I don't know when or where the use of the word "fly" as an adjective (commonly used in hip-hop lyrics, as you all know) was begun. It may have been in Curtis Mayfield's "Superfly" around 1972. However, in "Jet Boy" by the New York Dolls from 1973, the first line is (if I'm not mistaken), "Who's so fly up in the sky?" Was singer David Johansen referring to the act of flying or did he mean dapper/stylish/slick/smooth? Maybe this was common slang around New York and/or other cities, which happened to be used by both the Dolls and future rappers.
Another example of this is the Dictators' "Faster and Louder" from 1978. The last words by singer Handsome Dick Manitoba are, "Later, homes..." I wonder whether he meant this as an abbreviation for "homeboy" as is common in rap...or did he actually say "Holmes?" Did white guys from the Bronx (like the Dictators) say "homeboy" at the time?
Also, does anyone know whether the use of the word "dope" to describe something as great/mindblowing/in-the-pocket was used earlier than 1986's "Dope Beat" by Boogie Down Productions?
― TagoMaguro, Friday, 30 November 2007 16:07 (eighteen years ago)
For some reason my first thought when seeing the thread title was Weezer's "Buddy Holly". Not terribly helpful for your query, though.
― Simon H., Friday, 30 November 2007 16:13 (eighteen years ago)
Pat Boone sang "she's a real gone cookie" on his version of "Tutti Frutti".
Hope that helped.
― Mark G, Friday, 30 November 2007 16:17 (eighteen years ago)
Thanks Mark and Simon. Yeah, I guess I could have created a better thread title, such as "Early New York Punk Bands Who Used Words Which Would Later Become Common In Hip-Hop."
― TagoMaguro, Friday, 30 November 2007 17:03 (eighteen years ago)
The Everly Bros sang about "Ballin it up" in late 50s
― sexyDancer, Friday, 30 November 2007 17:04 (eighteen years ago)
Did white guys from the Bronx (like the Dictators) say "homeboy" at the time?
Woody Guthrie, "Talking Columbia Blues," I think: "The tractor came and took my home, boy."
― xhuxk, Friday, 30 November 2007 17:10 (eighteen years ago)
Pete Seeger: WICK WACK PADDY WACK GIVE THE DOG A BONE
― sexyDancer, Friday, 30 November 2007 17:11 (eighteen years ago)
valuable new posters
― The Reverend, Tuesday, 4 December 2007 14:37 (eighteen years ago)
Lord Custos Threads Used For The First Time On Record by Rock Bands?
― Dom Passantino, Tuesday, 4 December 2007 14:41 (eighteen years ago)
tv on the radio said 'drop it like its hot' on new health rock.
― titchyschneiderMk2, Tuesday, 4 December 2007 14:50 (eighteen years ago)
snoop dogg made a video that look like 1981
― jhøshea, Tuesday, 4 December 2007 15:01 (eighteen years ago)
There's an unreleased spoken introduction to Yes' Close To The Edge in which Jon Anderson uses the term "dope-ass motherfuckers."
― Sara Sara Sara, Tuesday, 4 December 2007 15:12 (eighteen years ago)
half the words on the first three R.E.M. records are actually "bling", but Michael Stipe eventually stopped cuz it didn't seem to be catching on
― bernard snowy, Tuesday, 4 December 2007 15:43 (eighteen years ago)