sharing with the captain
by Douglas Messerli
Ella Shields: The Captain of the King’s Navy / 1929
In
the same year as “Burlington Bert,” Shields sang her famous patter song, “The
Captain of the King’s Navy,” a work that surely owes its entire sensibility of
Gilbert and Sullivan. In this work, as in many of her later works, the lyrics
clearly put the male impersonator in the position of being a lesbian lech, who
is after the women which, at times, she won’t let even the Captain share.
One of my favorite stanzas includes an upbraid from the Captain of
King’s Navy himself:
When alongside the old gay key
I slipped off conspiracy
Stayed on shore an hour more
And met two charming girls.
I slinked them all around the two,
Spent all I could afford.
But what a blooming row there was
When I got back on board.
And the Captain said straight to me
Well my lad this is mutiny
You had two girls, golden curls,
Slinking round all day.
And he cursed and swore for the crew to see
And whispered when they’d gone to tea
Next time you’ll save one for me
Or I stop you serving in the King’s Navy.
Shields dances quite delightfully in a manner that might remand some of
Popeye the Sailor Man.
Los Angeles, November 5, 2023
Reprinted from World Cinema Review (November
2023).
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