Dominic Vautier 1/7/2011
The Black Crook was a stage play first performed in 1866 in New York. Although some claim that it was a musical, the play was more like an extravaganza if anything because it mostly consisted of unrelated dancing and singing which was far from what later became known as American musical comedy.
The play created a great deal of controversy at the time and was almost universally condemned for it's obscene decadence. Of course there was no nudity, only chorus lines of shapely dancers draped in see-through robes outlining what appeared to be beautiful naked bodies. The girls really wore silk tights.
It was supposed to celebrate "the glorification of women" but for some reason this did not make a lot of sense anywhere beyond New York because the stage play was not accepted anywhere else. It did have a long run in that city, which may indicate that New York accepted decadence.
The only song of interest in the play was Ta-ra boom-di-ay which was revised in 1891 and became a big hit in both America and England.
Some chorus girls from The Black Crook
Ta-ra boom-di-ay has generated more lyrics than any other single song.
I wear my naughty dress
above my pretty knees
Ta-ra boom-di-ay
Ta-ra boom-di-ay
He left me sitting there
without no underwear
Ta-ra boom-di-ay
Ta-ra boom-di-ay