Steve Greenberg " Big Bruce "
(USA, 1969)
The folk history of America
is the history of its heros.
Big, working men like
John Henry, Paul Bunyan and Big Bad John,
but today I'd like to introduce a new folk hero.
He didn't work on a railroad or in a mine
or any of those strenuous occupations
He worked in a beauty salon and his name was Bruce!
At the beauty salon, every morning at ten
Big Bruce arrived and kinda tipped-toed in.
He wore bell-bottom pants and a polka dot tie,
and whever he spoke it was just to say 'Hi!'
Big Bruce Big Bad Bruce
Everyone knew when he swished into town,
You could smell his perfume from miles around!
He stood 6 foot high and weighed 106.
with a curl in his hair and a smile on his lips.
Big Bruce Big Old Bruce
the boys all say hes from Avaline,
from a social group called the Lone Star Queens.
Some say Hollywood or Beverly Hills
Where he got arrested for passing three dollar bills
Big Bruce, dumb Old Bruce
Then came the day of that terrible fire
Something went wrong in the number five dryer.
Into the chaos of those matronly dames
went Big Bad Bruce, just fanning the flames.
Well, the flames grew higher and the fire got worse,
and someone heard Brucey cry "mercy I forgot my purse".
into the fire with a squeal and a shout...
We waited an hour but he never came out!
Big Bruce, Poor Bruce
Where the salon once stood thee's a grocery store
but his name will live for evermore.
In the annals of time and the hall of fame
as the gay young cat who went down in flames.
You might say this has been a fairy tale!
