Rocktober Day Nine: Sweet Transvestite

And now for something completely different...

Seeing Rocky Horror Picture Show for the first time around 1981 or '82 was like opening the door on a brand new world. It blew my mind. I sent me into sensory overload. I fell in love with every little thing about it and have never looked back. I really couldn't say how many dozens of times I have watched this film. I've seen it twice on stage. Watching it today fills me with as much pleasure and kooky joy as it did that first time.

Before I saw it I don't think I could have imagined that such characters were possible. Yet it is such characters which draw me; I am drawn like a moth to a flame to weird and off the wall, which is quite weird because I come across as very vanilla to the untrained observer.

Anyhow, Sweet Transvestite was the song which made me fall in love with the mammoth talent which is Tim Curry. That voice, those legs, that sneer. There are better songs in the show but to me this is THE song of RHPS, what it's all about.

From the moment Brad and Janet start backing out of the ballroom, the elevator slowly descending behind them, I start to tingle with (consta)anticipation.

Sweet Transvestite (poor quality YouTube clip, sorry couldn't find a better one)

How d'you do, I see you've met my faithful handyman
He's just a little brought down because when you knocked
He thought you were the candyman.
Don't get strung out by the way that I look,
Don't judge a book by its cover
I'm not much of a man by the light of day,
But by night I'm one hell of a lover

I'm just a Sweet Transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania.

So let me show you around, maybe play you a sound
You look like you're both pretty groovy
Or if you want something visual that's not too abysmal
We could take in an old Steve Reeves movie.

[Brad] I'm glad we caught you at home, could we use your phone?
We're both in a bit of a hurry.
We'll just say where we are, then go back to the car
We don't want to be any worry.

So you got caught with a flat, well, how about that?
Well babies, don't you panic.
By the light of the night when it all seems alright
I'll get you a satanic mechanic.

I'm just a Sweet Transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania.

So why don't you stay for the night? Or maybe a bite?
I could show you my favourite obsession.
I've been making a man with blond hair and a tan
And he's good for relieving my tension.

I'm just a Sweet Transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania.

So come up to the lab. And see what's on the slab.
I see you shiver with antici... pation!
But maybe the rain isn't really to blame
So I'll remove the cause, but not the symptom.