![]() Nightlife in Harlem acted as a peculiar middle ground during the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. The Harlem Renaissance era saw a wider array of black and queer expression than ever before, but the circulation of such products were still policed. Though more scandalous than many of the songs being produced at the time, the heteronormativity of the lyrics is indicative of a society that set repressive standards for both African Americans and the LGBTQ+ community. One such example is her 1945 recording of “Find Out What He Likes,” a song about Bentley’s sexual prowess and the importance of pleasing one’s man sexually. In the words of Langston Hughes, “Miss Bentley was an amazing exhibition of musical energy – a large, dark, masculine lady, whose feet pounded the floor while her fingers pounded the keyboard – a perfect piece of African sculpture, animated by her own rhythm.”ĭue to the improvisational and risqué nature of Bentley’s lyrics, only a select few of the hundreds of songs she performed have been recorded for public consumption, and those that have tend to be the more “acceptable” of her works. Though she first began her career at Harry Hansberry’s Clam House, a notorious gay speakeasy, Bentley headlined at numerous venues and events around Harlem during the Renaissance. The 250-pound openly lesbian singer, pianist, and self-described “male impersonator,” was infamous for performing double-entendre laden songs in men’s evening clothes as a chorus line of drag queens danced behind her. ![]() In the world of Harlem nightlife, Gladys Bentley stood apart from other entertainers.
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