Danny boy & the serious partygods - Castroboy.

**John365** · January 22nd, 2003, 02:48 PM

I have this amazing high energy track on cassette for about
20years now.
I don't know much more than the artist name and the title,
and that it's probebly from San Fransisco[the lyrics are about the Castrostreet scene in S.F.]
Does anyone know what label this record is on and if it's a 12'' or l.p. and if it's hard to find .I haven't seen it yet.

Thanks,John.

**markydefad** · January 22nd, 2003, 03:04 PM

I am very familiar with "Castro Boy"-- since I once was one. :lol: I was working at Aloha Records when this came out in 1983, I think. It was a parody of "Valley Girl" by Frank & Moon Zappa, with a gayboy spoken part by a guy named Bret Arnst, as I recall. I have the 12" at home--it was on some small label that was created for this project and I think it was John Hedges and some other SF record-producer type behind it. I'll check tonight.

I came across a copy in SF last October when Jeff & I were shopping, but it's not something you see often. Jeff is from Pittsburgh and a connoisseur of all things GAY (he's the editor of the Pittsburgh gay paper) and he had never heard of it, before I called it to his attention. So, I don't think it travelled much out of SF. And I don't recall ever dancing to it anywhere...although it's a good dance record.

It's pretty damn funny, though. "Gag me with a cock" indeed!!!! :lol:

**keefelc** · January 22nd, 2003, 10:00 PM

Mark, leave it to you to remember this record. I completely forgot it existed - maybe that was intentional! :D

**markydefad** · January 23rd, 2003, 12:26 PM

OK, I checked out the 12" of "Castro Boy"....

Producers: Lester Temple & Barry Beam
Exec. Prod.: John Hedges
Engineers: Peter & Mary Buffet
All Music: Barry Beam

They were all SF record-honchos. John Hedges was a DJ who later started BADDA (Bay Area Disco DJ Association),and ultimately producing at Fantasy. Then he was responsible for the Lisa "Jump Shout" and "Rocket To Your Heart" and later the Sylvester "All I Need" LP.

There is a paragraph about "Castro Boy' in the SF Disco book "Tribal Rites by David Diebold:

"Lester Temple and Barry worked on "Castro Boy" around this time (which was a take-off on "Valley Girl") and while we couldn't get a label to touch it due to the profanity, etc, we got it out anyway on our own label. I think we pressed about five thousand of those which are still selling worldwide. (This book was printed in 1987). I constantly get calls for that record and so it might come out on a greatest hits album or something."

Well, as far as I know it wasn't released on CD. But, geez,
only 5,000 copies....maybe this is a collector's item!!!! Hmmmm....well maybe only to future"Castro Boys".

**John365** · January 23rd, 2003, 03:34 PM

Hey Mark,

Thanks for the info.

And the lyrics are great fun indeed.
5000 copies released ,i don't think this is a record for everyone,so that gives me some hope in finding
this strange but very likeable record.
I got the tape from an illegal radiostation here in Den haag
so it has been shipped to Europe.

Thanks again for the quik respons,John.

**markydefad** · February 2nd, 2003, 06:29 PM

Well, anal-retentive poster that I am....of course, I had to go back and listen to "Castro Boy". I decided that since many of you probably never heard this gem...I would transcribe the lyrics for you!!! :roll: Here's to a few chuckles or, maybe...gasps of distaste &horror (Quinny, are you still in Church Lady mode?) :P

"Castro Boy" ( The Castro is a heavily gay-populated section of San Francisco, hmmm.... that's sorta redundant, isn't it???? Well, let's just say in that part of town, usually 90% of the folks walking down the street are queer as opposed to 50% in other areas). So, see... it has nothing to do with the Cuban dictator!!!! :P

This is an early 80's electro/synth-type style of production in Patrick Cowley- mode; but decidedly, a parody of The Zappa's "Valley Girl" .

Vocoder Chorus:
"CASTRO BOY, he's a Castro Boy
Castro Boy, he's a Castro Boy
OK, fine, fer sure, fer sure,
He's a Castro Boy and there is no cure
OK, fine , fer sure, fer sure,
He's a Castro Boy and there is no cure."

Gay Boy spoken part --ultra gay-nelly voice (Bret Arnst)

"Like how ruuude,
Oh--like faaaabulous
Castro Street is soooooo hot
I mean--so many men, so little time!!!
It's not pretty being easy!!!!
I mean--you can cruise for days, girl
From the Badlands to Castro Station over to Moby Dicks
Check out the New Wave clones at Bear Hollow
It's to die for (prophetic words, those :cry: )
It's sooooooooooo faaaaaaaaaaaabuuuulouuuuuus!!!!!"

Vocoder Voices:

"Down on Castro, there he goes
He just bought some fancy clothes
Hanky on the left and keys on the right
He is such a manly sight

(Chorus)
Castro Boy, he's a Castro Boy
OK, fine, etc.

Spoken:

"Anyway--this leather queen goes 'are you into S&M?'
and I said 'Oh, puh-leeeeze--who isn't? I mean--give-me-a-break!!!'
I mean like are you into the usual like bondage or fisting
or do you get heavy like necrophilia or tricking with your Great Dane? Puuh-leeeeze!!!!

So I see this guy at the Jaguar (bookstore/sex palace across the street from Aloha Records on 18th)
He's in his leather drag in a sling
with gawd-knows-what up her ass
and he's in a nurses uniform
I mean--I thought I saw it all--
But Puh-leeeeze, Miss Thing!!!!!"

Vocoder:
(Not sure...) Never outdone (???)
He looks his best in a pair of chaps and leather vest
Heads to where the in-crowd goes
Takes his place to stand and pose
Repeat Chorus.

Spoken:
So, my friend Bill calls--oh, no , we're not "lovers"
we're like, you know-- "sisters"
So he says "C'mon girl--le's go dancing..."
We always go to the Troc
But tonight "I" was in the Beam (The I-Beam on Haight St.)
Got any crystal?
So all he has is MDA.

Repeat Chorus.

Spoken:
"Ooooh....this stuff makes you horny
oooooh, for days
So, like, he goes 'I just got the new Veee-ola Wills record'--
I mean, he is such a Disco Dolly!!!!
David Bowie --he's so cool--
you know "Mod-ern Music"
Oh, is he gay?

So I walk into the Detour to find a Daddy or something
and I see this hunk
I mean he is such a humpy dude
and hung , girlfriend !!!! such a basket!!!
puh-leeeze--he looks da-vooone!!!!

So he says "Come here often""
and I says "Oh fer sure--are you into watersports?"
and he starts to Read ME!!!!
He says I talk NELLY--How RUDE!!!!
I DO NOT TALK NELLY!!! I'M BUTCH!!!!
Well, **** YOU TOO--I'm sure
I bet he stuffs socks in his crotch!!!
I'm sure that wasn't all meat!!!!
I mean--puh-leeeeze!!!!!!

(This last part is sorta just dub style---the music has taken over and the lines are thrown in helter-skelter...)

Oh, I really like this song
It really "P's"
Ooooh, let me get a hit off those poppers!!!
Wooo, yeah, new Sylvester---whip it girl!!!!

(off-key) "Do You wanna funk"

Well, off to the 1808 Club (Sex Club on Market St)
Check ya later
No hanky-panky
Gag me with a cock!!!!!
FAAAAAAABULOOOUUUUSSSS!!!!
FAAAAAAABULOOOUUUUSSSS!!!!

Where is my cockring and my Quaaludes?
Where did I put my titclamps?
I wore it last night with my LaCoste
Where is my All-American Boy t-shirt?
I've got to stop leaving things at trick's houses!!!!

Oh, my gawd,
What did you say your name was again?
How do you spell that?
Well, you gotta give me a call sometime.
Here's my card.

Repeat Chorus:
CASTRO BOY, he's a Castro Boy
Castro Boy, he's a Castro boy

Cold End!!!!.

Pretty damn funny if ya ask me. Of course, I was there...so it all rings of the truth to me. Ah, yes "The Way We Were". :P

**DJ Bozo** · February 3rd, 2003, 05:03 AM

Oh the nightmares. :) I remember playing it. Might just have to do it again next weekend.

**nrgbeat** · February 3rd, 2003, 06:04 AM

What's Bear Hollow?

**markydefad** · February 3rd, 2003, 12:11 PM

Bear Hollow was a bar. I don't think it's there anymore. Most of the rest of the bars mentioned are still there...amazingly enough!!!! :D

**keefelc** · February 3rd, 2003, 01:45 PM

Actually, Castro Station is now the Bar On Castro. Badlands you wouldn't recognize and Moby Dick's is just a shell of it's former glory.

**markydefad** · July 14th, 2003, 08:06 PM

OK, I found the lyrics to "Castro Boy"...so I'm gonna move this back to the top of the pile!!!! :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

**react010** · July 14th, 2003, 09:31 PM

Indeed: the original 12" was shipped to Holland in 1983 (maybe only 100 copies) to a shop in The Hague named "Lp Top 100", and after that was played often on the illegal 'mostly disco/italo' radiostation "Radio City The Hague' (in dutch: "Radio Stad Den Haag"), which bought all there imports at this shop at the time...
Castro Boy went up to no. 22 on the stations top 50 Disco-Charts, and was played a lot on the station and in the disco-clubs in the area of The Hague...
This radiostation was raded by the police about 20 times before they went off the air for good in 1986.
Nowadays they are back 'on the air' on the net and there website is at: http://www.radiostaddenhaag.nl/
The radio-stream on the site still plays all the obscure disco-tracks (including Castro-Boy).
Great track to shock my friends when i play it for them :))

**infrasound** · July 14th, 2003, 11:43 PM

Such a priceless find!

**QUINNY** · July 15th, 2003, 07:07 AM

Marky: Me, go to church!!!! I'm just wondering what else you have tucked away in your personal profile of me.
I read it through. I imagine you'd have to be gay to really appreciate it, but I had you in my mind's eye, laughing your ass off and it bought a grin to my face.
Hardly the most outrageous lyrics ever, but boy does it go on, and on, and on, and............... :lol: