Then as now? Masculine Women! Feminine Men!--from 1926

And now for something completely different: If Irving Kaufman didn't like what he saw in 1926, he should see things now. From the good old days, when men were men and women weren't--or were they?

Masculine Women! Feminine Men!

Lyrics are by Edgar Leslie, music by James V. Monaco

Hey, hey--women are going mad today.
Hey, hey--fellows are just as bad.
I'll say!
Go anywhere--just stand and stare.
You'll say they're "bugs" [nuts] when you
Look at the clothes they wear.

Masculine women, feminine men--
Which is the rooster?
Which is the hen?
It's hard to tell 'em apart today.
And, say, sister is busy
Learning to shave.
Brother just loves his
Permanent wave. It's hard to
Tell 'em apart today, hey, hey!

Girls were girls, and boys were boys,when I was a tot.
Now we don't know who is who or even what's what!
Knickers and trousers, baggy and wide--
Nobody knows who's walking inside!
Those masculine women and feminine men.

Stop, look, listen, and you'll agree with me.
Things are not what they used to be, you'll see.
You say hello to Uncle Joe.
Then look again, and you find it's your Auntie Flo.
Masculine women, feminine men--
Which is the rooster? Which is the hen?
It's hard to tell 'em apart today!

Why, Auntie is smoking, rolling her own.
Uncle is always buying cologne.
It's hard to tell 'em apart today, hey, hey.

You go to give your girl a kiss in the hall,
But instead you find you're kissing her brother Paul.
Ma's got a sweater up to her chin;
Papa's got a girdle holding him in--
Those masculine women and feminine men!

Now, wifey is playing billiards and pool.
Hubby is dressing the kiddies for school.
It's hard to tell 'em apart today, hey, hey.
Since the Prince of Wales in ladies' dresses [kilts] was seen,
Now what does he intend to be--the King or the Queen?
Why, grandmother buys those tailor-made clothes;
Grandfather tries to smell like a rose.

Those masculine women and feminine men!