The last day of SOUND IN COLOR may well be the greatest, at least historically. After recognizing the birthdays of incredible African-American musicians all month, how wonderful to do the same for and to close with one of the women who made this all possible.
Lena Horne was a genuine lady. Not just in her manner, style, and grace, but in her upbringing, too. Her gambling kingpin father and actress mother rarely wanted for much, except of course for things that money couldn’t buy – namely, equality.
As one of the first black women signed to a long-term contract with a major Hollywood studio, and the first black female singer to tour backed by an all-white band, Lena was a trailblazer. And the trailblazer’s path is never easily trod. As is typical for African-American actresses, the studios first offered her roles as a maid. Her father patently refused, responding that if he wanted a maid, he’d hire one who wasn’t his daughter. MGM wanted to capitalize off black women without advocating for black women, casting Lena to 15 feature length films before she ever received a starring role. The studio wanted to preserve the ability to cut her scenes altogether or recast her as a white actress should one of her films play in a Jim Crow southern state.
But when audiences did see her, they would accept no substitutions. Despite her limited, almost always non-speaking roles in films, Lena’s expressive voice and stunning beauty made her one of the most requested singers on USO tours, wildly popular with everyone, but especially soldiers of color who couldn’t carry or decorate footlockers with photos of famous white actresses and singers. But even that success was short-lived as the lady Lena couldn’t keep quiet about performing for World War II American military audiences where German P.O.W.s received priority seating over African-American servicemen.
Though her signature song is the lovely “Stormy Weather,” and “The Lady is a Tramp” was performed by many who came before and after her, Lena’s take on it from “Words and Music” is my favorite of her performances. “The Lady is a Tramp” is satire mocking the silly whims of New York’s upper-class society by detailing all of the ways that the lady acts of her own volition, ruffling feathers and offending sensibilities.
Whether movies or real life, it’s a role she absolutely shines in.
𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘:
“I never bother with people I hate,
That’s why the lady is a tramp”