entry on her notes that Broadway Melody of 1940 is available on DVD (okay, up it goes to the top of the Netflix queue!) but that almost nothing else of hers is, though a box set may be forthcoming "by the end of this year." In the meantime, here are a couple more short numbers from that film. First, Powell and Astaire again . . .

Now, Astaire, Powell, and George Murphy (a good dancer, but shouldn't be forced to be next to Powell and Astaire, dancing in unison, poor dope) . . .

And from Broadway Melody of 1938, a much longer number -- I love the way the person who uploaded this to YouTube (a non native-English speaker) describes this: "In This Clip You See Sophie Tucker Singing A Great Song, And After That You Can See Eleanor Powell." That about sums it up. If you're not interested in Sophie Tucker (shame!), Powell starts dancing at 3.22 in/5.11 to go:

We worship you, O Eleanor Powell.