I'm Eric Marcus and this is making gay history. Our third season is a couple of weeks away so in the meantime we thought we'd

bring you this pre-season bonus. This is a longer version of a piece we made

for Lena Dunum's Women of the Hour Podcast.

One of the most memorable experiences of my life was sitting on Edith Eyed's front porch in Burbank, California,

as she treated me to a private concert featuring gay parodies of popular songs and heartfelt melodies she'd written herself.

I'd actually gone to interview Edith

because she was the woman behind vice versa, a magazine for lesbians that she

published on her office typewriter at R. K.O. Radio Pictures in 1947. And you can hear more about that in Edith's episode from our first season.

So I wasn't there to hear Edith sing, but when she mentioned that she performed in gay clubs, I asked her about it and she took out her guitar. Let's see.

going to sit right. Let's see.

I've got to think what key I do now.

Oh yeah, gonna sit right down, gonna sit right down and write my butcher

left her and ask her won't she please turn, I started writing gay parodies to popular songs,

and boy they went over, you know.

The other even just for fun. I tried her clothes on one by one.

I looked so cute with slacks and shirts on. Now you won't find me with skirts on.

Gonna march right down and get myself a haircut

I'll look as handsome as can be

So I guess I'd better write my book a letter and ask her to turn fen for me.

I'm only kidding and ask her to turn them for me.

I had just moved down to Los Angeles in 1945. After I spent two and a half

miserable years being a secretary in Palo Alto, I moved down here. I knew no

...